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  He stepped out of the tub onto a small mat, grabbed a towel and dried off before tying the towel around his hips. With another towel, he dried her from shoulders to feet. She spotted the long red cut on his upper arm. Guilt flooded her as she stepped out and took the towel from him.

  “My god, you were shot. I completely forgot. I’m such an ass.”

  He looked down at the wound. “It’s just a scratch, not even bleeding anymore.”

  “I should have remembered.” She was the most selfish person on Earth. How could she have forgotten he was hurt?

  He smiled. “It’s nothing. The bullet barely grazed me. Don’t worry about it. Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

  Lena looked in the semi-fogged mirror and ran her fingers through her dark hair. Blue smudges marked the skin under her eyes.

  He took her hand and led her back to the bed.

  Lifting the covers, he waited for her to climb in before tucking himself in behind her. She could feel his hard cock pressed against her ass, but he didn’t try to make love to her. Within seconds, Lena felt her eyes shut.

  * * * * *

  She felt him in her head before she woke up. He nudged her gently, lovingly. Having Kane in her head was as if a warm blanket had been tossed over her mind. It reminded her of coming home after a long time away. Opening her eyes, she saw the sun was not yet up. The digital clock on the nightstand told her it was four ten in the morning. Lena rolled over so she faced him. His hand slid down over her ass and pulled her tightly against him.

  “I want you,” he said against her ear.

  “Mmm.” She closed her eyes and pressed her hips forward against his shaft. Immediately, her clit ached for more and she moved against him, creating delightful friction.

  She wound one arm around his back, skimming his muscled shoulder to his arm. No part of Kane was soft. He was a series of bumps and ridges and she wanted to investigate every one.

  “Open your eyes, Lena.”

  She did and found his face mere inches from hers, his bright-blue eyes staring into hers. A flurry of excitement bubbled inside her. His lips found hers, his tongue plunging into her mouth and swirling with hers. He kissed her cheek, her ear, and each time slid back to her lips.

  She kept her eyes open and watched the passion burning each time he looked at her.

  “I want all of you.”

  Her heart pounded. “What does that mean?”

  His hands skimmed her waist to her hip and down her thigh. Ducking his head, he latched on to her nipple and tugged. She gasped as moisture seeped between her legs.

  One strong thigh slid between hers and he hugged her close. His cock pressed between their bodies. She felt a nudge of another kind. Kane’s mind poked at hers, asking for admittance.

  He said it again. “I want all of you, Lena. I want to be inside your head and inside that sweet pussy of yours at the same time.”

  A rush of panic made her move back on the bed. He held her firmly in place, his eyes boring into hers. “I don’t know, Kane. It’s so intimate.”

  He took her face between his hands. His nose was a centimeter from hers. “I will never hurt you. Trust me.”

  How could she resist such a plea? He was begging her to let him inside every part of her, to expose herself in a way that would expose him as well. She had felt his mind in the safe house. It had been wide open and full of anger and worry. When he’d come, she’d felt it too. Nothing had ever been as erotic. But to open herself up while making love, it might be too much. “I’m afraid.”

  He tucked her head against his chest and hugged her tightly. “To be honest, I’m a little scared too, but I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want to share this with you. We may not get another chance, Lena. This could be the end for us.”

  The fact that the following morning he would turn her in to the Boston police so she could be held over for trial had not escaped her notice. She had known from the beginning he would turn her in. Kane had never given her any false hope that he would help her escape trial. Reluctantly, she admired his resoluteness.

  She saw it on his face as soon as she let her walls down. His smile was worth anything that might happen. His mind joined with hers as he opened up and probed her consciousness.

  His lips covered hers, branding her and making her forget what was happening between their minds. But she couldn’t forget altogether. There he was, just inside her brain, and she could see herself through his eyes. The way he loved the swell of her hips, and as he thought it, his hand slid over that curve. Then he traced a path down to her knee before sliding up the inside of her thigh.

  She gasped as his fingers slipped between the folds of her pussy. One finger slid back and forth through her wetness. It was heaven the way he touched her, but then she felt his craving for her satisfaction. The sensation intrigued her and she paid attention as her own orgasm started to build, at the way his desire stirred hotter with each press of his finger.

  His cock pressed against her leg. She reached forward and ran her fingers up its length.

  Kane hissed. She heard the sound in her ears, but also in her mind. She felt what her fingers were doing to him and it increased her own arousal. Her body tightened. “Kane?”

  “Come for me, Lena.” His fingers moved faster, sliding through her sopping-wet slit and teasing her clit to the point where she could no longer think of anything but her own pleasure and how it affected Kane. He bent his head and took the taut peak of her breast into his warm mouth. Still rubbing her clit, he tugged on her nipple.

  Lena screamed as her body pulsed and the orgasm crashed down around them both. His cock jumped under her fingers, but she was too consumed by her own sensation to think about much more.

  She did notice, as her rapture cascaded around her, that his heart beat faster and sweat beaded on his forehead.

  He slid his fingers away from her pussy, and placing them in his mouth, licked her juices from the digits. She tasted her own juices, salty on his tongue, yet it filled her with renewed desire.

