Dare to Believe

Chapter Three

Leo nearly came in his pants. It took all of his self control to stop the magic from getting away from him. If she looked anywhere but at him she’d probably see little fireflies of light darting around the room, something that hadn’t happened to him before. He’d never lost it this badly. There was a catch in her voice, a plea he’d rarely heard, the cry of a woman who didn’t think she was pleasing but wanting something she couldn’t name.

Leo decided that from now on he’d see to it that she never doubted her appeal again.

With that in mind, he moved the hand fondling his cock down to her skirt. With a wicked grin on his face he began inching it up, exposing the thigh-high stockings and red thong panties she wore to his admiring gaze.

“Damn, kitten. I like your taste in underwear.” He petted her covered mound, earning a hiss of pleasure. He turned his hand and cupped her, easing the fabric aside enough to allow them to stroke through her drenched slit. He looked down and shuddered with need.

She was completely bald. “So fucking sexy.” He couldn’t wait to see her uncovered, but first he wanted to see her come. He strummed her clit, watching her reactions closely, trying to see what made her crazy with want. She arched into his hand with a soft cry, her breath hitching. “Right there, kitten?”

He cupped her breast with his free hand, stroking the soft skin around her areola before moving to the brown nipple. His fingers stroked in circles to match the rhythm he was using on her clit. “Beautiful. So fucking beautiful.”

She hunched up against him, her hands stroking his chest, her eyes closed in pleasure. He began to stroke her to climax, dying to see her face in ecstasy.

“Please. God, please!” she pleaded breathlessly.

He leaned down and took one pebbled nipple into his mouth. He sucked and licked as hard as he dared. He slipped two of his fingers into her hot, wet sheath, matching the tugging pull of his mouth to the stroking of his fingers. He kept his gaze on her face, gauging her reactions by the expressions flitting across it. From what he could see it wouldn’t be much longer before she tumbled over the edge.

He bit down, letting her just feel the edge of his teeth. She came with a cry, her muscles clenching down over his fingers like a vise. Before she finished, he eased down her panties and sucked her clit into his mouth, prolonging her orgasm.

She came down from the orgasm, her breathing ragged. He moved from sucking her clit to licking her slit, trying to ease her down without losing that little touch of arousal he planned on using to go even further. “God, that was so good.” There was a note of surprise in her voice.

He laughed, happy that he’d pleased her. He spared a brief thought to the lovers she’d had who’d failed to, but decided the losers weren’t worth more than that. After all, it was their loss and very much his gain. “Don’t worry, kitten, the night’s young. It’ll get much, much better.”

“Much better than that, and you’re going to be explaining my death-by-orgasm to the county coroner.”

The breathless laughter in her voice warmed him. He rewarded her with another long, slow lick.

“Oh. Oh, my. Leo, what are you doing?”

“Eating you, my dear,” he breathed against her wet, inflamed flesh. He couldn’t help himself. It was the sweetest looking pussy he’d ever seen. He nibbled at her clit and she rewarded him with a breathless moan.

“Oh. Okay.”

Leo held back another laugh. He’d never had a lover who made him want to laugh in bed before. He found that he loved that about her. He began to tongue her clit, lapping at it like a cat at a bowl of cream.

He inserted two fingers into her and began languidly thrusting them in and out. Her thighs quivered.

Looking up at her over her satin clad mound he saw her playing with her nipples, bringing them to hard peaks once more. His cock became rock hard behind his tight leather pants at the sight of her enjoying her body.

If he didn’t fuck her soon he was going to explode.

She was moaning and panting with need, her body arching against the burgundy velvet of the couch, her gorgeous tits cupped in her hands. She began to ride the wave towards another orgasm, her expression exquisitely painful. “Please, please, please,” she muttered breathlessly.

“Say my name,” he whispered, lapping at her pussy.

“Leo.”

“Again.” He took her clit between his lips and hummed, using just enough of his magic to send the vibrations skyrocketing through her.

“Leo! ” She came on a scream, his name ringing out through the hotel room, her body bowed up off the sofa, her arms flying up above her head, fingers digging into the cushions. One of his hands grasped her hip, keeping her from throwing them both off the sofa with the force of her orgasm.

