Only when she finally slept with total exhaustion did he rise from the bed, pulling the covers back so he could see her in the dim light that came in through the window. He checked the clock. It was just after three in the morning and they’d been fucking for hours. He rubbed a hand over his chest, knowing they both needed a shower. But that would wait until morning.
She was turned away from him, one leg pulled up, exposing her pretty pink pussy to him. He licked his lips and fought the urge to go down on her again. She was going to be sore. Hell, he was going to be sore.
He grinned, pulled the covers over her and leaned down to place a kiss on her temple. She emitted a small snuffling sound and snuggled deeper into the covers. Jake turned away from the tempting picture she made. The quicker he took care of business, the quicker he could crawl back in bed with Sapphire.
Naked, he padded out to the kitchen for a drink of water. On his way, he noticed the bags of groceries still sitting on the floor. He detoured long enough to grab them and carry them to the kitchen. His stomach growled, a reminder that neither of them had had dinner.
He put away the fresh vegetables she’d purchased and wondered if the chicken was bad after being left out for hours. Shrugging, he tossed it into the bottom of the refrigerator. Sapphire could decide in the morning and they could keep it or toss it out.
Jake pulled out some mustard, tomatoes and sliced roast beef he’d picked up at the deli and quickly made himself a sandwich. Grabbing a beer to go with it, he carried his snack into his office. While he waited for his computer to boot up, he ate half his sandwich.
He swore under his breath and then padded back to the bedroom, digging his throwaway phone out of his pants pocket. Sapphire was still fast asleep. He left her, went back to his office and settled in.
It was late, but he knew his buddy wouldn’t mind. He dialed the familiar number, and it was answered on the first ring. “I’m trying to sleep.”
“Trying being the operative word.” Jake knew what it was like to have nights like that, nights when the memories of the past wouldn’t let him go.
His buddy chuckled. “You got that right. The lady okay?”
“Yeah. Thanks again, man. She was pissed she didn’t get the chance to thank you herself.”
“No problem. I live to serve.” There was some slight rustling on the other end. “What do you need?”
Jake took a swig of beer, swallowing the cold brew. “I’ve got several envelopes I need delivered.”
“I’ve got a courier service I use. Very discreet.”
“Good enough.”
“I’ll pick them up in about forty minutes.”
“Thanks.” Jake let out a breath and felt the tension leave his shoulders.
“She’s important to you, isn’t she?” his buddy asked.
“Yeah.” Jake raked his fingers through his hair. “She’s the one. She’s…” He tried to think how best to put it into words. “She’s everything.”
“I’m glad for you. You deserve everything.”
He rubbed his hand over his face. “You do too.”
“Some of us aren’t meant to have a normal life so you need to do it for us. See you soon.” The line went dead and Jake tossed the phone on the desk. He ached for his buddy, knowing he was having a hard time dealing with everything they’d done over the course of their career. Even those of them who made it home without physical injuries had psychological ones. And sometimes those were the worst.
A slight sound alerted him that he was no longer alone. Sapphire appeared in the doorway wearing his shirt, which practically swallowed her whole, and a frown. “Why are you up?”
He set his beer down and opened his arms. “Come here.”
She came, her eyes widening when she got a good look at him. “You’re naked.”
He grinned. “I sure am.” And there was no hiding the fact that his dick was wide awake and ready to go again. His small head had no sense of discretion at all when it came to Sapphire.
She settled on his lap and reached for his beer, taking a sip. “That’s good. Nice and cold.” Her eyes fell on his sandwich. “Is that roast beef?” Her stomach rumbled and he laughed.
“Go ahead. You can have that half.” Taking him at his word, she grabbed it and began to eat.
Between bites she pointed to his computer. “What are you doing? And who were you talking to?”
Jake knew he could easily lie to Sapphire and say it was work and she would believe him. But that didn’t sit right with him. She wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever known and, deep in his gut, he knew if he lied to her he’d damage something very special, possibly even lose her.
On the other hand, she might not like what he was doing. Better to find out now if she could live with the kind of man he was than to have her discover it later and leave him.
She was watching him as she ate with those expressive brown eyes that saw so much. Would she understand his sense of justice or would she be disappointed in him for bending the law to his favor?
Sapphire put what was left of the sandwich back on the plate. “What is it? What’s wrong, Jake?”
