For the Night: Complete Box Set (70 page)

I just nodded, I was still speechless. He wrapped
his tie around his hand, like a boxer would a bandage, then reached down
between my legs and used it to gently clean me, then himself, before he
discarded it in the waste basket in the corner. I raised my eyebrows and he
shrugged as he tucked himself back in and did up his zip.

‘That was a
silk
tie,’ I managed to utter.

‘And it was worth every damn penny,’ he chuckled.
He cocked his head as we gazed at each other.

‘What?’ I whispered, feeling my cheeks going pink.

‘You are just so fucking beautiful,’ he replied
with a shake of his head, making me blush even more. I still found it hard to
understand what someone like Lucas saw in an ordinary girl like me. He grabbed
my hand and pulled me against his chest, one hand holding the small of my back
firmly, as his other reached up to pull all the pins in my hair out, sending it
cascading down my back. ‘I don’t think there’s a single thing that I don’t love
about you, Miss Beresford.’

‘Nor me you, Mr. Steel,’ I replied, as I reached
up to palm his cheek and kissed him, the taste of me all over his lips. The
taste of us. We both looked around in unison as we heard a noise, to see a man
in uniform had thrown back the curtain.

‘Monsieur, Madame, excusez-moi. Je suis vraiment
desole mais je pensais que tout le monde ètait partie.’

‘Ce n’est rein, ce ne est pas un probléme. Ma
coupine ne se sentait pas bien, mais elle est beaucoup mieux maintenant. Je
m’excuse de vous avoir derangè, nous sommes prêts á partir.’ Lucas grabbed my
hand as I looked up at him in amazement, I didn’t have a clue what he’d just
said, I didn’t have a clue he could speak French so fluently, and we’d been
here for two days. He quickly strode out, towing me behind him as the member of
staff nodded and smiled at me.

‘What was
that?
’ I asked, looking up at him
as we made our way along the deserted corridor.

‘What?’ he smiled, looking across at me with a
twinkle in his eye.

‘You speak French, I mean
proper
French and
you sounded … hot!’

‘Why, thank you,’ he chuckled. ‘I picked up from
your attempts to be polite to the Hotel doorman when we arrived that you
weren’t fluent, I didn’t want to embarrass you.’

‘God, was I that bad?’ I grimaced as we trotted
down the staircase.

‘I thought you were adorable,’ he grinned,
squeezing my hand tightly.

‘Well you’re a very dark horse. Feel free to
whisper French in my ear later, it did things to me.’

‘Really?’ he chuckled again, as he grabbed the
door and held it open for me to walk out first.

‘Summer, Summer, look this way for us,’ came a
chorus of voices, as I shielded my eyes from the flashlights going off in my
face.

‘Damn it,’ Lucas muttered under his breath, as he
quickly moved in front of me and grabbed my hand again. ‘Come on, our driver
should be waiting. Stay close and keep your head down, you look like you’ve
just been fucked.’

‘I have, very well too,’ I giggled, as he pushed
his way through the gathered photographers. How had they known we were here?
We’d made it until now with no one seeming to have noticed me, though I had
worn large tinted glasses and kept my hair tucked up into a hat during the day.
Lucas had said he’d seen people whispering and looking my way when we ate our
meal earlier, someone must have leaked our visit. I could hardly hear for the
noise as they all shouted at me, English and French accents merging in the
cacophony of sound. Our driver was waiting with the car door already open and
Lucas shielded me as he made me get in first, then launched into a tirade of
French, sounding none too happy when someone got too close and tried to grab my
arm. I slid across the seat, leaving room for him to quickly hop in besides me
with a sigh. I laughed as the door was quickly shut behind him. ‘You look like you’re
about to have a heart attack. I’m fine.’

‘I hate this,’ he growled angrily. ‘Looking is
fine, taking pictures comes with the territory, but no one lays their hands on
you. No one.’

‘Except you,’ I smiled, as I snuggled up to him
and lifted his arm, placing it around my shoulders as I lay my head on his
chest.

‘Except me,’ he confirmed with a deep sigh, then a
tender kiss on my forehead. ‘À l’hôtel s’il vous plaît.’

I tipped my head back, looking up at him in awe.
He was so masterful. God was I in love with this man.

Lucas

I kissed her forehead before instructing our
driver to head to the hotel, taking a few calming breaths. If we couldn’t even
come to Paris without being found, then it definitely was time for her to have
a bodyguard. We were going to have to think about more than one, to cover
shifts. We could look at upgrading the security systems at her penthouse, for
when they were off duty and I wasn’t with her, my place too, for when she
stayed there. It would make more sense to live together, but my place was too
small for her damn wardrobe and I needed access to my gym for my clients.
Besides, she’d never agree to move in together yet, not after freaking out
thinking I’d purchased an engagement ring. We were getting on great, I didn’t
want to rock the boat too soon.

‘I’ve had an amazing night,’ she sighed, her
fingers stroking my chest through my shirt, startling me out of my thoughts.

‘Me too, angel. You really enjoyed it?’

‘I did.
All
of it, it’s been so lovely.’

‘Well the night’s not over yet, I have plans for
you that don’t involve a lot of sleep.’

‘I need to freshen up first, I have a surprise for
you.’ Her eyes met mine, sparkling with mischief.

‘Hmmm, what kind of surprise?’ I asked, my mind
rapidly regaining focus on the woman who’d fast become my priority in life.

‘You do know the meaning of the word don’t you?’
she laughed. ‘Why don’t you have a drink in the bar, give me ten minutes and
then come up.’

