For the Taking Read online

  No one was waiting in the stairwell.

  She took her time, so if anyone stood out, she could run.

  At her apartment, she knew she was taking a huge risk. Someone could be inside to finish off the job.

  Her money.

  Her savings.

  It would make moving easier for her.

  She’d worked hard for that money.

  You’re so fucking stupid. It’s just money.

  It was money she had earned and she was entitled to.

  Even as she hated stepping foot into her apartment, she did exactly that, wishing she hadn’t.

  Shutting the door, she kept her eyes closed, another thing she hated to do. She hated being afraid.

  When she opened her eyes, there was no one.

  The heavy scent of lavender filled the air.

  She loved the smell, and it helped mask the mold she often detected in the apartment. She had cleaned every single inch of the place and couldn’t find a speck of mold, but it was there. She knew it was.

  Tucking her hair behind her ears, she quickly checked through her one-bedroom place. There was no sign of a break-in. The kitchen was clear. The bread she had purchased had mold all over it, and the bag looked ready to explode.

  Tossing the bread in the trash, she shook her head.

  “Focus, woman, focus. You’re not here to clean up the place.”

  Her apartment was paid until the end of the month, so she wouldn’t ask for a refund for leaving early.

  When the landlord, Bill, came to take the rent, he’d find her gone. She’d leave a note or something.

  Rushing to her bedroom, she opened the wardrobe and grabbed her suitcase. Her arm hurt really bad, but she ignored the pain. She had to get the fuck out of here.

  Opening up the case, she began to throw her clothes inside.

  She hated packing like this, but she didn’t have much choice. Someone could come at any minute. All she wanted to do was lie down and go to sleep.

  No rest for her.

  Just surviving.

  She had already wasted so much time.

  With her clothes and shoes in the case, she rushed back into the room, pushed aside the single used chair she’d purchased, and loosened the floorboard.

  She jumped back as a spider ran across the room. She hated creepy crawlies.

  “Okay.”

  Grabbing her tin, she wanted to do the dance of grossness as it was covered in a web, but she didn’t have time.

  There were worse things in the world than spiders.

  Putting the tin with her money, which she quickly checked was still there in the case, she zipped up the bag and froze.

  Someone was trying her doorknob.

  Moving toward the connecting bedroom, she could see from where she was standing that the knob was being turned.

  Stepping back, she closed the door and was about to flick the lock into place as someone put a hand over her mouth, silencing her.

  “I thought you had a little more intelligence than you actually do!” Her hero growled in her ear.

  She had never been so happy to have someone put their hand over her mouth to silence her. She was losing the plot fast.

  The door outside opened, and her man, whatever he was called, stepped her back until they were in the corner of the room.

  “Don’t make a single sound.”

  She wasn’t going to.

  There was no doubt someone was in her apartment. She heard their steps. They were slow, but she imagined that was down to being prepared, hunting her.

  Someone had spotted her?

  She was so careful, but clearly not careful enough. Her stomach turned. This was all her fault.

  He’d come back for her. Her hero. Had he followed her? Had he been here already? He had to be here. She didn’t hear him come in.

  Now she was pissed. Why had he come to her apartment? The person who was inside could be after him and not her. She wasn’t going to shout at him though. The bedroom door opened, and she wanted to scream.

  No one rushed into the room. She stared at the door, waiting for pain, and explosion. Nothing.

  Seconds passed.

  She spotted the gun coming past the door frame, then a pair of hands, and finally a body.

  Her hero didn’t shoot right away.

  The guy hadn’t checked out the whole room, and as he turned toward them, her hero shot him in the head.

  She didn’t have to cover her mouth.

  Her hero was doing that for her and not even in a kinky way.

  Another man rushed into the room, and he ended up dead on the floor.

  They waited.

  There was no sound. Nothing.

  Her heart raced.

  The man behind her, he wasn’t in any rush. He leaned in close, and his breath brushed across her neck. Considering there were two dead men in her room, she was a little disturbed with how her body was reacting.

  “I didn’t think you’d be so stupid as to return here.” He let her go.

  She wanted to storm up to him, scream, shout, and even hit him for scaring her, but what if there was another man?

  “There’s no one else around. They will only send two people for someone like you.”

  “Someone like me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  He raised a brow.

  “What? I can’t be a little freaked out right now? There are dead men in my room.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, they’re bad men.”

  “No, that doesn’t make me feel better. I’ve never hurt anyone in my life, and I’ve got people after me, trying to kill me.” She ran her fingers through her hair. With her bandaged hand, it was hard to do. “What the hell am I going to do?” She hadn’t even been here all that long. It wasn’t like she’d lain down and gone to sleep.

  “You shouldn’t have been here,” he said. “Simple as that. I figured you’d do the smart thing and leave.”

