Escape the Night (7 page)

"You're killing me, darlin'."

"No," she told him. "I'm
needing
you."

His hand drifted from her breast lower to lightly caress her tummy, down through her curls into her cunt where she knew he'd find her wet and wanting. She rocked back and forth, welcoming the pressure of his fingers on her clit, reveling in the answering heat that shot through her.

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Gus' hand left her, his arm reaching back for his wallet on the nightstand. He was clumsy opening it with one hand, but eventually he managed to retrieve the condom he always carried in there--"you never know where we might end up," he joked one time--ripped the foil with his teeth and clumsily managed to sheath himself. Lifting her top leg he pulled it over his own, opening her to him. Working his hand between them he grabbed his cock and pushed the head into the opening of her pussy. There was no foreplay. The danger of their circumstance had aroused them to the point where neither of them needed it. He thrust hard against her and filled her, every inch of her pussy stretched with his swollen shaft.

"Play with your clit," he murmured. "Do it for me."

Obediently she moved one hand down between her thighs, finding the swollen nub, jumping at the first electric contact. She moved her fingers up and down the way she loved Gus to do, timing her strokes with his thrusts in and out of her. His arm banded tightly across her, his hand holding her breasts. He nipped her earlobe and then traced the lines of her ear with the tip of his tongue. She shivered at the sensations that skittered through her.

Gus picked up the tempo of his strokes and Anya rocked her hips with him, taking him as deep as she could with each forward thrust. Her hand on her clit moved faster and faster. The hard shaft inside her flexed and Gus' body tensed behind her, signaling the approach of his climax. Anya pinched her clit, hard, and they tumbled over the edge together.

The briefness of their climax in no way was an indication of its intensity. Anya rocked her hips hard against Gus as he drove into her again and again, his cock pulsing as he ejaculated in great spurts into the condom. The walls of her pussy convulsed around him, gripping him and milking every last drop.

For a long moment the only sounds in the room were their labored breathing and the whining of the cheap air-conditioning unit. Anya thought her heart might pound out of her chest before it finally settled down to a steadier beat. But despite all that, 52

Escape the Night

despite the urgency of their situation, despite the briefness of their coupling, there was a deep sense of satisfaction and belonging settling inside her. No matter what happened, she knew Gus would take care of her and always be with her. In the midst of all this, a door had finally slammed shut on her past and given her hope for the future. She exhaled a slow breath of contentment, wishing they never had to move from this position. But too soon Gus smacked her lightly on her hip and withdrew from her.

"I hate to break it to you, but we have to get up and get moving."

"I know," she sighed. "Reality bites, though, doesn't it?"

Gus was already heading for the bathroom. "Shower, clothes and breakfast," he called over his shoulder.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" she asked, wondering if they were just going to keep moving from hotel to hotel.

"Yes. As soon as we eat I'm making a call. Then we'll hit the road."

* * * * *

I must be crazy to even think of this.

Gus rolled his plan back and forth in his mind, trying to think of any other alternative. He hadn't spoken to his brother in ten years, and the last time had been far from friendly. Even now he couldn't believe they'd gotten into an actual fight right after their father's funeral. At the time he'd had so much rage built up inside him, anger at his father for divorcing his mother, anger at Rafe for stealing Gus' woman. Anger at the world. Now it all seemed too trivial, especially since Anya had come into his life. He couldn't even remember what he'd seen in Linda Grogan or why he'd distanced himself from what was left of his family.

But he was short on choices and he needed a safe place for Anya and people he could really trust. He could only hope Rafe didn't carry grudges. He ate breakfast only because he knew he needed the strength, the same reason he urged Anya to eat. When 53

Desiree Holt

he'd put it off as long as he could and ducked into the men's room, dialing a number on his cell that in all these years he'd never forgotten. Gus drummed his fingers against the wall while the phone rang on the other end and he waited for someone to answer it. Would it be Linda? Would she let him speak to her husband? Or would it be Rafe, probably hanging up the phone on him.

