Chasing Fire 1: The Innocent (BDSM Erotic Romance) (3 page)

After the botched kidnapping attempt,
Nick had checked in daily, demanding updates on her condition
during the week that Isabella had been home recovering. He’d waited
until she was well enough to travel before calling her to tell her
she would be going to his house on a small island located in the
Gulf of Mexico right off the Texas coast. As expected, she hadn’t
been pleased to hear the news, and Nick had smiled at the grumble
in her voice as she finally conceded.

It was simple enough to talk Richard
into placing Isabella into his care, especially after Nick told the
older man that he planned on marrying his daughter. Richard knew
what most people in their world did. Nick was known to be a
ruthless man and a powerful enemy. No one was willing to face his
wrath by going after something or someone that belonged to him. At
least no one that expected to live. But no one, not even her
father, would stop Nick from making her his. Not after she’d told
him she loved him.

Nick had ensured that they would be
safe by sending several of his most trusted guards to the island
ahead of them to ready the house and wait for their arrival. It was
a small island, but there were several other villas located on it
and he wanted to know who was in residence before he brought her
there. He was taking no chance with her safety.

 
Now, looking at the
woman he loved, he remembered how she had smiled up at him sadly as
the limo pulled to a halt near his private jet. She had thanked him
for the ride and also for giving her a place to hide. He’d smiled
at her confusion as he had carried her bags personally while Harlan
had carried his onto the plane.

“
What are you doing?”
Isabella had asked when he had gently pushed her into one of the
plush seats and buckled her in himself.

Nick sighed. “Sweetheart, did you
really think that I was just going to send you off by
yourself?”

Well…” Isabella glanced at the two
guards that had accompanied them on to the plane. “Actually, I did.
Don’t you have work to do? It really isn’t necessary for you to
escort—”

“
I’m not escorting you
either. As long as you are on the island, so am I.” Unable to help
himself, Nick leaned down, reaching out to rub his thumb over her
lush bottom lip as he watched her eyes go wide.

The innocence in those brown depths had
him holding back a groan as he forced himself to take his seat in
the chair across from her. He fastened his own seatbelt and nodded
at the co-pilot, who had come back into the cabin to ask if they
were ready for takeoff.

As the plane leveled off in the sky,
Nick watched Isabella with the patience of a jungle cat. She was
exactly where he wanted her. Now, it was just a matter of taking
the next step.

“
Do you remember what you
said to me the night of the charity event, Belle?”

Isabella forced herself to look away
from the small window over to where Nick was sitting across from
her. Her heart fluttered every time he called her that. He was the
only one who called her Belle, and it made her feel special. Like
she was special to him, even if it was only because of fondness,
and not the love she craved. He looked so handsome wearing a dark
suit, with a stark, white dress shirt and a subtly patterned tie of
various shade of gold, but his quiet intensity reminded her of a
panther, ready to strike at the first sign of weakness.

It was still difficult for her to think
about the night she was almost kidnapped. One minute she was more
terrified than she had ever been in her life then the next thing
she knew was that she’d woken up in the hospital. Shortly after she
regained consciousness, she had been released and sent home, where
she remained practically under lock and key. It seems her father
had been dealing with a particularly vicious competitor on a real
estate deal, but hadn’t mentioned it to her. Her father believed
his competitor would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, even
kidnapping Isabella.

The police were still investigating,
but they didn’t have enough evidence to even make an arrest, let
alone prosecute. Even so, her father had made it clear she was
still in danger and had basically forced her into seclusion until
whoever was behind the kidnapping attempt was
caught. 

Isabella had spent the last week being
miserable, waiting for the cuts and bruises to fade while she sat
in her gilded prison. The only good thing about these last few
weeks was she’d had a lot of time to think…and
plan.    

Three days ago, her father had informed
her that Nick Pacelli had offered up his house on a private island
off the coast of Texas for her to hide out at until the threat was
taken care of.

“
Dad, I don’t want to go
to someone else’s house,” she’d protested. “Can’t I
just—”

“
Don’t be silly, Isabella.
Nick's security team have already made the arrangements.” Her
father had dismissed her after that as was his usual
way.

Isabella’s heart hurt whenever her
father did that. He never listened to her, he just expected her to
fall in line with whatever he decreed. But that was what she had
been thinking about all week. If she was to be sent away then she
would use this time to figure out what she wanted out of life, and
more importantly, figure out who she was.

 “
I don’t really
remember much about that night.”

Nick's expression hardened and she knew
they were both thinking back to that frantic car chase and the
resulting crash. She also knew that was the look that had given him
the reputation for being feared by his adversaries and colleagues
alike. No one crossed Nick Pacelli, and for very good reason. He
could be a dangerous man, but not to her. He would never hurt her.
She was sure of that.

Nick’s face softened and his eyes
warmed again. “I’m sorry for bring up bad memories, Belle. I don’t
want you to worry about any of that. It’s being taken care
of.”

 “
I know,” she said
honestly. “And I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for
me.”

“
You don’t have to thank
me, baby.”

She felt her cheeks flush at the
endearment. He’d never called her that before, never looked at her
that way before, with something darker in his eyes…something that
caused her whole body to involuntarily shiver. She always reacted
this way around him. Every damn time he smiled at her it was like
he flipped a switch straight to her libido. No one had ever stirred
her interest, not in the way that Nick did. 

“
I’m sorry I didn’t get to
you sooner. That I didn’t stop them before they took you,” Nick
said softly. “But all of that is behind us, and I promise you that
I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

The steely look of determination in his
eyes made her believe him. She nodded slowly when he waited for
some sort of response from her. She saw the quick flash of
satisfaction in his eyes and wondered at it.