‘O I’ll be
coming
up, don’t doubt it,’ I
teased, as I dipped my head and kissed her lips, unable to break away until our
driver coughed, to alert us to the fact that we’d arrived at The Domville. I
looked out of the window and sighed to see more photographers. Word was
definitely out. ‘I’ll go first, same rules, stick close to me, ok?’

‘Ok,’ she replied. ‘Merci, Monsieur. Bonjour.’

‘Bonjour, Frederick,’ I added, restraining a smile
as she wished him good morning, instead of good night, saying the same so as
not to show her up. ‘Merci, et á demain.’

‘Bonjour, Monsieur Steel et Madame Beresford,’
Frederick replied with a smile at me in the mirror. I gave him a larger tip for
playing along. ‘Á demain. Á midi pour l’aéroport?’

‘Qui, merci.’ I confirmed our pick up at midday to
head back home, then hastily bundled Summer through the hotel door, tipping the
doorman who held back a photographer trying to follow us in. ‘You’re ok going
up alone?’ I asked, not wanting to let go of her hand.

‘I’m a big girl, Lucas. I can find our hotel suite
all on my own. Enjoy a drink, you don’t often have one. I promise, ten minutes
and I’ll be ready.’

‘Don’t make it any longer, I’ll miss you.’

‘Softie,’ she teased, as she pursed her lips for a
last kiss.

‘I think you’ll find I’m never soft around you,
angel. My cock has some irrational obsession with your sweet little cunt.’

‘And you were doing so well on the romance,’ she
tutted, shaking her head as she walked off towards the set of lifts. I cocked
my head as I watched her sexy backside swaying. No, softness around Summer
definitely wasn’t an issue. I waited until she was safely inside before turning
to head to the bar.

‘Monsieur Steel,’ called the receptionist and
waved an envelope at me. I strode over, puzzled. ‘This just arrived for you, I
was asked to hand it to you in person when you returned from your evening out.
Did you have a good time?’

‘We did thank you.’ I took the envelope off him
and was hit with a sudden surge of fear. I knew exactly what was in it before I
tore it open to read the message.

‘Is everything ok?’ the male receptionist asked,
in impeccable English.

‘Actually, no, it’s not. When did you say this
arrived?’ I shoved a hand through my hair. How the fuck did this Mr.
bloody
Black know we were here? He seemed to be one step ahead of us all the damn time
and we were still no closer to finding out who he was.

‘It was dropped off about ten minutes ago.’

‘Did you see who delivered it?’ I asked, as I
looked up at the ceiling to check for cameras that Ian could access.

‘Yes, a man about your age, with a well spoken
English accent, but I’m afraid he was wearing a baseball cap and a pair of dark
glasses. I couldn’t really give you a very good description I’m afraid. I think
he’s a guest though.’

‘What makes you say that?’ I asked, tearing my
eyes off the card, which I shoved back in its envelope and into my suit pocket.

‘Because he was carrying a box and headed to the
lifts. I don’t recall seeing him come down yet,’ he advised. My mouth went dry.

‘Which floor?’ I demanded.

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Which floor did he get off on?’ I roared. ‘Quel étage?’
I could feel my hands shaking as terror surged through my system.

‘I didn’t see, I’m so sorry. Mr. Steel? … Mr.
Steel?’ he called behind me as I left him standing, hurtling towards the bank
of lifts, one thought on my mind. Summer. My angel was in danger. How the hell
could I have been so stupid as to leave her alone? I slammed my hand on the
button repeatedly as I cursed and whipped my head around, looking for the
stairs, bolting for those instead, lamenting the fact that I’d picked one of
the largest suites, up on the fortieth floor, right at the top of the damn
building. I ran, like I’d never run before, the fate of my angel forcing my
legs to keep moving up each and every flight, not even pausing to look at the
signs as I turned each corner. I pushed past someone rushing down the stairs,
not even taking a moment to glance at them or apologise for bumping into them.
Pure adrenaline was powering me up, my lungs were burning but I didn’t let it
stop me. She needed me, she always needed me and I’d bloody left her alone. I’d
never forgive myself if anything happened to her.

I’d fucking die if anything happened to her.

I gasped for air as I turned another corner, not
slowing down for a second, thanking God that I kept myself in shape. I lost
focus on how many flights I’d counted, my mind picturing Summer cornered and
terrified, God only knows what he was planning on doing to her. I flicked my
eyes to the wall to see I was at floor thirty-eight, two to go, lost my
concentration and slipped, smacking my head on the edge of the concrete,
knocking the wind out of myself. I forced myself up, wincing at the pain in my
side and wiping hot sticky fluid off my face as I launched myself forward
again. Two more flights, two more flights was nothing, I’d run another hundred
for her.

I’d run forever for her.

I flung the stairwell door open, the noise of it
slamming back against the wall would have deafened me, if it wasn’t for the
sound of my blood pounding in my ears. I charged up the corridor, all of my
muscles stiffening up ready for a fight. My heated blood suddenly froze in my
veins as I heard her startled cry drifting through the open suite door to our
lobby.

‘Summer,’ I roared, as my fists bunched at my
sides ready to defend her. I ricocheted off the door frame, panting, to find
her standing by the mahogany centre table, her face that had been flushed only
minutes before was pale. My eyes darted back and forth looking for her
attacker.

‘Lucas, my God, what have you done? You’re
bleeding,’ she exclaimed, concern all over her face.

‘Where is he?’ I gasped, as I rushed to her side
and pushed her behind me.

‘Who?’

‘The man who came after you, who made you scream?’
I demanded.