She whimpered, coming down from what sounded like one hell of an orgasm. He continued to lap at her, removing his fingers from her to tug at the zipper of his leather pants, so damn hard he hurt.

She opened dazed eyes and looked down at him. His tongue reached out and touched her soaking wet slit and she shivered in response. His hot gaze meeting hers, his hand moved down to his pants. She imagined him lowering the zipper one set of teeth at a time. She tried to sit up, only to have him hold her down.

“Stay there.” His command was dark and ragged. He stood and pulled his rock hard cock out of his pants, stroking it lightly. She couldn’t take her eyes off it. He slid one leg over her to partially kneel on the sofa over her chest, one foot on the floor keeping him steady. He held the purple head to her lips, a demanding expression on his face. He stayed perfectly still, waiting to see what she’d do.

Ruby had never given anyone a blow job before, but after giving her two mind-blowing orgasms with his tongue and lips, she figured she owed him one. Besides, how hard could it be? She was intelligent.

She’d read some really steamy novels. She knew the mechanics.

Remembering some things Mandy had told her and others she’d read, she licked gently at the head of his cock, breathing in his musky, male scent. The drop of liquid at the tip was both salty and sweet, and he groaned when she delicately lapped it up. She felt her body coming to life once again, her nipples standing at attention. He reached down and toyed with one, sending sharp pleasure straight to her pussy. His other hand moved into her hair to hold her head steady. She opened her lips and he slipped the head of his cock inside, the warm weight strange on her tongue.

She sucked on it, pleased when he sighed his pleasure. Looking up at him through her lashes, she could see his eyes glued to her mouth. Leo began moving his cock between her lips, keeping her head where he wanted it with his hand.

She stroked the shaft with her tongue, earning a groan from him. He closed his eyes, the fingers in her hair becoming firmer around the back of her head. Heat curled in her stomach at his firm grip, surprising her. He began carefully moving her head back and forth, his hips hunching to meet her mouth.

“Gods, baby, that’s it. Lick it, kitten. Use your tongue.”

She obeyed his soft command, stroking his cock with her tongue. When she hollowed out her cheeks and sucked down hard, he pulled out of her mouth with a hiss. “Not yet, kitten. I don’t want to come in your mouth.”

“Didn’t you say the night was young?” Her own daring surprised her.

He stared down at her, surprised and pleased. “Yeah. Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” He guided the head of his cock back between her lips. “Suck it, kitten. Make me come.”

He began moving more forcefully between her lips, his eyes never leaving the sight of his cock entering and leaving her mouth. “That’s it, kitten. Gods, that’s good. I’m going to come soon.”

She could taste him now, that salty sweet flavor stronger than before, and wondered if he was close.

His breathing sped up, his hips hunched faster against her, and with a groan he erupted into her mouth, flooding her with his taste. She wasn’t prepared for it. She tried her best to swallow but nearly choked, some of it getting away from her and dribbling out of her mouth. She liked the look on his face as he came.

He continued to stare down at her, his face twisted in helpless ecstasy. She kept sucking him even after he was done and was rewarded with a happy, satisfied laugh. He pulled her head away from his half-erect cock. He replaced his cock with his tongue in a kiss that was both tender and possessive, surprising her.

She didn’t think he’d want to kiss her after he’d come in her mouth, but from the warmth of it she guessed he didn’t mind. He stroked her hair throughout the kiss and her arms crept around his neck, her heart stuttering strangely in her chest. In a way it was even more intimate than the sex had been.

He picked her up off the sofa and swung her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing at all. “Time to get naked, kitten.”

He turned on his heel and carried her into the bedroom.

Once inside the burgundy and cream bedroom he set her on her feet. He peeled the red corset off her, savoring each bit of exposed skin, kissing and nibbling at her in seemingly random spots until she was ready to beg him to lick her nipples. He went to his knees in front of her and unzipped her red leather mini skirt. He slid it, and her red thong panties, down her legs to the floor. She stepped out of the skirt, now clad in only the thigh-high stockings. His fingers glided over the smooth nylons soothingly, touching every inch of her silk-encased legs, until he glided up to the juncture of her thighs. With a wild groan he buried his face in her pussy, licking her clit almost frantically.