“I told you earlier I’d deal with Gregor.” She watched him intently but only nodded. “This is me dealing with him.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Jake stood and set her on her feet. He went to his safe, unlocked it and removed the envelopes he’d brought home from work days ago. “These are documents that prove Ivan Gregor is bribing officials and that many of his deals are suspect.”
“Where did you get this?”
This was the hard part. He had no idea how she would react. “I hacked into his accounts and records and those of the people he deals with.”
“You what?”
Jake shrugged, totally unapologetic, and tossed the envelopes on his desk. “If Gregor had left you alone I would have left him alone. Since I can’t kill him, I can make him too busy to bother about you. If the authorities do what they should with this info, Gregor should go to jail. At the least, he’ll have a lengthy trial.”
Sapphire sat down heavily in his chair. “You found all that out about him?” She picked at the hem of his shirt.
He crouched down in front of her, grabbing her hands, holding them until she met his gaze. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you. Uncle Sam taught me many things, and developed my two natural talents—I’m hell on wheels with a rifle and I can pretty much hack any system out there. It’s what makes me so good at designing security systems.”
Sapphire’s fingers curled against his, giving him hope that all was not lost. “The police and others are hampered by laws. I’m not. I can send these in anonymously and that will give the authorities enough to act on.”
She nibbled on her lower lip and his cock immediately went to attention. He forced himself to ignore it. “But if what you say is true, what if Ivan bribes officials to make this go away?”
Jake smiled. “That’s the beauty of this. I’m sending it to the media too. There are several investigative reporters who would love to sink their teeth into a story this juicy. If the authorities don’t act, the media will, and then the authorities will have no choice.”
“What if you get caught?” She grabbed his shoulders, her nails digging into his bare skin. “You could go to jail.”
He caught her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing her clenched fingers. “No, babe. They can try to track me, but it’s not going to happen.”
“You’re that good?”
He wished he could tell what was going on in that nimble brain of hers. “I’m that good.”
“Okay, but promise me you’ll never do anything like this again. Not on my account. I couldn’t stand it if you got in trouble because of me.”
His heart swelled and he stood, sweeping her out of his chair and into his arms. “You understand why I had to do this?”
She shook her head and his heart sank. “I wish you’d let me call the cops and lodge a complaint. But I know that doesn’t always work, not with a determined stalker. I saw what my sister went through when she had one.”
Jake was sorry for what had happened to her family, but was secretly grateful for Emerald Jewel’s stalker. Without him, he’d never have met Sapphire. Since everything worked out okay in the end, he didn’t need to feel too guilty for thinking that way.
“I understand why you think you had to do this,” she continued. “But let’s stay on this side of the law from now on.”
“Promise.” Then he added a disclaimer. “Unless you’re threatened again. Then all bets are off.”
She cupped his face and planted a quick kiss on his lips. “I guess that will have to do.”
“You call that a kiss?” he grumbled. He showed her what a real kiss was, lifting her in his arms as their tongues dueled for supremacy. He started to carry her into the bedroom when the buzzer to his door sounded.
Sapphire broke their kiss, looking slightly bewildered. “Who in the name of heaven would that be this time of night?”
Jake gave her a grin. “That would be the guy who’s going to take the packages to the delivery company for me.”
She was instantly concerned. “Can he be trusted?” She grabbed his face. “Maybe we should mail them ourselves.”
Jake laughed when the buzzer sounded again. “He can be trusted.” He lifted her to one side, grabbed the envelopes from the desk and started toward the front door.
“Jake Knight, you’re stark naked. Go put some clothes on.”
He pressed down on the buzzer.
“It’s me.”
“Come on up,” he told his buddy.
Sapphire stood in his living room, tapping her bare toe against the floor. She looked totally tousled, her lips moist and red from his kiss. “Maybe you should wait in the bedroom.”
“If you can answer the door naked, I can be here.”
Swearing, he tossed the envelopes onto the table beside the door and raced down the hallway. He grabbed his jeans and had one leg shoved into them when a knock came on the door. “Don’t open it,” he yelled, even knowing he was too late to stop her.