  “I had savings here and clothes. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job with this?” She held up her arm. She’d considered it as well. Why hire a woman with a broken arm when they could hire someone without anything broken?

  “How did you know where I lived?”

  “All your details were in your bag. I looked, and I’m here.”

  “That’s creepy.”

  He shrugged. “Don’t care. If you want, I could have left them to kill you.”

  “Did you follow me?”

  “Nope. I was already here.”

  “How?”

  “I figured Peace would try to finish the job. All he got at the warehouse was bodies. No woman. You’re out there, and he wants you dead.”

  “What about you? Wouldn’t he want you dead?”

  This man, he smirked. “He does.”

  “What is your name?”

  His lips pressed together.

  “Ugh! Stop it. Okay, stop it. You just saved my life again. I think I have a right to know your name. You keep saving me, and I want to know the man I owe my life to. You already know mine, and if you needed any proof about my situation and if I’m working for that asshole, you just got your answer. I’m not. So, stop being an asshole and tell me your name.”

  She really had to work on her manners. Calling someone names and demanding their real name, well, she didn’t think he’d tell her.

  “Fine. The name’s Riley.”

  “You told me.”

  “You put up a good argument. Grab your things,” he said.

  He began to push and smash things in her apartment.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “The cops are going to come. Wouldn’t it look better if this was a break-in gone wrong as opposed to me killing them?”

  “What does it matter?” she asked. “It’s not like they’re going to catch you.”

  “True.”

  “I have nowhere else to go. What am I going to do?”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just grab your things
.”

  ****

  The only time Riley had ever fucked up in his life was with Bethany. He’d not trained her in dealing with outsiders. The way she had gotten herself killed was she’d believed in the wrong people.

  Cops, dressed as civilians, had seen her in the street, and they’d approached her. She believed they worked alongside him and were employees of David’s. During a nice long lunch and dinner, she had spilled a great many secrets.

  David had been made aware of Riley Lord’s wife talking to the cops. Before David needed to lift a finger, Riley had taken them out. They were dead before they could even get to their car, thinking they scored the jackpot on information.

  Bethany had been taken to the warehouse where she hadn’t seen another day.

  His only mistake was allowing her to live without a guard.

  Glancing across the car at the woman in the passenger seat, he didn’t know if this was a mistake or simple fucking stupidity.

  He’d gone to her apartment, as he’d known David wouldn’t be able to handle her walking around. She already knew too much. Going to the cops would be a waste of time. There were so many men and women on his payroll. If anyone even whispered his name, he’d know about it.

  People tended to die before they even got any kind of protection for ratting on the biggest crime lord in the city.

  Meghan was merely a woman on a list. She wasn’t even the only one. Riley knew David liked to fuck those he didn’t think he could have. He was a sick fuck in taking other men’s women, even screwing them in front of others.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “For what?”

  “Saving me. I don’t know who you are, and you don’t know me. You knew they were coming, and you could have left me there to die. You didn’t. Thank you.”

  “I could still leave you to die.”

  “I know, but I doubt it.”

  He chuckled. “You shouldn’t be so trusting.”

  “I’m not. At least not usually.” She sighed, resting her head on her hand as her elbow leaned against the door.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  “You’re not going into shock?”

  “There is nothing to be shocked about. It’s not the first time I’ve seen a dead body because of you.” She groaned. “I don’t mean anything by that.”

  “It’s a lot to take in. I get it.”

  “I don’t know if it’s a lot to take in or what. I’m sorry. Just ignore me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually a talkative person.”

  In the short time he’d known her, she’d done nothing but talk.

  “How do you handle it?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “The death. The killing.”

  “It’s what I’ve been doing all my life.”

  “If you like to kill so much, why do you have a thing against David?”

  Riley stayed silent. His reasons were his own.

  “Seriously, the silent treatment. You’re not going to tell me.”

  “There’s nothing you need to know.”

  Silence met his answer. For a long time, he’d loved silence. To him it meant peace, which allowed him to plot, to prepare, to train.

  “I could help you.”

  Her words stunned him. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “You’re a woman.”

  “I bet there are a lot of women killers too.”

  “You’re not going to help me. If I needed help, I would at least have someone who was able to kill without freaking out.”

  She slapped his arm.

  “Hey!” He glared at her. “Are you stupid?”

  “Right now, probably. I didn’t freak out at the warehouse or at my apartment. You even trashed my place. I spent time trying to make it home, you know. Believe it or not, death doesn’t freak me out. When you’ve been on the streets, you get used to seeing certain things, and believe me, I saw them, Riley. Is that even your real name?”

  “Yes.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh.”

  He laughed. “You were on the streets?”

  “I’m not talking about it.”

  “Now who doesn’t want to talk about it?”

  “If you’re so good at what you do, you’ll be able to tell me about my life.”

