Lifting her as though she weighed nothing, he spun and pressed her back to the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he surged up, his fingers digging into her hips as he guided her down onto his thick cock. With a gasp, she took him, feeling every rigid inch of him glide inside her.
“So good,” he drawled, thrusting into her over and over. “So… fucking… good.”
His arms, braced behind her, softened the brush of her back against the tile. And when he wrapped his hands over her shoulders, his grip tightened, making her feel safe, cocooned in his embrace as he continued to mutter dirty words and phrases of appreciation in her ear.
Capturing her mouth, they kissed hard and hot beneath the spray, all tongue and desperate need. His fingers found her clit, rubbing hard, fast circles until she threw her head back and screamed.
The pleasure hit like a bolt of lightning, and she bit down on his shoulder. Shaking in his arms, she buried her face against his chest. Xander’s body jerked with a spasm as he came with her, spilling his hot release with a low, gritty growl.
For a long, dazed moment, neither of them moved. Just held onto each other and stood beneath the water, letting it pour over them. Finally, he loosened his hold and pulled back, uttering a curse.
“I’m sorry,” he rasped, rubbing his nose against hers. “I shouldn’t have taken you bare.”
“Well, considering I’ve never…”
She let the words trail off as she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, and he smiled. Of course, pregnancy was always an issue, but the idea of having Xander’s baby didn’t scare her. In fact, the idea made her belly somersault. Or maybe those were her ovaries doing a little dance.
He turned his face and caught her lips in a long, searing kiss. “I haven’t been intimate with a woman in over three years,” he admitted.
Surprise made her brows lift. “Ah, that could explain your enthusiasm.”
He threw his head back and laughed. Then he grew serious, locking gazes with her. “I need you to know—no matter what happens—I’ll always keep you safe. Always take care of you, if you’ll let me.”
Essie felt the back of her eyes burn with tears. “You’re a good man, Xander Hawke.” Before he could deny it, she kissed him like her very life depended on it.
Chapter eighteen
Twenty-four hours later, after the most intense fuckfest of his life, Xander heard from Brand. Mitch had secured the exchange with Barrera, and the team was given the go to leave for Isla Esperanza, a small island in the Pacific Ocean, located just off the coast and slightly north of Manzanillo. To his surprise, Essie informed them her family owned it. The woman had nearly as many secrets as he did.
Xander and Essie sat in contemplative silence on their way to the airport, and his gut twisted up inside as he glanced over at her. Head high, shoulders back, she looked so brave. So damn beautiful. He shouldn’t have allowed her to put herself in the middle of a bad situation. Of course, he also should’ve been a gentleman and spent the prior night coming up with options that didn’t make her a bargaining chip, not fucking her endlessly. Maybe a little too rough at times. And, certainly, not without a condom.
But he was no gentleman.
Flashes from their night together made his mouth water, and he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. How the hell he could be getting hard again, he had no idea. But the lust running through his veins and straight down to his dick was of epic proportion.
Because that’s all it was. Or so he tried to convince himself. Essie was a gorgeous woman and he’d been celibate for far too long. The way they’d combusted shouldn’t have surprised him. Not in the least.
Except you’ve never experienced anything even close to that,a little voice said. Sex had always been a release for him. A pleasant diversion from all the bullshit and pressure from his job with the CIA. Then Alyssa died, and he’d been too devastated to even think about sleeping with a woman. Too focused on revenge.
And then Essie had streaked across his vision like a shooting star, sprinkling her light and celestial dust all over his doom and gloom. Igniting and consuming him.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d stupidly fucked her without protection—twice. As if the one time hadn’t been bad enough, he’d done it again. Almost as though tempting fate. Because in the back of his mind, the darker part of him rationalized that a baby might give her a reason to stay. And the blackest part of his soul knew putting his child in her belly was the biggest fuck you he could ever give to her brother. In a way, it was the sweetest revenge.
I’m a sick fucking bastard.
After everything was said and done, Xander knew she may never look at him the same again. Despite what she said about wanting to help stop her brother, he was still her flesh and blood. When the time came to end the murderous sonofabitch, Xander wouldn’t hesitate, and Essie would be there to witness hisbloodlust. To see the crimson river flow when José fell, courtesy of Xander.
She could very well change her tune fast. End up hating him. Disappear with her younger brother, never to be seen again.
Whatever happened, whatever she decided, he’d have to live with it.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked her in a low voice.
“I’m ready to get Tomás back.”
“And José?” he pressed.
She looked over and met his questioning look. So unwavering and determined. An absolute fierce beauty ready to fight for those she loved.