With a surprised cry, she came, writhing in his grasp. His hands closed firmly around the globes of her ass, holding her in place, letting her ride it out, keeping her safe. When it was over he stood up and hauled her into his arms, kissing her ruthlessly. Their two flavors combined on her tongue, making her almost wild with want. She pulled away from the kiss. “Fuck me, Leo.”

Leo looked down into her wild eyes and groaned. She pulled out of his arms and fell to her knees with a hungry look. She eased his pants down his legs and pressed a gentle kiss to his hard cock. Her soft hands drove him insane with butterfly touches to his ass, his balls, even the back of his knees. His cock sprang to full attention, eager for more. She unbuckled his boots, pulling them off his feet and practically flinging them away. He finished removing his pants, dying to see what his kitten was going to do next.

She took his cock in her hands and began to pump. She moved up and down the shaft, pulling on the upstroke so that his balls bounced back and forth. She licked the purple head, sucking at it till a drop of precome oozed out of the tip.

“Shit, ” he hissed, trying desperately not to come again in her greedy little mouth, astonished at how fierce the desire was this time, especially considering the explosive orgasms they’d already had.

He reached down to pull her to her feet. She went willingly, laughing when he picked her up and tossed her onto the bed with a low, throaty growl. Leo stalked over to the bed and began crawling up her body, pausing only long enough to suckle at her nipples until she was wet and writhing beneath him. Little mews of pleasure were pouring from her lips now, red and swollen from his kisses, her expression part pleasure, part pain. He nipped at the hard pebbles of her nipples with his teeth, almost coming right then when her head arched back, exposing the long line of her neck. The move was inherently submissive, showing her trust in him. He felt like a fucking caveman claiming his woman. He went to his knees above her, pulled her knees apart and settled himself between them. “Got to fuck you now,” he muttered roughly, shocking her dazed eyes open. He bent to her in a savage kiss that took the breath from both of them.

“Leo.” She was gasping when he released her lips, her expression half-dazed fear, half-crazed desire.

He’d never seen anything more alluring in his entire life. Her hands were on his hips, tugging him into her.

Her nails were digging into him, marking his flesh.

He took both of her thighs into his hands and fitted himself to her tight sheath. With a low, guttural cry he pushed into her, filling her, his balls landing against her ass.

Mine.

He’d never, in his entire long life, felt anything as incredible as the wet sheath now surrounding him.

A part of him watched her reactions, noticed when her body relaxed into his, and waited. It was almost like she was a virgin, but no virgin could have given him such ecstasy. He breathed deep, expanding his senses to the utmost. No, no scent of virgin’s blood, no hint in her mind that this was her first time. Maybe it had been a while for her. He throbbed inside her, desperately trying to hold back while she adjusted to his size.

Hell, it had been a while for him, too, all rumors to the contrary. Since he’d seen a certain perfect ass bent over a desk, to be exact.

When she finally opened her eyes and looked up at him, he smiled down at her, trying to reassure her while his body clamored for him to start thrusting now. When she licked her lips he nearly lost it.

“Okay now?” He could hear the plea in his voice. If she didn’t give him the okay soon, he’d start whimpering and blow his macho right out the window.

She nodded. With a whispered, reverent thank you, he began to thrust himself in and out of her warm, wet body.

Ruby felt like she’d been impaled on a tree trunk. He was much, much bigger than Bobby What’sHis-Face had been. If she’d known that calling Bobby “Pencil Dick” was really accurate…

She began moving her hips in time with his thrusts, the movement brushing her clit against the base of his cock. That sent sensations rocketing through her body that she really, really liked, so she started to speed up. When he groaned, she looked up at him.

His head was thrown back, his eyes closed, his face a grimace of passion. He eased in and out of her carefully, like he was afraid of hurting her. He had to be holding back.

Screw that. This was the first time she’d had sex in seven long years, and it was with Leo Dunne. No way was she going to let him take it easy on her!