"Hello?"

The voice was deeper but otherwise still just as familiar.

"Hello, Rafe."

He wondered how long the silence would drag out before his brother said something.

"I'll be damned," he finally said. "This is one call I never expected to get."

"You have every right to hang up," Gus told him, "but I'm hoping you won't. The first thing I want to say is I'm sorry. For everything."

"It's a good thing I don't hold grudges the way you do," his brother said. His voice was neither welcoming nor hostile. Wary, Gus thought. The same as he'd be if the situation was reversed.

"I have to say it again, Rafe. I'm sorry. I was an asshole."

Rafe actually chuckled. "I'm sorry you were an asshole, too. Now that we've got that out of the way, what prompted this call after ten years?"

"I need a favor," Gus began, choosing his words very carefully. Would Rafe hang up on him, saying if he couldn't come around when there wasn't trouble, why should he listen to him now?

But Rafe surprised him. "Tell me what a poor rancher can do for a hotshot FBI agent?"

Gus would have ended the call if Rafe's voice had been hostile, but instead, even after this call out of the blue, it held the same hint of humor he remembered as an integral part of his brother's personality.

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"I need to come out to the ranch and stay for a few days. I need a place that's off the radar."

"Are you in trouble?"

Rafe always seemed to know what kind of spin to put on things.

"Yes and no." How much to tell him? "Not me, really. A...very good friend."

Gus realized how ballsy this was. He'd been estranged from his brother for ten years, now he wanted him to let Gus bring danger to the secure life he'd built.

"Listen, never mind." He couldn't do it. What the hell has he been thinking, anyway. Anya. He'd been thinking about her. "I'll find another solution."

"How far away are you?"

"About an hour and a half."

Rafe paused again, Gus could almost hear him thinking.

"Come on down. I'll tell Linda. Then I can take her and the kids to her parents'."

Kids. Shit, he hadn't thought about that.

"Rafe--"

"See you then."

Gus found himself holding a dead phone. Well, this was what he'd hoped for, right? He just hoped he didn't get his brother killed now that they'd finally exchanged words again.

* * * * *

Gus drove straight to the ranch as if he'd never left it, his car homing in like a dog tracking a scent. He'd told Anya where they were going and she'd looked at him startled, but whatever she'd seen on his face had been enough to kill the questions he knew were forming in her brain.

He turned off onto the narrow two-lane road leading to the ranch and the first thing he saw was the heavy forest of trees that grew from the fence line back to the house. 55

Desiree Holt

The oak and mountain cedar and mesquite had been there forever. His dad always said he liked the privacy it gave them, and Rafe and Gabe had used the privacy of the trees for games as children and other, less playful, things as they grew older. He followed the gravel driveway through the trees until they reached the clearing where the actual ranchland began. And there it sat, the place he'd avoided for so long. Rafe had painted the ranch house and done a lot of hard work getting the place in shape. It was very evident. Gus took a moment to drink in the scene--ranch house surrounded by oak trees that provided a canopy of shade. Endless pastures stretching away to the north, two of them filled with cattle, men on horseback checking on them. Herding them.

Gus remembered all the growing up years when his father had taught both the boys the intricacies of successful ranching but Rafe was the only one who'd lapped it up. And speak of the devil, he must have heard them coming and was waiting on the front porch for them, his body as tall and lean as ever but now more muscular. His dark hair cut short and his skin bronzed from working outdoors. Next to him was a slender blonde, pressed against his side.

Linda!

He hadn't seen her since the god-awful night when he'd left the ranch. Now he waited for the sharp pain of betrayal to sting him, but she might as well have been a stranger. His mind and heart only had room for Anya.

Gus parked the car in the graveled area to the side of the house and came around to open the door for Anya. She hesitated but he took her hand firmly in his and tugged.