  “That was unbelievable. I can’t wait to feel you come.” She wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft and slid them from the tip to the base. They both moaned. His cock spread pleasure to every nerve in her body. Her clit tightened once again, with need producing an ache between her legs.

  The memory of how she could taste her own juices when it was Kane who had sucked them from his fingers emboldened her. She got to her knees and cupped his balls before kissing the tip of his cock.

  She felt as if it were her own appendage being delighted by her lips. Pleasure of an entirely new kind simmered in her blood. Her body hummed with excitement as she lowered her mouth onto his hard, velvety skin.

  He called her name and she heard it in her mind loudly. Then he spoke to her without opening his mouth. Swing your hips around so I can taste your sweet pussy.

  She stopped mid-suck, not sure what to do. He actually spoke inside her head. It was the strangest experience to share a mind. Far more intimate than sex alone. He nudged her knee closer with one hand. Before she had time to think about it, she was straddling his face and sucking his cock deep into her throat.

  It was impossibly erotic. His lips and tongue swirled and sucked her clit, while she also felt the effect her mouth had on his cock. She knew when she took him deep in her throat, his ecstasy increased, and he also liked it when just the tip of her tongue traced a path up and down his bulging vein.

  Heat spread from her pussy to every cell of her body and she had no idea if it was her own rapture or his that she felt. In the moment, it made no difference. He sucked hard on her clit and she gave a full-mouthed moan. She took him deeper and opened her throat while wrapping her hand around his girth and tugging up to meet her mouth. She knew he was close to coming and the heat burned as if she were on fire.

  Kane pushed her hips away from his mouth. I want to be inside you when you come.

  She let his cock slide from her mouth and moved over, lifting her ass in
the air. Her wet pussy was exposed to him and she felt his delight at seeing her doggie pose.

  His hands settled on her hips and his cock teased her slit. She heard the foil pack crinkle as he opened it and tossed the packaging away.

  Lena lowered her shoulders so her hips tilted even farther up and she leaned back just enough so the tip of his shaft pressed against her pussy. The heat that had infused her body seared her as he thrust fully inside her. His joy and her own mingled together in a way that felt ethereal, as if they hovered somewhere outside their bodies. She could no longer identify where her pleasure ended and Kane’s began. His desire and her own were one emotion, ebbing and flowing with each thrust of their bodies.

  The fire that burned throughout her contracted to a point between her legs. She reached down and touched her slick clit, pressing and rubbing until she exploded around his cock, screaming his name. Her name echoed against the walls of her mind as he pumped quick and deep.

  The explosion of sensation and emotion flooded both her body and her mind at once. She gasped, trying to catch her breath.

  Kane slid from her pussy and she felt him lift off the bed. She collapsed on her side and pulled the pillow under her head. A minute later, his weight settled in behind her.

  “Thank you,” Kane said.

  “That was the most incredible thing I have ever experienced.”

  His lips pressed against her shoulder. “Me too.”

  Chapter Seven

  It was true. He had never had sex while he’d had the other person be open to his probing mind. It was not something he’d ever even considered doing until his brother coerced them into a probe in the safe house. After that, it was constantly in the back of his mind. He wanted to have all of Lena all at once. The fact she allowed the intimacy astounded him. He felt sure she would have told him to go to hell. Everything about the woman in his arms surprised him.

  Lena Cruz excited him in ways he never had expected. She was beautiful and he found her attractive, but he found many women attractive. He definitely wanted to fuck her almost all of the time, but he also wanted the life in the second vision. It was a life he had never dreamed of for himself. He’d never wanted to have people need him that way. He didn’t keep the kind of hours conducive to a family. It was impossible, and yet, here she was, in his arms.

  He ached with need for what the stones had only given him a glimpse of. His entire body had reacted to the idea. The child in the vision was already a part of him. If the first vision came to pass, it would be more than just Lena’s body zipped into the body bag. His children would be dead as well. Pain streaked across his chest and he reached up, wiping a tear from his cheek.

  This is crazy.

  Joshua had asked if he was in love with Lena and he had not really known how to answer, having no prior experience with the emotion. It had gotten him wondering about all of the new feelings that coursed through his mind. One thing he knew for certain, he had to protect her. He couldn’t let the outcome in the first vision come to pass.

  That unpleasant thought was his last before Lena’s even breathing lulled him to sleep.

  * * * * *

  Kane felt Troth Banta even before the presence of another telepath woke him. The mercenary’s Psi abilities niggled at the back of Kane’s mind, forcing his eyes open.

  “Lena, get dressed fast.” He pushed out of bed and she was on her feet in seconds.

  She did as he said and pulled her clothes on. “What is it?”

  “Banta.” Kane walked to the window and peered out of the corner of the curtain without disturbing the cloth. He could see the parking lot and trees beyond. No sign of any person, but he knew they were close. With only one way out of the room, he pulled on his clothes, grabbed his duffle and dug out the gun his brother had provided. Then he opened the door slowly.

  “Stay close,” he said.

