“Of course,” Ana said.
“Most of the food comes from the compound’s fields. See you in an hour.”
Once settled and alone in their room, Ty turned to Ana.
And despite everything, despite the fact they were inside the cult, despite the fact they were on the verge of proving their intel true or false, Ty didn’t give a shit.
Not at that moment.
Now all he cared about was taking Ana into his arms and making sure she forgot all about Miguel. That she thought only of him and the pleasure he’d brought her before. And could bring her again.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIVE
“So,” Ty said. “Miguel seemed happy to see you.”
“That’s what we wanted, right?”
“Yes. But maybe he was a little too happy to see you. So much so that even Gloria noticed it.”
Ana’s eyes widened at his bold statement and he knew why. They were supposed to converse as if they knew they were being recorded at all times. Even if the little gizmo in Ty’s smartphone that was supposed to detect bugs indicated the room was clear. Given that, it probably seemed strange that he’d speak so bluntly. But he saw no point in beating around the bush. A blind man would have been able to see how much Miguel had been affected by Ana’s presence.
Ana seemed to search for the right words, then simply shrugged. “Miguel loves Gloria. I could see that for myself by the way he holds her. She has nothing to worry about.”
Was her response for anyone who was listening? He didn’t buy it and he wasn’t letting down his guard for a moment. He’d seen the way Miguel stared at Ana. He still wanted her. He’d looked like he’d kill to have her.
For now, however, Ana was safe. She was with him. Ty just had to reach out and touch her.
He resisted doing so until she smirked and said, “You don’t have anything to worry about, either, Ty. I’m so grateful you brought me here. You’re the only man or vampire I’ll ever want.” There was just a hint of the dramatic in her voice, enough to tell him she was teasing without giving away her meaning to a listener.
He grinned and moved toward her. Her smile vanished and she took several steps back, but it was too late. He slid his hands up her back, then to her head, forcing her to remain still as he touched his forehead to hers. “Prove I have nothing to worry about,” he whispered.
He claimed her mouth with his. Harsh. Without finesse. Showing only lust.
Desperation.
God, her lips were soft. Her breasts warm, pressed up against his chest. When she moaned, a shudder ran through him.
And then she touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. And the sexual desire he’d held at bay roared to life.
He released the hold he had on her head, but she wasn’t going anywhere. Instead, she pulled him in tight, fusing her mouth to his, whipping her tongue in and out of his mouth. He slid his hands under her shirt and in a second had unhooked her bra, then moved his hands to the front and let her breasts hang heavy in his palms.
She came up for air and breathed out his name. “Ty.”
No. No time for talking. Sex. Naked. Blood.
His hands moved, frenzied, sliding over her, tearing at the buttons at her top, grasping her ass and pulling her close when she edged away.
“Ty.” Her voice. Strong. Emphatic. “Ty, come back to me.”
He slowed. Controlled. Steadied. Holy fuck, he’d gone too far.
“Trying to prove you own me?” she whispered, her words holding double meaning. She was asking him if he was playing to any hidden cameras.
Damn her. How could she have thought that response was for show? “I don’t have to try and prove anything. You’re mine. In every sense of the word. Whatever you had with Miguel is over, do you understand?” he said under his breath.
He slid his hands down inside of her pants, cupping her bare ass cheeks with his palms. Arching his neck, he exposed his jugular to her when she kissed him at the deep dip where his collarbones joined.
Ty tipped his head back even farther when she nibbled and licked her way up his neck. Groaned when she reached down and cupped his balls.
“You want me, but you’re so angry. Why?”
“I’m not,” he protested, not bothering to lower his voice. “Not at you.”
“You’re acting like you’re jealous. Are you?” she asked point blank. Daring him to answer.
Time seemed to slow as he focused on her. The vulnerability in her eyes tore at him. Made him ache in places he didn’t think could ever ache again. His heart. His soul.
She was waiting for him to deny it. To say that he wasn’t jealous.
But he couldn’t.
What could he say? That she mattered? That with her, he found some semblance of his former humanity? That she deserved to be loved and cherished and desired with passion and abandon—but not by a vampire?
Not Miguel. And not him. But Ty would stay close to her for as long as she would let him. As close as he could get.
“It’s okay,” she muttered, stepping back, putting distance between them. “I understand. I’ll prove to you how much I want you. That no man can ever take your place.” She heaved in a breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and stared blankly at Ty. That more than anything told him she was still playing to any hidden mics or cameras in the room. But what the hell. If there was going to be a show, he was front row, center, and already breathtakingly hard.
She stripped her top off, tugging her arms out of her bra straps, her breasts with their beautiful copper nipples standing proud and firm.
Suddenly ashamed of his insatiable lust, he put his hand out, stopping her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Getting ready. For you.” She said it with her chin thrust in the air, reminding him of what she’d been willing to do to prove herself in that alley with the man named Louis.
No. Not like this. He couldn’t take her like two porn stars fucking for a potential camera. He wouldn’t take her as others had. Under duress. “Stop,” he murmured.
“Why?” she challenged, tipping her head to the side. When he didn’t answer, she unzipped her pants and stepped out of them, leaving her clad in only a wisp of lace and silk between her legs. He caressed her shoulders. Kissed each of them. Kissed her forehead. Her nose. Her lips. Even the scar on her cheek. Although she stiffened slightly, she didn’t push him away.
“I can’t deny what I feel for you anymore, Ana. Not for another second.”
Confusion spread over her face. She gave her head a brief shake, as if to order the tangled thoughts there.
“I’m jealous of your relationship with Miguel. Crazy jealous. And I don’t know what the hell to do about that.”
Ana was stunned speechless, but eventually, she tried to respond to Ty’s bomb. She opened her mouth to speak, to clarify, but he didn’t give her time. Instead, he covered her mouth with his.
His kiss was life-giving, so utterly sensual and so welcome that she wanted to weep with gratitude.
She remembered this. This feeling of rightness she’d only truly felt once before—in his arms the night she’d found out what he was. A vampire. A man worth giving herself to.
Her mouth welcomed his tongue even as her hands reacquainted themselves with his body, shoving underneath his shirt to feel the muscles that rippled in his arms, chest, and back. She hitched one leg over his hip, gasping when he grasped her thigh and jerked it up higher while doing the same to her other leg until they were wrapped around his waist. He carried her to the huge white bed, then fell backward with her on top of him. Kissing frantically, they got completely naked and she tried to reverse their positions, but he held her down by her hips and shook his head. “No,” he said roughly. “This time you take me.”