"It'll be all right," he told her. "I promise." He'd given her a sketchy explanation of his family situation on the drive from Austin, not sugarcoating his own behavior. Not a conversation guaranteed to make either of them feel at ease. Especially the part about Linda, which he'd glossed over. But with no other good options available, he was determined to make the best of the situation to keep Anya safe. And hope after ten years he and Rafe could figure out how to be brothers again. 56

Escape the Night

Anya tightened her fingers around his as he led her to the porch. He waited for Rafe to make the first move but surprisingly it was Linda who took the lead. Leaving her husband's side, she hurried down the steps to Gus, gave him a brief hug, then turned to Anya.

"I am so happy to meet you," she said in her soft voice. "I just wish it could have been under different circumstance. Welcome to our home."

"Thank you." Anya's voice was equally soft and more subdued. "I'm sorry we're barging in like this."

Linda smiled, the smile that had once warmed Gus' heart and then ripped it apart. Now it was just...a smile. She linked her arm through Anya's and tugged her away from Gus.

"Come into the house. You must be a wreck. I have coffee and tea so just tell me which one you prefer." She guided Anya up the porch steps and into the house, keeping up her soft chatter. Making Anya feel not so out of place. Gus and Rafe stood in the parking area looking at each other. Taking their measure. Letting the past wash over them...and hopefully away.

Gus cleared his throat. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate you letting us come here."

For a moment Rafe didn't say anything. Then he stepped forward and clasped his brother in a bear hug.

"Welcome home, Gus. It's about damn time."

Gus couldn't say anything. His throat was too clogged with emotion. He just stood there hanging onto his brother.

"I wasn't sure," he began, then stopped. "I didn't know if you..."

Rafe clasped his shoulders. "Family is family, Gus. We've let this thing go on for too long. I guess because you and I are both very stubborn assholes. Too bad it took something like this to break it all down."

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"My bad," Gus said roughly. "All on my head."

"It doesn't matter. You're here now and we're going to do whatever we can to help."

"I thought you said Linda was going to her folks' with the kids? And by the way, how many kids do you have? I'm ashamed to say I don't even know."

Rafe laughed. "Let me tell you, that is one stubborn woman. Said she wasn't about to be shuttled off. Besides, she thought it might help having another female here."

Gus' throat tightened up again. "Thanks," was all he could manage. He'd had no right to expect anything from these two people yet they opened their home as if the past had never happened.

"And we've got two--Jared who's eight and Elissa who's six. Hope you get to meet them when this is all over."

"Count on it."

"Why don't you come inside," Rafe said at last. "You can tell me about the trouble dogging your heels. I assume it has something to do with the beautiful woman who's put that
She's mine forever
look in your eyes."

Anya and Linda were already seated at the kitchen table when the men entered the house. Gus looked quickly at Anya to make sure she was okay, and was relieved to see her in conversation with Linda. The blonde woman looked up as they walked in, smiled at Rafe with a look of great love in her eyes and winked at Gus. When they all had full mugs of coffee, Gus explained the situation to Rafe and Linda in great detail. He left out nothing, especially the episode at the safe house that had sent them running.

"They won't be able to get at you here," Rafe promised. "But what are you going to do about the scumbag, Virgil Branson? If I know you, you won't be happy just to sit around and wait for someone else to make things happen. Especially if you can't trust your own people."

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Escape the Night

"The last thing I can afford to do is sit on my hands," Gus said. "As soon as we get our things inside and Anya's settled, I'm going to make some calls. Work my snitches."

"I'll take care of Anya," Linda said. "I've got the big guest room at the top of the stairs ready for you. Bring in whatever you need and go to work. Anya and I can take our coffee out on the back porch." She looked at Anya. "I could sure use some girl time for a change."

Gus stood up and slipped his hands beneath Anya's elbow, guiding her up from the chair. Ignoring the others at the table, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"It'll be okay," he assured her. "We're safe here.
You're
safe, and that's the most important thing to me." He pulled her tight against him for a moment, pressing her body against his in a quick, hard hug. "Go on with Linda now. I'm going to make some calls."