He heard her voice greet his buddy. Jake finished pulling on his jeans, grabbed a T-shirt from the closet and practically ran to the living room. Dolan, the bastard, was standing there with a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Thank you so much for your help earlier this evening.” Sapphire had hold of his friend’s hand, shaking it.
Dolan looked slightly bemused. “No problem, ma’am.” He glanced toward Jake. “You got something for me?”
Jake grabbed the packets and used the T-shirt to wipe them clean of his prints before handing them over. “Make sure you’re not seen and that the envelopes are clean.” There could be no telltale fingerprints to lead back to either of them.
Dolan raised one eyebrow. “Not a problem.” And it wouldn’t be. Not for a man with Dolan’s skills.
Jake nodded. “We’ll grab a coffee sometime soon and exchange new numbers.” He knew his buddy understood to meet him tomorrow. They’d both have new phones and would destroy the ones they were currently using. No one would ever be able to trace their calls or conversations about Ivan Gregor.
His buddy stilled and slowly nodded. “Okay.” Then he was gone.
“A man of few words, isn’t he? He wouldn’t even tell me his name.” Sapphire stared at the closed door.
“He keeps to himself.”
Sapphire chuckled. “He makes you seem like you’re an outgoing personality.”
Jake didn’t want to talk about Dolan or about Gregor any longer. As far as he was concerned the matter was done. Settled. He had more important things to deal with.
He scooped Sapphire into his arms. “I think we could use a shower.”
Everything inside him settled when she wrapped her arms around him and nodded. “I think you’re right.”
Chapter Thirteen
Sapphire stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She looked the same with her curly hair tumbling around her shoulders, her dark-brown eyes and full lips. But she felt different.
Jake had broken the law in order to protect her. It was a heady feeling to know a man as honorable as he had done such a thing for her. She’d been halfway shocked and equally thrilled.
It was frightening to think of Ivan Gregor breaking the law to get his way in his business deals. She shivered as she remembered his face from yesterday. He truly expected to take her in his car, do whatever he wanted and suffer no consequences. She wondered if he’d ever done such a thing before and, deep in her gut, knew he had. The move was too practiced and he was too cocky. No, he and his flunkies had pulled that maneuver before.
She wondered if the woman involved had reported it to the police or if she’d been too ashamed, certain no one would believe her. That happened a lot in rape cases, especially if the man was powerful and good-looking. People didn’t want to believe such men could be monsters. Plus, if what Jake told her was true, Ivan probably had friends in high places who would help such charges go away.
It was scary to contemplate what had almost happened, what would have happened if not for Jake and his vigilance.
He’d had someone following Ivan for days, keeping tabs on him constantly, and all without telling her. That was Jake, a protector to his core. In his mind, he hadn’t broken the law at all, but had only helped where the law was hindered by rules and regulations. To his way of thinking, what he’d done was right. And she couldn’t disagree with him.
She shoved all thoughts of Ivan out of her head, grabbed her brush and dragged it over her hair. It was past time for her to meet her sister at Althea’s Bakery. She’d had to hurry home and grab some clean clothing, not wanting to wear the same thing she had last night.
The three-quarter-length denim skirt and long-sleeved burnt-orange sweater looked great together. She dropped her brush on the vanity and hurried to her bedroom. She slid her feet into a pair of brown leather flats, grabbed her purse and headed out. She was already late.
After she and Jake had showered, with him meticulously washing every inch of her body, they’d fallen into bed where he’d made love to her slow and easy. When she woke again, the sun was up and she was running behind schedule.
Jake had insisted on taking her home, but she’d drawn the line at him waiting for her. She didn’t think Ivan would try anything again so soon. Jake had given in, but not before letting her know he wasn’t happy about the situation.
A shiver of desire raced through her body as she let herself out of her apartment and headed to the elevator, making her nipples tingle and her pussy throb. She had to be careful with Jake. It would be so easy for him to take over her entire life. He wouldn’t mean to, but it could easily happen with his dominant, take-charge personality.
Luckily, she was no pushover and didn’t mind standing up to him. The funny thing was Jake respected her independence and was hugely supportive of her career. He was a man of many levels and moods.
The elevator door opened and she stepped inside, glad she was alone. She pressed the button for the lobby and the door swished closed. Her thoughts tumbled over themselves as the elevator began its descent.
She had to make a decision. And soon.