She reached up her hands, gliding them over the smooth muscles of his chest. She just couldn’t seem to get enough of the sculpted planes and angles. He thrust in and out of her body with ease. The feel of him moving above her with primal grace made her want to touch, to taste every single inch of him while he writhed in her grasp. When she reached his stomach he jerked and pushed more of himself into her, causing her to gasp with pleasure.

She reached behind him and grabbed the firm globes of his ass, watching his cock shuttled in and out of her body intently. The sight was fascinating, something she’d never thought she’d see even in her wildest dreams. She pulled at him, trying to get more of him inside. “Easy, kitten. You’re really tight. How long has it been?”

“Seven years,” she muttered, tugging at his ass cheeks again.

She whimpered when he stopped. “Seven years?”

“Leo!” She hated whining, but damn it, some situations called for it. This was definitely one of them.

She sighed in relief when he started moving again, thrusting in and out of her harder now, as if the fact she hadn’t gotten laid in seven years was a turn-on for him. With a sigh of satisfaction she felt him seat himself fully into her for the first time. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of his thick, hard cock moving inside her with increasing speed.

Leo could hear it whispering in his head in time with his thrusts: Mine! He hadn’t felt this good since… Hell. Nothing had ever been this good.

He could feel his magic wrapping itself around them, a glittering, sparkling curtain he could do nothing about. It was hard enough not spilling his seed into her waiting body before she was ready for it.

There was no way he could control his powers.

His magic scented the air with vanilla and peaches, causing her to smile. That soft expression nearly finished him, so sweet and sexy, a smile he vowed then and there no other man would ever see. That particular look was his.

He began pulling on her body, faster and faster, thrusting himself in and out of her with growing urgency. The lights surrounding them began to glow brighter and brighter, his climax inching closer. He could tell from the way she moved and moaned beneath him that she was about to explode. He had to make sure she came first. He needed their first time together to be perfect for her.

He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer. Her eyes were still tightly shut, her teeth nibbling at her lip as she strained up against him. Her brow furrowed, her lip curled, and he knew she was almost there. He reached between them and flicked her clit hoping to push her over that final edge.

She came screaming, flinging herself at him, pulling him into her so tightly that when he came his whole body pulsed with light and the room around them lit up like the fourth of July. He could feel himself throbbing inside her, the pleasure nearly blinding him, his come bathing her womb, his light bathing her skin, Claiming her, marking her as his.

He collapsed against her, half dead from the best goddamned sex he’d ever had in his life, and wondered how quickly he could talk her into bonding.

Ruby floated down from somewhere so high she hadn’t been able to breathe. There was a heavy, warm weight draped over her. She could feel someone breathing heavily next to her ear. She opened her eyes.

Leo was draped over her, his arms clutching her to him tightly like he was afraid she was going to get up and run from the bed. Her thighs were still cradling his, his now soft cock just beginning to slide from her body.

Maybe she really had stopped breathing. She could swear she saw fading, twinkling lights surrounding them. A sure sign of oxygen deprivation.

She giggled.

Leo stirred against her, the curve of his lips tickling the side of her neck. He lifted himself to look down at her. “Mind letting me in on the joke?”

“I think I was oxygen deprived.”

He tilted his head, a question in his gaze.

“I actually saw little lights a minute ago, like you do when you’re mountain climbing and the air is really thin.”

He frowned, concerned. “You’ve actually experienced that?”

She giggled again. “Discovery Channel.”

He rolled over onto his side with a sigh, gathering her limp, sated body against his. He kissed her forehead tenderly, and she shivered, startled.

“I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted. Go to sleep, Ruby.”

“Oh, but—”

“No buts, kitten.” He lifted his head and looked down at her, a mixture of tenderness and command on his face. “Go to sleep.”

She licked her lips. Suddenly, things seemed a little more intense than she’d planned on. “I wasn’t planning on staying the night.”

“I wasn’t planning on making love to you tonight, either.” Suddenly serious, he said, “Stay with me.”

Her breath caught in her throat at his expression. “Don’t leave me before morning.” Before she could reply, he leaned down and kissed her with a tenderness that left her breathless. “Please.”