“
Good.”

Nick’s deep voice had lowered to a
seductive rumble of sound. It made her shiver with awareness and
she held back a curse when his sharp eyes seemed to catch the
telling movement. What was going on? Was he flirting with
her?

“
It’s important that you
know I’ll keep you safe, Belle. Now, I want to know if you meant
what you said to me at the party.”

“
I…” Isabella struggled to
focus on earlier that night, everything after that was still kind
of hazy. Perhaps she shouldn’t have had those extra drinks after
all. But she did remember seeing Nick with his currently girlfriend
and hearing the news about his upcoming engagement.

She stiffened in her seat. “I’m not
sure what you are talking about, but I’m hoping I wished you well
and offered my congratulations.”

A small smile flickered on his perfect
lips before he stretched his long legs out, bracketing her feet
between his. She was mesmerized by the intensity in his electric
blue eyes that seemed to see straight into her soul. What had she
said to him that night? Licking her lips nervously, her brows
furrowed as he groaned.

“
You can’t do that to
me.”

Confusion had her asking,
“What?”

“
Lick those pretty pink
lips. It makes me want to lick them too.”

Isabella let out a gasp.
“You…what?”

Nick sighed. “Clearly, there are some
things we need to talk about. First of all, let me say that there
is no need for congratulations. At least not concerning Victoria.
Things are well over between us.”

“
The three-week rule,”
Isabella murmured before she could stop herself.

He frowned at her. “The
what?”

She took a deep breath then braced
herself as she looked him in the eye. “It’s the three-week rule.
You always date whatever woman you are seeing for three weeks then
switch to someone new. Victoria lasted three weeks and then some.
No wonder she thought you were getting married.”

Nick’s frown deepened. “I had promised
her that I would take her to that event, and I always keep my
promises. But things have been over between us for a while now. You
seem to know quite a bit about who I’ve been seeing,
Belle.”

Isabella gave a careless shrug as if it
meant nothing to her, but inside her heart pounded. “Everyone knows
your tastes, Nick. It’s pretty well known you prefer tall,
beautiful, blondes.”

Nick slowly shook his head, keeping his
eyes on hers. “No, baby. I may have dated blondes, but I wouldn’t
say they were what I prefer.”

She looked at him quizzically and let
out a forced chuckle. “Really, Nick…how can you say that when all
you do is date blondes? It’s like most of the women you’ve dated
could be copies of one another.”

“
Exactly. I dated them
because they didn’t remind me of what I really wanted.”

Isabella’s heart thudded in her chest
at that. She forced herself to ask the question. “What do you want,
Nick?”

With quick movements, he deftly
unbuckled his seatbelt then reached across the short distance and
undid hers. Before she knew it she was sitting on his lap.
“Nick!”

Isabella squirmed as she tried to free
herself from his hold then froze as she felt the hard proof of his
desire for her nestled between the globes of her ass. Her eyes flew
to his. Shock filled her as she saw the hunger simmering there,
making his eyes flame.

“
I—I don’t
understand…”

“
I think you do,” Nick
growled before took her lips in a heated kiss.

Chapter Four

Isabella felt the pleasure explode
inside her as Nick drank down her gasp of surprise. His tongue
plunged deep, and the taste of him made her want more.

It felt like a dream, finally feeling
his lips on hers. If it was, she never wanted to wake up. It felt
like touching fire, so hot it burned, and the heat seared her
straight to her core. But for him, she would gladly face the
flames.

When he pulled back they were both
breathless. Confusion mingled with desire and Isabella tried to
slow her rapidly beating heart. She saw the passion in his electric
blue eyes and wanted to kiss him again. Wanted to keep kissing him
and never stop.

“
Do you love me,
Belle?”

She swayed as she suddenly felt
lightheaded. Dear god, in her drunken stupor the night of the
charity event had she confessed her feelings for him? Is that what
this was all about? Isabella felt her cheeks heat with
embarrassment and she tried to move away, but he held her
still.

Nick wanted to curse as he watched all
the color drain from Isabella’s face only to be replaced by a
bright pink blush that stained her cheeks. He felt his cock
stirring at the thought of seeing Isabella’s ass turn that same
pink color after his hand spanked it a few times. He shifted in his
seat, trying to relieve the pressure, but it did no good. His cock
was rock-hard and ready to fuck. He would sate his hunger soon, but
first he wanted her to tell him how she felt. He needed to hear
those three words from her again.

“
Is that…did I say
something that night?” Isabella whispered.

Nick raised her chin with his finger so
she was forced to look back at him. “Look me in the eye and tell
me, Belle.”

“
I…can’t.”

“
Why not?”

Isabella felt herself melt into him,
leaning against his strong, muscular body as she heard the
tenderness there. She wanted to give him the words in her heart,
but part of her was so afraid to admit that she loved him. What if
he didn’t love her back? Could she recover if he rejected her after
she laid it all on the line?

She searched his face, sensing the
coiled power in the body she leaned against. He would wait her out.
He was good at that. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “I love you,
Nick,” she whispered. “It feels like I've loved you
forever.”

Her body went stiff, waiting for his
reaction. She saw the hunger burning in his blue eyes. For her. His
nostrils flared. Always in tune with him, she could feel the
satisfaction he felt hearing her words, and couldn’t help but feel
a sense of pride that she had pleased him, even if he didn’t give
the words back to her.