Every moment they spent together, she was falling more and more in love with him. It was impossible not to. Jake was loyal and lived by a code of ethics. It might be slightly different from that of normal society, but he was definitely one of the good guys. He was strong and determined, but used those skills to protect and defend. He’d already shown what lengths he’d go to in order to protect her.
She’d never have to worry about Jake cheating on her. He wasn’t made that way. If their relationship ever faltered, he’d tell her straight out things weren’t working between them. Not that she could ever imagine such a time.
They were like dynamite and a match when they came together—totally explosive.
She bit her bottom lip and stifled a moan. The elevator door opened and she stepped out, hurrying to the front door. Sapphire hesitated, checking both ways before beginning her trek to the bakery. She glanced at her watch and swore under her breath. Topaz would be waiting for her. Sapphire hated being late.
She picked up her pace, keeping her eyes open even as her thoughts drifted back to Jake and the incredible night they’d spent together.
Jake watched Sapphire hurrying down the sidewalk and smiled. He loved the long skirt and colorful sweater she wore. He liked the fact the skirt hid most of her legs. She had sexy legs, long and toned. No one would ever accuse him of being a modern male in many ways. That was okay with him, and Sapphire didn’t seem to mind.
If she wanted to dress sexy, he’d suck it up and live with it, but he was glad her normal style went more toward long, flowing dresses and skirts or slacks and jeans. No short dresses or mini-skirts for her. Well, not anymore. She seemed to have abandoned her short-lived foray into those styles.
He knew she’d be pissed if she caught him following her, but he couldn’t help himself. Until the shit hit the fan with Ivan Gregor and Jake was convinced he was no longer a threat, he’d be keeping his eye on her. She was much too precious.
He broke out into a cold sweat remembering how close he’d come to possibly losing her last night. Gregor would have certainly raped her. After that, who knew? Jake didn’t trust Gregor not to get rid of her. There was nothing in the guy’s past to suggest he was a murderer, but Jake wasn’t taking any chances.
Sapphire was his entire world.
Deep in his gut, Jake knew there would never be another woman for him. Sapphire was it. There was something about her that pleased him on all levels—intellectually, emotionally and especially physically. The way she gave herself to him so completely was a major turn-on. She made him feel complete and no longer alone in the world. That was everything and worth protecting by any means necessary.
He loved her.
The words scared the shit out of him. They gave her so much power over him. But only if he told her. Maybe it was better to keep the thought to himself. He could show her how much he loved her without actually telling her.
Cowardly bastard
, he mocked himself. A woman like Sapphire would need the words. More than that, she deserved them. He’d have to consider his options and make a plan. That’s where he excelled.
He watched her walk toward the bakery, totally oblivious to the stares of many of the men walking down the street. He smiled. She sure as hell noticed him and had from the very beginning.
Her curly hair tumbled around her shoulders and over her back. A wide bracelet wrapped around her left wrist, the stones in it glinting in the morning sunshine. Her hips swayed and his gaze focused on her ass, which was hidden beneath her skirt. He loved her ass.
She reached the bakery, opened the door and stepped inside. Jake continued on down the sidewalk, making sure she didn’t see him as he passed by. Satisfied she was safe for now, he headed to work. He’d put so much time in on the Gregor project lately he was behind with his work for Knight’s Security. Not that John complained, but Jake knew his brother had taken up a lot of the slack lately. Time to rectify the situation.
He pulled out his phone and hit a button on his contacts list. She answered on the second ring. “Hi.” Her voice filled him, filling the emptiness inside him.
“Hey, babe. Did you get to the bakery okay?”
“I was just going to call you. I’m here and I’m fine.”
He knew that, but he wasn’t stupid enough to admit he’d followed her. He might not totally understand women, but he wasn’t clueless either. In this case, what she didn’t know was better for him.
He crossed the street and backtracked toward the parking garage where he’d left his car. “Great. I’ll call you later.”
“I’ll be working at home this afternoon.” He could hear the muted conversations at the bakery in the background. “I’m going to the store this morning but hope to be finished up there by noon.”
“Get a cab home.”
“Jake, it’s not that far to walk.” He could hear the exasperation in her voice, but he wouldn’t budge on this.
