Impossible Odds: Rescue Team Nine

Chapter 28

Cloey

"I need to talk to you." Faith and I hadn't even managed two steps into the hallway before Dice has my arm, leading me away.

"Typical couple issues. You know ... poisoning, crazy brothers, sexual innuendos, illegal weapons." Gunner's voice fades away. I don't have time to hear Faith's remarks, but I'm sure they're anything but cordial.

"Dice, what's wrong? If you walk any faster, we'd be running and, no offense, but these shoes ..." I try to point at the high heels gracing my feet, but he pulls harder. "Are not for running." As if to clarify that fact, I stumble forward only to be righted by my fiancé. We don't stop moving until we reach a wall off the family room. Dice glances around before moving a picture frame aside. Suddenly the wall springs forward. Guiding us inside, he presses a button to shut it.

"If you wanted to make out, you could have just told me." Looking around the dark interior, I shudder when I see a spider making its home on the wall across from us. Light filters in from openings in the wall that are obviously not noticeable from outside. The secret pathway seems to spread out in several directions. There's no doubt it encompasses the entire house. I know the house is old. I can tell by the layout this is a servant's route used to keep the servants separate from the family residing within. From the looks of the area, it's no longer in use, but somehow Dice knows of its whereabouts.

"God, you are so beautiful." Looking up, I notice him eyeing the red dress I found waiting for me in his room after Faith and I returned from getting a bite to eat. I'm not typically a dress-up kind of girl. Being raised on a ranch doesn't warrant many occasions for a fancy wardrobe, but I know our behavior here means a lot and the information we gather will help put these men where they belong.

"Thank you for the dress. It's gorgeous."

The crease between his eyes grows larger. "Not that I don't think you look absolutely stunning tonight, but I didn't get that dress."

I look up in surprise. "You didn't? But there was a note." Shaking my head, I study the wall behind us. "I was sure it came from you. I thought maybe you had one of the servants go and pick one out."

Placing his hand on my chin, Dice brings my attention back to him. "What did the note say?"

Thinking back, I recall the words I read. "To my beloved, Cloey. Thou art as beautiful as the reddest rose. Please do me the honor of wearing this." The pained expression on Dice's face causes my nose to wrinkle in contemplation. "On second thought, you would've never written anything that cheesy."

"Yeah, not my style."

The air around us smells stale. His jaw works back and forth as he considers the mystery. "In school, Les was always a man for poetry. He was especially addicted to Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. I suspect he's the one who had your dress delivered."

Reaching up, I twirl a strand of hair around my finger. "How do you know that?"

"Because Gunner and I happened to walk in on a secret meeting with Les Andrews and my brother in the gardens."

My heart skips a beat. Grabbing Dice's arm, I hop from one foot to the other. I can't hide my excitement. "That's good news, right? Were you able to find out anything? Anything useful?"

My words are rushed, but I don't care. "I can get my life back. I can get Felicity back. I can get back to my residency, which by the way was hard enough to hold. I can finally confront the bastard who's targeting me." I smile. Maybe it's almost over. It has to be. "I ..."

"No." Dice's voice is stern, causing me to pause.

"No?" The look on his face doesn't bode well. Uneasiness surrounds us. It's evident I'm not going to like what he has to say.

"I don't want you near him, Cloey."

Groaning, I close my eyes in an attempt to calm myself. Not again. Why can't he understand that I need to set things right? My family is broken. It will take a miracle to patch up the missing pieces. Agreeing to marry him hasn't changed that fact. "We discussed this, Dice."

His expression is stony. "We didn't discuss anything. I agreed to bring you here so I could keep you safe."

Letting go of him, I spin around. My nostrils flare. If it was physically possible, I don't doubt there'd be steam coming out.

"Don't be like that." I fight hard to keep my voice as low as possible. There's no telling how thin the walls are between us. "Don't act like Gunner Winchester. I'm not your property."

"Cloey ..."

I feel a hand on my shoulder. Shrugging away from it, I will myself to control my anger. "Don't ... don't tell me what you think is best for me, because I know what you're going to say. I know how Brad's mind worked and how this asshole's mind is working. I want a chance to confront him."

Turning around, I land my gaze on him. The intensity of our stare is immeasurable. If it's possible, we argue with our eyes.

"I want to kiss you right now."

My stomach clenches. I'm not ready to concede. "Dice, be serious."

I don't have time to breathe before his lips crash against mine.

"I am," he whispers against my mouth.

If he's trying to distract me, it's working. I want nothing more than to allow him to take me against the wall and have his way with me, but I'm hard-headed. A trait I'm convinced I've been cursed with since birth. Pushing against him, I force our lips apart. Dice moves away reluctantly.

"Dice ..."

A noise from inside the house catches our attention.

"Remember, leave Cloey to me."

Dalton. My eyes narrow at the mention of my name.

"I don't know." A voice full of uncertainty answers back. "I'm not sure I feel comfortable with this."

"Les, do you want to be thought of as a sniveling, scared brat for the rest of your life?"

There's a pause.

"No." His reply sounds weak.

"Let me ask you a question." Dalton changes his tone to a more soothing level. It reminds me of a parent soothing a child. "Have you ever wanted something so much, you'd do anything to achieve it?"

There's was no answer, but I'm sure Les is nodding.

"That's how I feel about Cloey Henderson. I don't like things that are supposed to be mine taken away from me." His voice rises angrily. "Especially where my bastard brother is involved. I want her, and I aim to have her."

Without realizing it, I take a step forward. My mind is dead-set on pounding my way through the wall and giving the man behind it a piece of my mind. A hand closes around me and squeezes.

When I look up, I can see the storm brewing in Dice's eyes. This is harder on him than he lets on. I've been so busy concentrating on my own emotions, I've forgotten about his. Reaching up, I run my hand gently down his face and move a stray piece of hair in the process. Dice looks at me greedily. Maybe it's hearing Dalton on the other side of the wall, but the hunger in his eyes lets me know he wants to possess me and claim me as his. Dalton has nothing on him. One second, I'm comforting him and the next he has me pinned against the wall with his lips on mine. It's a hard kiss, one that screams possession and control. And for once I'm not going to deny him. Let him claim me. Let him mark me. He deepens the kiss with his tongue. Pulling my dress up above my waist and pushing aside the flimsy material of my underwear, he lifts me, and I wrap my legs around him. There's no denying the strength in his arms from all his years of training. I don't recall him undoing his jeans or how he's suddenly as naked as I am from the waist down, but I don't care. Leaning my head back, I close my eyes.

When I open them, he's watching me as he thrusts inside me. Our eyes never waver. Our argument continues but this time with our bodies moving against each other. A bell rings from inside the house. Dinner is served. The sound of footsteps fades along with Dalton's voice. It's a godsend, really, because if they stayed a few minutes longer, I'm sure the walls wouldn't hide the scream that erupts from my lips when I yell his name or the growl from him the moment we go over the edge. It's always been that way with us. All or nothing.