The Sacrificial Lamb (34 page)

Once that was done, could he find Alex again and see if there was some way to be with her for good? To be honest, he was unsure if the passion they shared would last once this bubble of peace and solitude burst. Domenic knew what he felt for her would remain the same, but what of her feelings for him? Would she still want him once she was out of harm’s way? Perhaps she’d realize this was just a passing fancy and go back to her safe and comfortable relationship.

Maybe that was the better choice for her. Domenic was fucked in the head after the life he’d led. He didn’t know if he could go back to being an everyday, ordinary guy anymore. Alex deserved a normal life. He looked down at the woman in his arms and wanted nothing more than to be the man to give it to her. He decided that if she wanted him, he would try to be that man for her. Whether she would still want him was the question.

He couldn’t shake his uneasy feeling. Domenic didn’t want to leave Alex alone but really had no choice. Even knowing she would be safe and protected didn’t help. No one would be able to find her in the panic room, even if they did find the cabin. It was impossible. And if for some reason someone did manage to make it inside the panic room, Alex would have the gun with her.

He would be gone a short time and would be back as quickly as possible. It was just an excursion to buy food and make a phone call. Russell wasn’t the chatty type. He would just want to know no one had found them and that was all. It would be a five minute phone call, tops. Everything would be just fine.

Alex moved in his arms, and he stared at her sweet slumbering face. If it was this hard to leave her for an hour, how the hell was he going to handle giving her away for good? It would be complete torture. She sighed in his arms and whispered his name. Domenic knew she was talking in her sleep again. He ran his hand down her back in soothing strokes, letting her know he was here and wasn’t going anywhere.

Eventually Alex settled back into sleep, taking him with her.

The morning came much too quickly, and his sense of dread had increased. Domenic would need to leave early so he could make sure there wasn’t much traffic on the main road. Their arrival over a week ago had been cloaked by the night and therefore was inconspicuous. Today he would be taking a much greater risk by leaving during the daytime. Luckily the general store opened at the crack of dawn in order to cater to early morning fishermen, so there was a good chance no one would see the car emerge from the hidden intersection.

Opening his eyes, he looked at the clock on the bedside table. Four thirty a.m. Time to get ready to leave. He wanted to be out of here in an hour at the latest. Domenic would have loved to let Alex continue to sleep, but he needed to make sure she was secure in the room downstairs before he left. During the night they had rearranged themselves, and he was curled up behind her. If he had to wake her, he might as well make it worth her while. Brushing her hair away from her neck, he began to kiss her sleep-warm flesh.

Alex let out a breathy sigh as Domenic moved his mouth down her neck, alternating between kisses and light sucking. His hand was on her stomach under her shirt, and he made soft patterns across it with his fingertips. Alex stirred under his attention. She began humming and wiggled against him. After tugging on the hem of her shirt, she lifted enough so that he could remove it. He kissed her shoulder blades and the nape of her neck, eliciting a moan.

Domenic slid his hand up Alex’s torso and began to caress her breasts. She arched back against him, and he felt her nipple harden under his fingertips. Her ass was pressed against his erection, and he rocked against her, seeking some relief. His hand started traveling south, and he slipped it underneath the waistband of her panties. The feel of her and her instant compliance as she spread her legs, allowing him full access to her body gave him a heady feeling. His fingers brushed against her, feather-soft. Alex groaned, moving her hips to increase the friction. He slipped one finger inside of her and then went back to making slow circles around her clit.

Alex reached back, her hand drifting up and down over his shaft. She shifted her position until she was able to get her hand inside his boxers, and the feel of her warm hand on him was incredible. Domenic loved this slow and lazy lovemaking, this connection between them as they pleasured each other manually. It was leisurely and sensual. He buried his face in Alex’s sweet-smelling hair, whispering her name. When she reached down and cupped his balls, he groaned and jerked his hips forward.

Domenic couldn’t take it anymore and removed his hand from Alex’s panties. He hooked his fingers in the waistband and started pulling them down her hips. Taking his cue, Alex slid them off. While she did this, he removed his own clothing and slipped on a condom. Turning back to her, he grasped her leg, and brought it up so he could slide into her from behind.

“Oh God,” she gasped as he filled her. Domenic eased out of her, almost all the way, and then slid into her again.

“Domenic,” Alex said in a breathless voice, “you feel so good.”

His fingers found that most sensitive spot once again as he kept up with the slow thrusts. The feel of her clenching against him every time he slid into her was heaven. Hearing her whisper his name as he moved against her body, pleasuring her, loving her, was enough to make his heart burst.

Alex pushed back against him with more speed, and he spread his hand along her pelvis, keeping her still. “There’s no rush, baby,” he said in her ear and began kissing her neck. She began making whimpering noises as he started moving his fingers against her again. Domenic wanted this to last longer—he wanted to make her feel boneless by the time he was done. He kept up the long, deliberate thrusts, and by the noises she was making, he could tell she was getting close.