  As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he knew it was too late. Banta’s mind pressed down on his and he had to fight to keep the mercenary from ripping him to shreds. He shielded his mind, throwing up his wall as quickly as possible while turning to grab Lena.

  One of Banta’s soldiers already had his arm wrapped around her and was pressing a knife to her throat. Kane froze. Three other soldiers all dressed in black from head to toe and wearing black masks had surrounded him. He might have been able to fight his way out, but if he did, he would never save Lena.

  Troth Banta had a deep, almost musical voice. “Impressive. I can usually crush a mind in seconds. I planned to leave you here for that brother of yours to find. Please drop the weapon.” Banta stepped out of the shadows. The bright whites of his eyes stood out against his dark-chocolate skin. He approached Kane with sure strides and looked down at him.

  He had little choice, so he dropped the gun. Even though he was the enemy, Kane couldn’t help being impressed by the sheer size of the man. If Kane had not been properly trained as an agent, Banta might have been able to overpower him with his mind. He could have been left in a vegetative state on the pavement for Joshua to find.

  “I didn’t know you were acquainted with my brother. Most people don’t even know we’re related.”

  Banta looked him up and down as if he were a rare insect, which he was trying to decide if he should crush or study. “He and I served together before I decided to take another path.”

  “One where you do the bidding of scum like Oscar Thorn,” Kane said.

  “Thorn is one of my clients. He pays well and doesn’t interfere with my methods. He and I share the view that the senses we were given put us in another class than the rest of humanity. Their laws of right and wrong do not apply to men like me. If you were smart, you would realize they don’t apply to you either, Lakeland.”

  Kane’s anger bubbled beneath the surface, but he kept his mental wall in place. “That kind of thinking is a sign of insanity, Banta.”

  The big man laughed. “I like you, Kane Lakeland. Everything I’ve heard about you tells me you’re as good a soldier as your brother, if not quite as psychically gifted. You should consider joining my team. I might even be able to get you your own squad in a month or two. It would be very profitable for you.”

  “What about Lena?” Kane wished he could open his mind and assure her they were not done yet. Her eyes were wide with fear, but he couldn’t risk letting Banta get in his head.

  Banta turned and looked at Lena. She was still tightly held in the grip of one of his men. “I’m afraid her fate is sealed. I’ve contracted to bring her back to Thorn and assist him in getting the information from her he needs.”

  “Then I’m afraid I can’t entertain your offer.”

  Banta frowned. “Foolish. You can’t win and she isn’t worth all the trouble of dying. Thorn wants to kill you himself, but I had hoped to talk you into joining me. I was even willing to buy you from Thorn. You wouldn’t have come cheap either. Once Thorn learned you were sleeping with his ex, he became obsessed with wanting to kill you.”

  “How did he hear that?”

  “Wade told him.”

  “I thought Wade was working for the government.”

  Troth Banta’s shoulders were twice as wide as most men. He shrugged. “I picked him up after you left him wasted in Mexico. I only missed you by a few minutes. Wade was much easier to break than one would have thought of a trained agent.”

  “Did you kill him?”

  He shook his head. “No point in that. He’s a good source of information, even if he’s a lousy hunter.”

  Banta looked toward the sun. “Time to get you two to Boston.”

  Kane hated being beaten. It gave him a bad taste in his mouth, but he couldn’t get both of them away. He might be able to escape by himself, but trailing a hunter of Banta’s skill would be difficult if not impossible. If they were willing to take him along, he’d bide his time and wait for a better opportunity.

  A long, black limousine pulled into the parking lot. One of the mercenaries shoved Kane in the lower ba
ck. He walked forward and played out how he would make the soldier pay for it later. In fact, he had plans for all of them. They pushed him against the car, took his weapons and cuffed him before he climbed into the backseat. By the time he was frisked and bound, Lena was already inside. He smiled briefly at her, but she didn’t return the smile.

  They were both facing forward, while two men with guns drawn sat facing them.

  Lena’s mind was tightly closed, which was good, but he missed her emotions flowing through his mind. His own mind could stay open while blocking Banta or any other telepath. It was part of his training to close off his thoughts while still being able to read the minds around him. He didn’t even bother with Banta, but sensed excitement from the rest of the squadron. They were very pleased to have captured not only Lena, but him as well.

  * * * * *

  Later that morning, they arrived in front of the Beacon Hill federal-style row house. Elegant brick homes lined the narrow street just past the beauty of the Boston Public Garden. Kane looked up at the three-story structure and all the windows they potentially could gain their escape through. One steep flight of steps led up to an ornate front door.

  Lena had not said a word since they’d been captured and her thoughts were still blocked. He looked over and saw her fists clenched at her sides and her face tightly emotionless. This had been her home. He could only imagine what horrors she was going through as they ascended the steps to face Oscar Thorn.

  An elderly butler opened the door and looked down his hawk-like nose at Lena.

  “Hello, Monty. You look fine,” Lena said.

  “Madam is a bit worse for wear,” the butler said in a haughty, English accent.

  She smiled at his insult. “Oh Monty, it is good to see you.”

  The butler bowed, but said nothing else as they were ushered through the foyer and into a doorway to the right.