  “I’m not some kind of spy.”

  “See, not so good now, huh?” She folded her arms and then winced.

  It had only been a week since she got the beating from Peace’s men. Her body needed to heal.

  “All you need to know is David took everything away from me.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes.”

  “The way you say his name, it sounds familiar.”

  He held onto the steering wheel. “I did.”

  “You worked for him?”

  Glancing over at her, he raised a brow. “That surprise you?”

  “A little. If you worked for him, why are you so adamant now in tearing him apart? Why are you killing his men?”

  “Because, he took something from me, and now it’s time for me to take everything away from him.”

  He pulled up into a motel. It was a rundown piece of crap. “Stay here.”

  Riley didn’t give her time to argue. He needed his space, and frankly, he didn’t like how easy it was to talk to her. She was a stranger, and now he needed to find out just how reliable she was.

  After paying for the night, he grabbed her bag, and without offering her an invitation, he went to the third floor and the apartment at the end, letting himself inside.

  He didn’t even need to wait for her.

  She was right behind him.

  “I need to shower,” he said.

  “Wait. What if someone comes?” she asked. “Don’t you need me to have a gun? I could shoot anyone who comes through the door. I can show you I can protect you.”

  “Do you even know how to use a gun?”

  “No.”

  “Not a chance. You’d end up shooting yourself in the head, and I don’t want to deal with that.” He also didn’t like the strike through his chest at the thought of her hurting herself. “You’re going to sit in the bathroom while I take a shower.”

  “What?”

  “You want protection, right?”

  “I was offering to protect you.”

  “You will, by being by the door, keeping watch.”

  There was no way David would know where to find him. They hadn’t encountered each other in ten years, and well, he’d trained himself to be invisible. He’d even been in several of David’s clubs, watching him, waiting.

  So far, nothing.

  He didn’t know if the old man had gotten sloppy, or he really didn’t recognize him.

  It didn’t matter to him.

  The fucker was going to die when the time was right.

  He had to watch his wife die and any chance he had at a future. The least he could do was offer David the same fate.

  Meghan stepped into the bathroom and stood by the door. “This is not how I saw helping you.”

  He pulled his shirt off.

  In the mirror, he saw her gaze on his body.

  With the bruising on her face fading, he saw just how sexy she was. This wasn’t something he wanted to notice.

  Gripping the edge of the sink, he looked in the mirror. “You like?” he asked.

  “What? A sexy, muscular man getting naked. What’s not to like?”

  “You’re supposed to be a lookout. Not checking me out.”

  She quickly averted her gaze, and he removed his pants. His cock was hard. Glancing down her body, he wanted to demand she strip, but instead, he padded to the shower and climbed inside.

  There was a spider in the tub as he turned on the water.

  The shock of the cold had him closing his eyes, tilting his head back. He needed the cold to rid himself of this …
arousal.

  Ten years without a woman.

  Ten years of not wanting anyone.

  Meghan was messing with him.

  She was nothing like his sweet, caring wife.

  Yet, he wanted her.

  The thought of her being naked right now, he’d have her on her knees so fast, worshiping his cock. He’d sink right to the back of her throat, and make her swallow every single drop of cum.

  He wondered if she’d had a man lick her pussy. Would she taste sweet? He wanted to press his face against her core and taste her, watch her come just before he fucked her hard and fast.

  “How does it look?” he asked.

  “It’s all clear. You’re fine. Enjoy your shower.”

  He would have to take care of his dick another time.

  There was no way he was going to let her know he was affected by her. First, he needed to know a lot more about her.

  Chapter Four

  After Meghan finished up in the shower, Riley returned to the motel room with some Chinese food.

  The clothes she’d been wearing, she intended to burn. She felt there was evidence on her clothes, and she didn’t want anything to implicate her hero.

  “I take it you like Chinese food.”

  “I don’t turn down any kind of food. Even stuff I don’t like.” She used the chopsticks to scoop up some lo mein noodles.

  “You know what it’s like to go without food?”

  “Doesn’t everyone?” There was no ladylike way to eat noodles, not when she shoved them in and had more than a generous mouthful. Sitting in a motel with a killer, she doubted he’d mind.

  “You’d be surprised.”

  “Do you know what it’s like?” She didn’t care about anyone else.

  Riley appealed to her. She wanted to know more about him.

  “Yes.”

  Licking her lips, she finished swallowing the lump in her throat.

  “I grew up in the foster care system. My mom dumped me on the doorstep of the place when I was five,” she said.

  “Do you remember it?”

  “Vaguely. To be honest, living in foster care was no different than living with my mom. She was a prostitute. I didn’t know it back then, but she’d have men coming and going. Sex noises coming from wherever she did it. I guess she did have some morals.”

  “How come?” he asked.