Liz collapsed on top of Zeke, her gasps muffled by his shoulder. His chest pumped with his harsh breaths. Perspiration coated his skin. Panting, Jacob leaned over Liz and kissed her back. Not to be outdone, Zeke again suckled Liz’s neck.
Both of their actions told her they weren’t anywhere near sated. Nor were they through with her.
A stack of ham sandwiches lay on a tray in front of Kele and Diaz. Next to it were cups of coffee and glasses of milk.
He hadn’t taken one bite of the food. Nor had he sipped the offered drinks. Given his growling belly, Kele knew Diaz had to be starving. His worry over Pedro must have made him oblivious to his body’s needs.
She was no different. Her hunger repressed by her thoughts of Isabel’s disapproval and Jacob’s concern over her welfare…how he actually seemed to care for—
Don’t, she ordered herself, afraid to dwell on him.
She had no right. Leading Carreon’s men here had nearly cost Jacob his life. She’d allowed her jealousy, her unending love for him to color her choices. Her life would never be the same.
No matter how much time passed, her clan would never forgive her fully. She saw it in their eyes, heard it in their cautious responses to her questions or comments since they never spoke to her first. The people she’d grown up with, had trusted and loved, now treated her worse than a stranger. To them, she might as well have been a member of Carreon’s clan. Their expressions betrayed the contempt they felt.
Kele had seen that on the faces of the men when she’d offered to go with Diaz. She’d noted Isabel’s distrust. So different from the relationship they’d once had. Then, Kele could have gone to the older woman for solace and guidance, as she would have done with her own grandmother when the woman had been alive.
Not any longer.
There would be no comfort from Isabel in the future, no matter how badly Kele might crave it. Jacob was lost forever too. She harbored no more foolish hope that she could make him desire her alone. That had been a fantasy she’d lived for too long. Liz coming here put an end to it. If only Kele had accepted the truth then, she wouldn’t have betrayed her clan.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
She didn’t deserve to be here. She shouldn’t be pining for Jacob right now, wondering, worrying about what he and Liz were doing.
Had they made love already? Were they doing so now? Kele had caught the look on Zeke’s face when he said Jacob’s name. Zeke intended to share Liz with his brother for reasons Kele didn’t understand and had no right to pursue.
She’d never have the love she wanted from Jacob. It was a miracle she still had his compassion.
Diaz turned the laptop toward her. It displayed a Google Earth map. “This is the route we need to take from here…unless you have a better suggestion.”
Kele was fresh out of ideas. The one she’d had about Pedro coming here had divided the clan once more. The one before that had turned disastrous. What if the clan’s children, or the women and older men, had gotten hurt in the battle she’d caused? How could she have lived with herself then?
“Kele?”
She blinked and focused on Diaz. He had some of Carreon’s features, but not his pale blue eyes and cold stare. Warmth, humanity, the capacity for love welled in Diaz’s dark eyes.
“Can you think of a better route than this?” he asked.
She regarded the map, not really seeing it. Something bumped against the ceiling. It came from one of the teens’ bedrooms, not Zeke’s, where he, Liz and Jacob surely were right now. Kele’s mind didn’t care. She kept picturing Jacob on top of Liz, his cock inside of her, their bodies and mouths joined.
Her belly cramped, stealing her breath. She feared she’d cry.
No, don’t. Get a hold of yourself.
If she didn’t, Diaz would see. He’d ask too many questions that she wouldn’t answer. He might alert the others. They’d know then that she hadn’t stopped loving Jacob, not even a little, which would only increase their mistrust. Especially Isabel’s. She and the rest wouldn’t want Kele to leave, wouldn’t believe she could do this without harming them again. She’d lose her last chance to prove her loyalty.
To make amends.
Her heart ached, but she ignored the pain. With all the will she owned, Kele forced herself to concentrate on the map and to answer Diaz. “I don’t know. Give me a sec.”
It took several minutes before she could actually focus her attention on the problem at hand. Once she had, Kele made changes in the route, updating the map. During the next hour, they discussed strategy. Various members of the clan popped in and out to retrieve items they’d forgotten when they’d left the meeting. Many of them lingered outside in the hall and conversed quietly, no doubt trying to catch what Kele and Diaz said.
They spoke little. He wrote all of their plans down for Zeke. The clan wouldn’t allow them to leave without his consent.
At length, Kele nibbled on a sandwich, hardly tasting the meat. Diaz finally gave in to his hunger and finished half of the food on the tray. He was on his second glass of milk when Ike hurried into the room. Earlier, he hadn’t been at the meeting, no doubt tending to other security matters instead.
He ignored Kele. Clearly—rightfully—he was still angry at how she’d used him to leave the stronghold the night of the battle. Addressing Diaz, he asked, “Where’s Zeke?”
Kele answered. “He left with Liz and Jacob.” The pang of sorrow returned, sharper than before. “They’re probably in Zeke’s bedroom.”
Diaz stood. “What happened?”
Backing away, Ike mumbled, “There’s something we need to show him.”
“What?” Kele asked, also on her feet.
Without answering, Ike ran from the room and bolted down the hall.
Chapter Eleven
Jacob had been the first to recover from the lovemaking. Days before, he would have gathered Liz into his arms and expected her to submit to him once more, which would have given Zeke no other choice except to challenge him. If he hadn’t, then Zeke’s other option would have been to watch his brother. To wait for Jacob to finish with Liz while he hungered for her again.
No longer.
A while ago, Jacob had been ready to take her, yet he deliberately waited to see what Zeke had in mind.
A lifetime of knowing Liz was what he required. Please work, Zeke’s thoughts had repeated endlessly as he hoped that he and his brother had returned some of Liz’s life force to her. If they hadn’t…
Zeke couldn’t think of it; the prospect was too daunting and hastened his arousal, his need to have still more of her.
The mattress had bounced as he’d left the bed. He offered Liz his hand.
Blinking slowly, still obviously fatigued from her numerous climaxes, she’d slipped her fingers over his. Her hand was delightfully warm, her breathing slow and steady. However, when her lids slid down, Zeke’s panic flared. He blurted, “Are you all right?”
Jacob pushed to a sitting position and looked down at her, clearly concerned.
“Yeah.” She yawned. “I’m savoring.”
Zeke wasn’t certain whether to groan, laugh or bitch up a storm at her for frightening him like that.
Jacob didn’t look convinced that she was all right. He leaned over her shoulder, his hair sliding down her arm. “You’re sure?”
“About what?” She looked at them both.
Her eyes were bright with health and life, alert now, her savoring apparently well past.