She only hesitated a moment. With a soft sigh she cuddled up against him, burying her face in his chest. Closing her eyes she willed her body to sleep. It didn’t take long for the combination of wine, warmth and incredible sex to gently lull her to sleep.

She didn’t see the relief that crossed his face or the tenderness as he watched her sleeping in his arms.

“Mine.”

Jaden Blackthorn strolled down the hallway, looking neither left nor right. He’d been summoned here before, and he didn’t like it one little bit.

Snagging the hybrid hadn’t been easy, but he’d known it wouldn’t be. He’d been strong, absurdly so, and that unique power of his had made things a little…touchy…at one point, but he’d pulled off the job.

Now the Deranged Darling wanted something more from him. Hell, at this point he was considering paying her room and board since she had him practically living in the mansion. The only thing that made it bearable was her fashionable Rodeo Drive ass was stuck in East Bumblefuck, Nebraska.

He desperately wished the Malmayne house was a ranch. He’d love to see her get cow shit all over her Pradas.

He reached the doorway at the end of the hall and pushed it open. He was singularly unimpressed by the rich surroundings of cherry wood, velvets and silks. Nothing here meant a damn to him other than it proved they could afford to pay him. This house belonged to Lord Cullen Malmayne and was as cold as the man himself. The home Jaden shared with Duncan was a great deal warmer.

Then again, an iceberg was warmer than this place. He couldn’t wait to get out of here and go home.

Malmayne the elder was speaking to his daughter, trying once again to get her crazy ass to see reason.

Jaden held back his sigh and waited.

“Shane is here and could easily fulfill the contract, Kaitlynn.”

“I don’t want Shane. I want Leo,” a husky, feminine voice pouted.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the voice belonged to one of the most spoiled women Jaden had ever met it would have sent shivers of lust down his spine. Instead he shuddered and turned to look at the tall, elegant blonde. Her white gold hair was done up in a simple French twist a la Grace Kelly. She’d worn a pale shade of pink today, complementing her fair skin, the silky material clinging to her understated curves.

High heels in a matching shade were strapped on her dainty feet, emphasizing the long length of her legs.

Gray eyes stared at her father with a forlorn expression, her luscious mouth tilted down at the edges.

Jaden hid another shudder. That mouth held teeth sharper than his, and that was saying something.

Malmayne the elder sighed. “I will see if we can negotiate with Leo, my dear, but he’s turned down all other overtures. Perhaps, if Leo refuses, we should reconsider Shane?”

Jaden tuned them out, waiting silently and with the stillness only those of his kind could accomplish.

He’d heard this argument before, and knew Cullen Malmayne would once again lose. He opened his senses to the surrounding area, listening to the heartbeats of all those around him, counting them out until he’d found even the two “hidden” guards Malmayne the elder thought protected him. Jaden hid his knowledge of the watchers, keeping his face bored.

“Mr. Blackthorn. Thank you for coming.”

Jaden blinked and turned his darkest, most penetrating stare towards the blonde. “Ms. Malmayne.”

He nearly allowed his grin to escape at her moue of distaste. “Would you like to have a seat, Mr.

Blackthorn?”

“No, thank you, Ms. Malmayne. I prefer to stand.”

There was a moment of confusion on her face before she blinked and gave him her false, sweet smile.

“Mr. Blackthorn, I have another job for you.”

Jaden nodded. “I kind of figured, hon, otherwise you wouldn’t have called.” He smirked, allowing his teeth to flash at her.

He watched her back straighten with outrage before she shook it off. Her expression was saccharine sweet. Crap. Now what? Last time she looked like that she had me kidnap someone. She handed him a piece of paper. “I want you to make the ransom demand on the Dunne family.”

Jaden’s smirk faded into a snarl he quickly wiped off his face. He took the piece of paper reluctantly.

The whole set-up stunk to high heaven and he was already beginning to regret taking orders from the high-brow bitch. Hell, if Duncan had been home…

But Duncan wasn’t home, and Cullen, the old sap, couldn’t deny his daughter anything she wanted.

Clothes, cars, jewelry. People.

And they had the balls to call him a vampire. It made an honest-to-god bloodsucker cringe.

