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He withdrew his fingers and then he was climbing up her body, her legs having to spread even further to accommodate hips much wider than her own. His lips slid across her, tongue thrusting deep, and she tasted herself and him in that kiss. Then he slid in deep and hard. She gasped into his mouth. It felt different than it had the first time, even better. Her chest pressed against his, her nipples scraping against him, and their tongues winding together in a passionate embrace.

He didn’t stop moving. He took her body hard and unyielding, stirring passion inside her she didn’t know she had left. Her legs twisted until she clenched around him. Her arms winded until she dug her fingers into his back. And still they kissed, and still he moved faster, more forcefully. She titled her hips into it and then he hit something deep and powerful inside her. She moaned wildly, breaking their mouths apart. When she went back to kiss him again, he darted to her neck.

She felt the press of sharp teeth only a moment before he sunk them into her. Her entire body spasmed as engulfing pleasure soared through her, blinding her. She choked on sounds, moans, and gasps. He growled against her, rocking faster, harder in her depths. He drew from her neck in hard pulls, and with each one, she felt her body drawing tight again like a bowstring. She didn’t just snap this time—she flew apart. Her body jerked hard, rocking. She held onto him for dear life as something hot and wet gushed inside of her, spreading from her fingers to her toes. His deep groan vibrated along her neck and deep inside her until he pulled back and took her lips once more, as he pushed deep and held himself there. Wet licks spurted inside her as his muscles flexed and tightened under her touch from the strain.

They stayed together for a while, softly kissing and holding each other. Her heart felt near to bursting in her chest. It took everything in her not to spill the words and ruin everything, but God, she wanted to tell him so badly. Was it love? Maybe; she didn’t know yet. But what she did know, was that for the first time in her life, things were finally looking up, and she didn’t have to go through it alone. She had Brayden.

He rolled off her and pulled her across him. Their bodies cooled and she could feel the essence of their passion between her legs. She smiled a little and ran her hand down his chest, feeling the hard waves of his abs.

“You’re sexy,” she said.

He snorted something like a laugh. “You’re the one who makes me wild.”

“I don’t know. I think you make me pretty wild, too.” In fact, she could think all kinds of naughty things she’d like to do with him...to him. She pressed a kiss to his chest, then put her head back on his shoulder. With his arm wrapped around her, his thumb stroking her arm, she felt the safest she ever had, certainly the most content. “Tell me what happened with the car yesterday. Everything’s so jumbled…I can’t remember much.”

His hand stilled on her arm for a moment, then resumed stroking her. “Just an accident by all accounts. First car got cut off and went swerving right to avoid hitting the asshole who cut him off. That sent him flying onto the shoulder and into us. The car behind him slammed on their breaks, the one behind them did the same, but one of them still hit us.”

Oh. She almost felt like she’d been worried for nothing. After all, she did have a bad guy after her. Since that was taken care of her, body sunk even further onto him. Her eyes closed and didn’t want to open. A big yawn left her. “I’m tired now.”

“Get some rest then, beautiful.”

So she did, falling asleep right there in his arms. And when he woke her some time later and nudged inside her again, she saw stars, whispered his name, and heard hers from him. Afterward, they dressed slowly, casting little smiles at each other from across the room. She liked his smiles. If the stout Brayden Erickson, Justicar to the council, could smile, then everything could be okay. Everything would work out.

Dressed in clean jeans and a T-shirt and him similarly, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. It was a slow kiss that left her breathless and toes curled into the carpet.

A hard knock sounded from downstairs. And that’s when everything changed. Brayden jerked his head to the side, then sprinted from the room. She was slow to follow, didn’t understand what could make him rush. Then she heard shouts and she stopped at the doorway, her jaw dropping. Brayden’s shouts. Panic set in pumping her heart fast and hard. She ran to the top of the stairs and started down them on fast, light steps.

Men in black wearing swat suits were coming in. Brayden cursed at them, then slammed his fist into a helmet-covered head. The guards turned on him, rifle butts raised and pounded them on his skull. He roared and it took her a few seconds to realize he wasn’t just roaring, he was speaking...to her.

“Get out! Run, Vanessa!”

The guards all seemed to turn and see her at the same time. Two stayed and kept fighting back Brayden, but she watched his movements get weaker, his shouts softer and still two more guards rounded on the stairs coming up toward her with slow, cautious steps.

“Mrs. Harrington, we’re with the Justicar’s office. We’re here to take you home. Everything will be all right now; just come with us,” said the guard on the left. He held out his hand for her to take it and she turned and ran.

The guards cursed, then hard fast steps barreled up the stairs. She flew down the hallway slamming the bedroom door behind her. Her fingers shook as she turned the lock, but the soft sound of it clicking nearly made her sigh with relief. She took off to the bathroom, closing herself inside that one as well. She flipped the lock just as wood splintered from the bedroom. Hard pounding kicks beat at the door and she knew she didn’t have long. She hopped on top of the toilet and pulled at the lock of the window. It was tiny, but she could fit through; she’d make sure of it.

“Fucking move!” she screamed at the stupid thing. It wouldn’t budge. She adjusted her grip as her fingers turned red, the tips burning to move the stupid little switch. And then her heart started racing even harder. With a final bang, she knew they’d broken down the door. Hard steps ran into the room, then banging on the bathroom door began.

“Please come out, Mrs. Harrington. We’re here to help you.”

She pushed as hard as she could, and finally, the switch flipped. She wasted no time in pushing the little window up, but it too had a hard time moving, had probably never actually been opened. It moved up a few inches then stalled. She leaned down and pressed both hands under the window, could even feel the cool air blowing against her fingers, and pushed with everything she had. The window gave with a mighty squeak of metal. She squealed with joy, which was quickly cut short by the booming at the bathroom door. The entire frame shook. The glass of the hand soap and little perfume bottles on the sink shook and jingled with each slam.

The frame split, nearly coming off from the top. Vanessa didn’t waste any time. Brayden told her to run, so she was running. She got her head of the window, but her shoulders caught on it. Pain blazed through her muscles, but still she shimmied, until her legs were in the air and half of her torso was out the window. But she never made it any further. With a cry thick with emotion, hands curled around her feet then pulled her back in. Her chin bounced hard off the top of the toilet and something cracked in her mouth.

Blood spilled from her lips. She was turned and the men in swat clothes jerked her arms behind her back. A metal sound clicked and then she couldn’t move her arms.

“No, no, no, no!” she said with rising panic. She slammed her shoulder into the nearest guard, catching him off balance and sending him slamming back into the shower. Glass shattered and exploded around them.

She sprinted for the door, her feet catching on sharp shards but she never stopped. She had to escape. She had to get help. Strong arms banded around her chest. With her arms caught uselessly behind her, she couldn’t do anything. She stomped at the guard’s feet, jacked her body back and forth, and still his grip didn’t loosen.