“Until we know for sure my plan is going to work you need to play it smart.” Otherwise, he’d have to leave work to skulk around her workplace and wait for her to leave at lunchtime so he could follow her home. Dolan was still watching Gregor, but that didn’t mean the bastard couldn’t hire someone else to snatch Sapphire.
“For you.” Her voice was low and intimate. His cock stirred, the greedy bastard. Jake didn’t think his dick would be able to get up at all today after last night’s workout. “I’ll do it for you.”
“Thanks, babe.” He headed into the parking garage, keeping all his senses alert. “I’m not trying to be difficult or controlling.” He worried she might think he wanted to dominate her life outside the bedroom and nothing could be further from the truth. “I just want you safe.”
“I know. I gotta go.”
“Me too. Talk to you later.” He hung up and headed to his car, determined to get a full day’s work in at Knight’s Security.
“Jake, right?” Topaz tapped her fingers against the side of her coffee cup, her half-eaten apple muffin beside it.
“Yes.” Sapphire slipped her phone into her purse and tucked the bag on the floor between her feet. “He’s worried about my safety.”
“Good. He should be.”
Sapphire’s gaze flew to her sister’s face. She’d expected Topaz to start in on Jake and about his controlling manner. She’d been ready to defend him. Instead, her sister was on his side.
Topaz gave a throaty chuckle. “Don’t look so surprised. I want you safe too and if he can keep you that way he has my full support.” She picked up her mug and had a sip. “Besides, I’m marrying his twin. They’re not so different.”
Sapphire didn’t correct her sister. She had a feeling the men were very different when it came to the bedroom, but that was between Jake and her.
“So, you and Jake are serious?” Topaz crumbled a piece off the side of her muffin.
Sapphire took a fortifying gulp of her mocha latte and a bite of her chocolate chip muffin before answering. After last night, she needed the extra chocolate to keep up her strength. “Very serious.”
Topaz shook her head. “I have to admit, I didn’t see that one coming.” She paused and a slow, sexy smile crossed her face. “Of course, I didn’t see me and John together either. What is it about those Knight brothers?”
Her sister’s engagement ring flashed when she lifted her coffee cup and Sapphire swallowed the envy that threatened to fill her. She wanted that kind of commitment from Jake. But she quickly realized she wouldn’t get it until she made a commitment of another kind to him. The ball was in her court and he’d wait for her to make her decision.
Jake was a very patient man.
She pressed her thighs together to help ease the growing ache in her pussy. God, what was he doing to her? All she had to do was think about him, about them being together and she was aroused. And in a public place, sitting across from her sister, no less.
“You okay? You look a little flushed.” Topaz reached out and rested her hand on Sapphire’s arm.
She shook her head and scrambled to come up with an excuse. No way was she telling her sister her face was red because she was aroused. “I’m fine. Just thinking about last evening.” She left Topaz to draw her own conclusion and sighed when her sister zoned in on the attack.
“No wonder. I still can’t believe that awful man tried to drag you into his car.” Topaz sat back, her eyes narrowing. “I’m not convinced we shouldn’t have called the police.”
Sapphire shook her head. “No, that would only make him more dangerous.” Jake was right about that. Ivan was like a snake and would strike even harder if he felt cornered or attacked. Better to let his problems come from other sources. Ivan would never know it was Jake who set the authorities on him, and that would keep them all safe.
“You may be right,” Topaz conceded. She hesitated and then shook her head. “I told myself I wasn’t going to butt into your business, but are you sure you know what you’re doing with Jake? I admit that John is a lot of man to handle, but Jake seems even more intense.”
“This is you not butting in?” she shot back.
Topaz grinned. “What can I say? Big sister’s prerogative.”
Sapphire grinned back, feeling very lucky to have a family that cared so much about her. “I love him.” It was as simple and as complicated as that.
Topaz blew out a breath. “I figured that. I don’t know whether to commiserate with you or congratulate you.”
Sapphire laughed. “Maybe a bit of both.” Jake was a complex man, one she might never fully understand. There were walls he kept up, blocking the world out of his innermost thoughts. She would be content if she could break through half the barriers. There were things from his past he might never want to share and she was okay with that. As long as he was committed to her, loved her and didn’t shut her out in the future.
She wasn’t one of those women who thought she could change a man. Jake was what he was and he was content to be that way. It wasn’t up to her to change him any more than he should try to change her.