Way of the Shadows (Shadow Agents #8)(8)
Author: Cynthia Eden

And the fear slid away as the fire warmed her and he held her close. It was odd to feel so secure…in the arms of a dragon.

* * *

THE DOOR TO Lawrence Duncan’s study opened with a rasp of sound. Lawrence glanced up, expecting to see Paula, but she wasn’t in the doorway. Still, he smiled when he saw just who had come to pay him a late-night visit. “I take it that you accomplished our task?”

His visitor took a step inside his study. “Their vehicle won’t be found.”

“Good.” His eyes narrowed as he studied the man before him. “This shouldn’t have happened, you know. I’m supposed to be clear. Instead, I’m cleaning up your messes.” His breath heaved out. “Noelle Evers. She should’ve died years ago, and we both know it.”

The floor creaked as the man edged closer to Lawrence. “I didn’t want Noelle to die this way. I wanted—”

“To cut her throat yourself? Yes, well, I know how you enjoy getting up close, but that wasn’t going to happen.” Lawrence shot to his feet and paced toward the window on the right. When he looked out, he just saw darkness. “She’s not some scared kid any longer. She’s FBI. And if we hadn’t taken her out then—”

His words ended, cut off with a gurgle of sound because—because a knife had just sliced across his throat.

“I was saving her for later.” The words were snarled into Lawrence’s ear. “She would have been special. Now she’s gone.”

Lawrence’s hand flew to his neck, but he couldn’t stop the flow. His knees gave way. He tried to grab for the window curtain, but his bloody hands just slipped over the fabric. He hit the floor.

His eyes were open and staring up at the killer above him.

“You were a threat, too,” the killer told him. “Because you knew what I’d done.” He smiled down at Lawrence. “But you won’t tell anyone now, will you? You can’t tell anyone.” His smile faded away. “And I won’t be on your leash any longer. From here on out, no one controls me.”

* * *

SHE WAS ASLEEP in his arms. Noelle’s breathing was easy and soft, and all of the tension had drained from her body. She was a silken weight against Thomas, and her scent—light and sweet—wrapped deeply around him.

He’d told her that it wasn’t personal. That it was just about survival.

He was such a liar. With her, everything was personal. It had been, for far longer than she realized.

His left arm was still under her head. His fingers were starting to go numb, but Thomas didn’t care. She was comfortable, and he had no intention of moving. He’d dreamed of holding her before, but he hadn’t ever thought he’d actually get this close to her.

Some dreams were so much better in reality.

His lips brushed lightly over her hair. If she’d been awake, he wouldn’t have dared such a move. But asleep…

I’ll make my control hold. It was a good thing she wasn’t aware right then. There’d be no hiding the arousal he felt when she was near.

He figured an hour had passed. The flames were still crackling. They were secure for the night, but he had no intention of closing his eyes anytime soon. With his perfect temptation nestled so closely to him, sleep wasn’t exactly high on his priority list. Besides, he wanted to keep her safe, and keeping Noelle safe meant someone had to stay awake for guard duty.

“Let me go…”

The words were so soft that, at first, he thought he’d just imagined them, but then Noelle began to struggle lightly against his hold. “Please,” she whispered, and the plea cut right through him. “Don’t hurt me.”

Never.

She twisted in his hold, her struggles growing stronger. “Let me go!”

“Noelle.” He knew she was having a nightmare. She’d revealed so much to him in the darkness. “Noelle, you’re safe.” With him, she’d always be safe. He wished she would realize that.

She rolled then, and he eased his hold as she turned toward him. Her body came flush against his, and he was stunned to see her eyes were wide open. “Noelle?”

“I won’t tell,” she said, and her voice was wrong. Too soft. Too lost. “Just let me go.” Her hands pushed against him.

He shifted his body, caught her hands and pinned them lightly to the floor. “Look at me.” Thomas said the words deliberately because he knew Noelle wasn’t seeing him. She was just staring at images from her past.

How often did this happen? How often did she get trapped in the same nightmare?

“Don’t hurt me…”

She was breaking him. Thomas had to make Noelle see what was right in front of her. Damn it, he’d worried when he saw this place it might stir up her past, but he hadn’t exactly been given a choice. It had been this dump of a cabin or nothing, and he hadn’t planned to just stand by while she suffered.

“Noelle…” Her name was a growl of frustration. Then he did the only thing he could—Thomas kissed her.

He’d often thought about kissing Noelle, tasting her. But he’d sure never imagined their first taste would be like this.

Her lips were soft beneath his. He kissed her slowly, carefully. He wanted to pull her back from the past and get her to see the present. To see him.

She stiffened against him as he kissed her. He knew awareness was flooding back for her. He knew he should pull away.

He also knew that he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any other woman.

So when her lips parted in surprise, he didn’t do the right thing. He didn’t pull back and ask her if she was okay.

He kissed her harder. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, and he savored her. With every movement of his lips against hers, Thomas just wanted more.

He wanted everything.

One day, he’d get it.

Her br**sts were pressed to his chest. Her smooth legs were trapped between his thighs. And—

She was kissing him back. Slowly at first then with more passion, with a need he hadn’t expected.

Desire surged within him. Noelle wants me, too. He’d never expected to find the passion hiding behind her fear.

His heart thudded in his ears. He was so close to having her. Only the thin scrap of lace she wore shielded her from him. When he’d first seen the black bra and that tiny bit that passed for her panties, lust had surged through him.

He wanted to touch every inch of her then.

He freed her wrists so he could explore her body. He’d make it good for her. He’d give her so much pleasure. Enough to chase away any nightmares that ever dared to whisper through her mind again.