His voice and his expression gentles, and it’s fascinating watching him handle someone with kid gloves. “It’s okay. I don’t blame you.” His eyes settle on mine momentarily. “It’s hard to deny her when she lays on the charm.” He messes up Harley’s hair, and I smother a smile when Harley scowls, swatting his hand away. “Don’t go anywhere alone with her because I don’t trust her not to try something again.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, puh-lease. There’s no need to make out like I’m Mata Hari.”
“Who’s Mati Hara?” Harley asks, scratching the side of his head.
“Mata Hari was a Dutch dancer who used seduction tactics to spy for the Germans during World War One,” Sawyer explains.
“Xavier told me about her one time,” I say. “One of his many random but interesting facts.” I tap a finger off my chin, fighting the laughter bubbling up my throat. “Now that I think about it, you two are so alike. You’re virtually a match made in heaven. I know Xavier thinks you’re hot. Do you think he’s hot?” I ask Sawyer, waggling my brows. “If you let him come here, I’ll sign up to play matchmaker.”
“Does anyone have a muzzle?” Sawyer replies, pursing his lips and narrowing his eyes.
“I’m only trying to inject some energy into your love life. No need to be mean.”
“I’m perfectly capable of finding a willing partner to share my bed with no interference from you.” He crosses his feet at the ankles as he leans back against the dresser. “And we all know that’s a smokescreen. You’re just trying to get your buddy here.”
“Do you blame me?” My brows climb to my hairline. “You could at least give me one ally.”
“We’re your allies,” Jackson says, anxiously swiping his hands up and down the front of his jeans.
“And it’s safer for Xavier if he doesn’t know where we are,” Sawyer says, and I believe it when it comes from his mouth.
“He told me to turn the cell on when I got here and he’d be able to trace it,” I admit.
“When did you turn it on?” Sawyer inquires.
“When we reached this property.”
His shoulders relax. “It’s fine then. He can’t trace you in this town.”
“Why not?” I’m naturally curious when it comes to tech stuff.
“There are a few places in the US that are satellite black spots, and this is one of them,” Sawyer says.
“What exactly does it mean?” I ask, although I can guess.
“Think of it like a black cloud over this town masking everything from sight. So, even though your father is deploying high-tech strategies using satellites and software image recognition to search for us, it hides us under the cloud.”
“How do you connect to the net then?”
“I have a USB dongle connected to a private hidden network owned by my father.”
“And why wouldn’t my cell work here?”
“Because I installed a blocker. We use ours with a code which bypasses the security, so don’t even think of trying to steal ours. The code has to be input with every action, and you won’t be able to use the phone without it.”
“And Rick’s friends just happened to have a cabin in this town?” I’m skeptical in the extreme.
“They chose this spot for the privacy it offered them.”
“So, they’re, like, famous or something?”
“Or something,” Rick cryptically replies. “The most important thing is we’re hidden here, and we need to keep it that way.”
A loud yawn escapes my mouth that second, and a blanket of tiredness swathes me. My eyes close for a nanosecond, and I sway a little on my feet. An arm encircles my waist from behind, and I’d know his touch anywhere.
“Get out,” Kai says, and my eyes pop open. “Abby’s tired.”
“You want something to eat, beautiful?” Jackson asks, as the others dutifully shuffle toward the door.
“I got it covered,” Kai barks, his tone warning Jackson to back off.
I shuck out of his hold. “You can leave too.”
He smirks. “Nice try. I’m going nowhere.”
I snatch my measly plastic bag up. “Then I’m taking another room.”
His smirk extends and I want to smack him in his gorgeous mouth. “There are only five bedrooms here and they’re all occupied. You’re stuck with me. Deal with it.”
“I’ll sleep on the couch,” I say, walking toward the door where Sawyer and Jackson are lounging, watching this play out.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch.” Kai fists a hand in my dress, yanking me back.
“Stop manhandling me! I’m not your property.” I wriggle out of his hold.
“Stop pissing me off, Abigail.” His eyes burn with uncaged frustration. “You’re pregnant with my kid, so that means I get a say. And I’m saying get your cranky ass in that bed asap!” He turns me around by the shoulders, frog marching me toward the bed.
“Get your hands off me.”
“Not happening, baby.” He pats my ass and a red haze creeps over my retinas. I spin around, my hand raised, ready to slap him again, but his reflexes are fast, and he grabs both my wrists as he pushes me back into the wall. Keeping my arms above my head, he presses his body along the length of mine, and I pray for self-control.
He let you believe he was Camden Marshall for months, and he was an obnoxious, cruel asshole.
He put his cock in you when you had no idea he was Kaiden Anderson.
He deserves nothing but your wrath.
I repeat those statements on a mantra in a loop in my mind, hoping they sink in.
Honestly, it’s embarrassing how much power he has over my body, and I need to win back control.
“Stop fighting me, because you know what it does to me, or do you need a reminder?” He swivels his hips, drilling his point home.
“Get your motherfucking lying cock away from me,” I hiss, and Jackson chuckles.
“Do you mind?” Kai says, whipping his head around to glare at his friends.
“Not at all,” Jackson says, idly tapping his fingers off his jean-clad thigh. “Don’t worry about us. We’re enjoying the show.”
“I’ll grab the popcorn,” Sawyer jokes, grinning.
“I’m glad someone’s amused,” Kai drawls, “because I’m two seconds away from putting her stubborn ass over my lap and teaching her a lesson she won’t forget.”
“Don’t hold back on our account,” Jackson says, winking.
“I thought you were on my side!” I holler.
“I’m always on your side, beautiful, but that doesn’t mean I’m against punishing you.”
“Lauder.” Kai’s growl is back, and he’s riled up. I feel a smug sense of satisfaction knowing that I’ve wound him up nice and good from the minute I arrived here.
“Do everyone a favor and fuck off to the couch,” I say. “Because it’s you go or I do.”
“I’m not sleeping on the fucking couch!” he roars.
“Jackson.” I calmly call out, avoiding eye contact with Kai.