With a sigh Jaden turned to find a phone.

“Don’t call from here, you idiot! Find some anonymous phone.”

Jaden turned back, his eyes flashing red with his irritation. “How about I go down to the local Wal-Mart and use the payphone there, sweet cheeks? Got a calling card I could use?”

“Don’t call me that!” Jaden loved that rasping note of irritation in her voice. It took that smooth, sweet voice of hers and turned it into a verbal Brillo pad. “Do as I tell you or I’ll let Jeremy West know what your weakness is. Doesn’t he have a rowan tree on his property?”

Jaden paled. “You bitch.” If Jeremy found his weakness, Jaden was a goner. And until he could figure out how to shut her mouth permanently he had to do what she said. If only Duncan would pick up his damn messages.

“I know.” She stared down at her perfect manicure, that sweet, sweet smile on her face, and Jaden had to forcibly keep his hands to himself. “It would be a shame if Jeremy found out how to destroy you completely, wouldn’t it?”

With a growl, he glided out of the room and shut the door in her pampered face.

I hate that bitch. He looked down at the number on the paper and headed straight for her private room, misting through the lock easily. He picked up her private phone and placed the call he’d been ordered to make, all the while wishing Duncan would get back soon.

There was a freight train running outside her room. Which was odd, since her apartment wasn’t anywhere near train tracks. Ruby groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

Or tried to, anyway. Something else was on the pillow. “Get off, Cliona,” she muttered, batting her hand at her cat.

There was a snort, followed by “ow” in a deep masculine voice.

Ruby’s eyes flew open. Staring at her and holding his nose was Leo.

“Um.” The events of the night before rushed through her head, bringing heat to her cheeks. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” If she hadn’t seen the happiness beginning to flirt around his mouth she would have been mortified. As it was, she was merely horribly embarrassed.

“Did I hurt you?” She reached out with one hand and stroked the bridge of his nose.

He took her hand in his and kissed her palm, heat, humor and tenderness making his eyes shine in the morning light. They even looked a different color, startlingly light and bright. “I’m fine, kitten.” With a groan he rolled over and stretched, a whole body stretch that involved flinging his arms over his head, his incredible chest bowing up off the bed. She bet if she looked under the covers she would see his toes curling. And he called her kitten. Right now, he reminded her of a sleek jungle cat, all muscle and sinew and man.

“How about a shower before breakfast?”

She blinked, staring. He climbed out of bed, his body was magnificent in the early morning light. That golden color obviously wasn’t a tan, either. There wasn’t a single tan line on him. She knew; she looked.

Closely.

“Of course, there are other things we can do before breakfast.”

He caught her staring at his tight, firm ass. His low, sexy growl sent heat racing through her system.

Oh yeah. She could go for some more of that.

Her stomach, however, had other plans. It growled, loudly. “Or not,” he laughed, reaching down for her. He grasped her hand he pulled her from the bed. “C’mon, shower, then breakfast.”

Before they could make it into the bathroom she heard the theme song from The X-Files coming from Leo’s leather pants.

Leo picked up his pants and pulled out his cell phone. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

Ruby held back a laugh. The X-Files? Not what I’d pick for my dad.

The expression on Leo’s face slowly changed from happy to shocked. Her grin faded away, her concern for her new lover overriding all of the good feelings she’d woken up with. “When?” He stared at her and held out his hand. She took it and winced at the way his fingers curled tight around hers. “I’m on my way,” he whispered, closing the phone. He clenched it in his fist, still staring at her blankly.

“Leo? What’s wrong?”

He blinked and took a deep breath. He looked…devastated. “Shane.”

She pulled on one of the courtesy robes, belting it around her waist. She stared at him, knowing this was the end of their idyllic morning after. “Your brother?”

He just stood there, his face building to a burning rage, and she knew something terrible had happened.

“He’s been kidnapped.”

Ruby looked out the window of the plane once again and wondered how the hell she’d let herself be talked into this.

He’d stared at her for a moment longer, naked, vulnerable, and hurting, and she hadn’t been able to help herself. She’d gone to him, allowed him to cling to her, his big body shaking with rage and grief.