Domenic began to pick up speed, simultaneously moving his hips and fingers faster. Alex pushed back against him, seeking release. She made a high keening noise that ended in heavy exhalations of breath. Her body clamped down around him, and he raced to join her. The increased friction caught him up, and he clutched Alex to him after a few more strokes.

“Alex…Jesus Christ,” he said, his forehead pressing against the back of her shoulder. Domenic almost admitted his love to her right then, but he reconsidered, not wanting her to think he had said it in the heat of passion. He would tell her, but when the time was right.

They lay intertwined, and he dropped kisses along Alex’s shoulders, neck, and back. Anywhere his lips could touch, they did. His arm curled around her body with his hand cupping one soft breast. He didn’t want to move, but they had to get ready for his departure.

“I have to leave,” he said against her skin.

“Already?”

Domenic heard the mournful note in her voice and rolled her over. When Alex was facing him, he cupped his fingers under her chin until she looked up at him. Domenic smiled at her in reassurance and brushed his thumb down her cheek.

“The sooner I leave, the sooner I can get back to you.”

Alex tucked her head under his chin and curled her arms against his chest. Domenic held her tight, not wanting to let go. Too much time was passing. It was almost time to go. He kissed Alex’s forehead and then lifted her face to his for a soft kiss. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her and left the bed to go clean up. After a quick shower, he returned to the bedroom and found Alex sitting up in the middle of tumbled sheets. After pulling on some clothes, he sat down on the edge of the bed, taking one of her hands in his.

“We need a safe word.”

“What’s that?”

“Like a code word for when I come back, to let you know that it’s safe for you to come out of the room.”

“How about Scrabble?” she asked, giving him a shy smile.

“Perfect,” he replied, returning the smile. “It’s still early. Why don’t you go back to sleep downstairs? When you wake up, I’ll be back.”

“Do I have time for a shower?”

“Make it quick.”

Alex scrambled out of bed and was back within minutes. She put on some clothes and frowned.

“We’re running out of clothes,” she said. “Maybe you should pick up some laundry detergent while you’re out.”

It was such a domestic thing to say that he couldn’t help grinning.

“What?” she prompted.

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head, smiling even wider. Alex was still frowning at him when he shot up off the bed and grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug. Domenic picked her up and peppered her face with small kisses. She most likely thought him insane, but he needed to thank her in some small way for bringing him a little piece of normalcy in an otherwise crazy life. Alex laughed and batted at him with her hands.

“But I don’t have a laundry machine,” he said, putting her down.

“I’ll figure out something,” she replied. He just shrugged, keeping his arms around her.

“Time’s running out. Let’s get you downstairs.”

Domenic let Alex go and got the gun. They climbed down into the storage area, and he opened the door to the secret room.

When he handed the thirty-eight to Alex, she took it without a fuss, which surprised him. He took Alex by the shoulders and looked into her face. “What’s the safe word?”

“Scrabble.”

“You do
not
open that door until you hear me say that. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“I’ll be back soon. Try to sleep.”

“What if you don’t come back?”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll be back. Trust me, okay?” Domenic held Alex’s face and kissed her one last time. She gazed at him with her large doe eyes, and he had to force himself to turn away and leave her. The door closed, and the bolts that secured the room snapped into place.

Domenic shut off the light, climbed up the ladder, and walked out of the cabin. As he drove away, he glanced back in his rearview mirror until it disappeared in the trees.

The morning was getting lighter as Domenic approached the exit. He kept the car back in the trees, got of his car, and unlocked the gate. It would remain unlocked to avoid wasting time out on the road when he returned. He stopped to listen for cars coming in either direction and didn’t hear anything. Rushing back to the Mercedes, he hopped in and gunned it through the gate, screeching to a stop once he passed through. There were still no cars coming, so he quickly closed the gate behind him.

His heart was racing as he got back into the car and pulled out onto the road, heading toward the small town nearby. There was still barely any traffic, and the general store looked deserted. Domenic felt a moment of dread, hoping it wasn’t closed. He would still be able to call Russell, but that would mean returning to get the food and he wasn’t sure if he could leave again so soon. He ran his hands through his hair in agitation and stepped out of the car.

As he approached the store, he exhaled in relief, seeing that a light was indeed on inside. He’d been banking on the fact they catered to hunters and fishermen who came for supplies in the early mornings. The bell over the door rang as he opened it. The store was midsized with aisles crammed from top to bottom with everything you could need during a stay in the country. It was part grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, and sporting goods. Despite the clutter, everything was orderly and neat. It must have been an inventory nightmare, but the owners had been here for decades, so running this business was probably second nature.

Domenic grabbed a basket and started to fill it with things they would need over the next week. He managed to fill up two baskets by the time he was done. The elderly woman at the counter raised her brows at all the food. He supposed that most people came in and picked up staples like bread and milk. He gave her his most disarming smile, and she started to ring in the purchases.