That vulnerability hadn’t lasted long. Soon he was on the phone, arranging for the flight, asking that she order breakfast for the both of them while he made arrangements to go to his family.

She’d quickly showered while he paced, knowing he’d need to leave as soon as possible and he’d need the shower before he left. She’d dressed in the red skirt and corset, feeling even more out of place in it than she had at the party.

He’d taken the quickest shower she’d ever seen anyone take in her life, then pulled on the black leather pants and boots he’d worn the night before, minus the horns. He was on the phone all through breakfast, his face hard, his expression harsh and cold. He dealt with delegating some of his responsibilities in the office, letting his staff know that he’d be on an extended leave of absence. It was obvious he had no intention of returning until his brother was found. A small part of her mourned that, but the larger part agreed with him.

By the time he was done he must have been starving. His stomach was growling so loudly she was surprised his staff couldn’t hear it through the receiver. She reached for the phone to call a taxi to take her home, not wanting to burden him with anything at such a bad time. “Hello? I need a taxi at—”

She was startled when she found the receiver snatched out of her hands. “Never mind, the lady won’t need that ride.” He hung up the phone and stared at her, daring her to say something.

She licked her lips and, for just a second, saw his eyes heat up. “Leo, you don’t need to be worrying about me right now.” She put her hand on his arm, gazing up at him in concern. “You need to worry about your family. I can see myself home.”

“I’ve made arrangements for a limo to stop off and pick us both up. We’ll stop at my place first, I’ll pack, and then we’ll head to your place. Our plane leaves in four hours.”

Her mouth opened but nothing came out. He reached up and pushed her jaw shut with one finger, his expression filled with ruthless determination. “Leo. What do you mean, ‘our’ plane?” She was proud of the fact that her voice wasn’t shaking.

“You’re going with me to Nebraska.”

“I’m going home to my apartment, changing clothes and doing laundry. You’re going to Nebraska.”

“Don’t fight me on this, Ruby.” His voice matched his face, hard and uncompromising.

“You can’t just up and take me to Nebraska, Leo! A, it’s a federal crime to kidnap somebody, because I said no. B, it doesn’t matter, because I said no. Besides, what about Cliona?” Her hands went to her hips, her toe tapping on the thick, soft carpet. Sort of like it wanted to tap on his thick, soft head.

“Taken care of. Mandy’s agreed to watch out for her.”

Ruby’s jaw dropped again, this time in anger. “What?”

“Your bags should be packed by the time we get there. Megan has been very helpful.”

“You had no right!” He’d rearranged her life without even consulting her. Well, at least I don’t have to call my boss and tell him I won’t be in tomorrow.

He didn’t pretend not to understand her. “I had every right.”

“Leo—” she protested, only to be cut off when he put his fingers over her mouth.

His jaw clenched, pain leaking through the determination on his face. “I need you with me. Don’t ask me any more questions than that. I can’t explain it yet. Just… I need you to trust me. Please. I need you. ”

And that, she knew, was what had done it. Strong, arrogant Leo Dunne had practically begged for her support. So here she was, winging her way to Nebraska, of all places, to stand by Leo’s side and help him through this.

I’m an idiot. An idiot on a plane.

His head was back against the seat, his eyes closed, but she knew from the way his fingers were clamped around her hand that he was far from asleep. His thumb occasionally stroked hers. She couldn’t tell if he was trying to soothe her or himself. She could feel from the tension in his body that he was far from calm, and wondered why it was that he wanted her with him so badly. She sighed deeply, squeezed his hand, and turned back towards the window, hoping she would be able to be what he needed.

Leo stroked Ruby’s hand and tried desperately to stay calm despite the fear eating a hole in his stomach.

He couldn’t believe she’d agreed to come, but was eternally grateful he hadn’t had to force the issue.

If necessary he would have used his magic to get her on board this plane, and damn the consequences.

To hell with the office. To hell with protocol. He needed her with him. He’d explain everything once they were on the farm.

No way was he letting her out of his sight. Thanks to him and the Claiming, she was in danger and didn’t even know it.

His brother might be the victim, but he had the feeling he was the ransom.