Fury's Valentine Read online

  Hal nodded at her and took Cin out in the hall to discuss something private. While they were gone, Fiona flexed her ankle up and down and marveled at the lack of pain. It still twinged, so she knew it wasn’t completely healed, but at least she could put some weight on it now.

  Fiona leaned back and relaxed against the couch. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe. She knew there was no way for Tommy to track her or tell where she was, and that lifted a surprising amount of weight from her shoulders. A bone-deep tiredness had set in, and now that she was relaxed, she felt the edge of sleep tugging at her.

  Chapter 9

  Ben paced inside Fiona’s apartment. He needed to track down Tommy again, and the only thing he could do was hope that moving Fiona’s stuff would lure him out. If he was honest with himself, Tommy had been an afterthought when he’d shown up there. All he wanted was to keep her safe, and to do that, he needed to make her comfortable, which meant getting her own things from her apartment. Her safety felt like the most important thing in the world to him, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to explain his actions to Hades. At least, not yet.

  There was something about Fiona that drew him, had since the first moment he saw her, and it went beyond the fact that she was mouth-wateringly sexy. There was an edge of darkness to her, one that he presumed came from the torment that her ex had put her through. Or maybe it was the way her eyes belied every small emotion, like she was an open book and the story that lay within was captivating. Whatever it was, he wanted to be near it, near her. He wanted to save her from everything, even himself, if necessary.

  Cin had texted him shortly after he’d arrived and advised him that all the furniture belonged to the apartment complex and all Fiona was interested in was her clothing, books, and bath products. The poor woman didn’t even care enough for him to pack her food up. Not that he knew where he was going to put any of this stuff. It wasn’t like his place was big, but if she wanted to stay, he’d find somewhere for it all to live, even if it meant throwing out or donating some of his stuff.

  This hardcore protective streak was new to him. Even when he’d had that stupid crush on Aster, he hadn’t felt like he wanted to shield her from the world, not like he did with Fiona. He pulled her clothes out of drawers and the closet and shoved them into the well-worn bags he’d found, trying not to completely crumple anything, and yet also trying to be expeditious. Most women he knew had mountains of clothes, but not Fiona. She had a few drawers’ worth and some nicer stuff that she’d hung up.

  The last drawer he opened contained all her intimates, and he felt like a bit of a perv handling them. It wasn’t like he was going through them or thinking about her wearing them. Or at least, he hadn’t been until he held up a bra that looked more like a shortened bustier with ruffles going along the edge. He quickly shoved it into the bag and tried to push the image of her wearing that out of his head. The last thing he needed was to go back to his place with a hard-on for the woman he was trying to help.

  He had already taken a few bags down to his car, and was filling the remaining bags with her books and some photos he’d seen lying around, along with the jewelry that had been sitting on top of the dresser. She might have rented a furnished apartment, but he was pretty sure that kind of thing didn’t include personal touches like that.

  All the books were well worn. The corners of the paperback covers were bent. Some had even lost the top layer of the printed cover, so it was just the cream of the paper underneath, and the spines were all creased and wrinkled. He looked around and saw a crappy TV in the corner, but when he went to switch it on, he found that it wasn’t even plugged in, and there was no cable box. The idea that she didn’t have TV was strange to him, especially since he liked leaving his on static as he fell asleep, but he guessed it was to save money, so at least she didn’t have to worry about returning the cable box.

  As he hauled the books downstairs and out to his car, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Tommy was here. Watching him. He was surprised that the man hadn’t approached or attacked him yet. The rage that he’d seen the night before didn’t just vanish; it was the kind that festered and grew until it was all-consuming, which was what he guessed had been happening for a while now and why the other man was finally willing to kill the object of his obsession. Probably feeling all “if I can’t have her, no one can,” or something crazy like that.

  He shoved the heavy bag into the back seat and went back to do one last check to see if there was anything he’d missed that she might need. There was one photo frame just by the door that he’d missed, but other than that, it was just kitchen wares, cleaning supplies, and food.

  When he came back down, he found Tommy leaning against his car. This had been what he’d expected, for the guy to try to intimidate him into backing off. Tommy knew squat about him, though, and Ben couldn’t wait to see the guy’s face when he hit back with all his strength. No one expected him to be as strong as he was, and he always brushed it off, telling them it was a wiry strength, but the truth of it was the fury in him leaking out. Once he died and Hades kicked his soul out and gave it to the furies, he’d be even stronger and faster and able to fly. He couldn’t wait for that. Then he’d be a full fury like Cin instead of stuck in a mortal body that could only do so much.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Tommy growled as Ben approached his car.

  “I’m Ben, and you are?” he asked, playing dumb.

  “I’m the man who’s going to kick your ass if you don’t put all my girl’s things back where you found them.”

  “She asked me to get them. Something about wanting to avoid her ex. I guess that’s you?” He knew he shouldn’t provoke the other man, but he honestly couldn’t help himself. The cocky smile fixed on his face wasn’t there by his choice. It had just kind of arrived as he spoke and was now sticking around.

  “I’m not her ex; we’re just having some communication issues. Now, go put her stuff back, dickhead.”

  Ben looked the other man right in the eyes, and for the most part, he saw the same dead stare as before staring back at him, except this time, the anger was front and center, a full inferno instead of an ember. “No,” he said calmly.

  Tommy’s fist flew, and Ben ducked, using his speed and agility to avoid the attack and step to the side. The other man regained his balance after not making contact and turned to stare at him before coming at him like a charging bull. Ben stepped to the side once more and felt like a bad ass, having not been hit yet, as Tommy sailed by, barely catching himself before he faceplanted onto the ground.

  A growl of frustration leaked from the man as he spun. Ben reassessed him. He wasn’t as tall or imposing as he had been when Ben had seen him on the balcony. Now he looked more like he had when Ben was tracking him. Athletic. Good looking. Charming. He could see how the man so easily manipulated others; all he had to do was turn on the all-American good ol’ boy act, and people thought he was genuine. The problem was, the only thing genuine about this asshole was his obsession with Fiona and his desire to harm her, and probably others, too, now that Ben thought about it.

  Tommy charged again, letting loose a roar of anger, but Ben was getting tired of the charade as he stepped aside once more. He wasn’t about to fight the other man. Not yet. He needed to check in with his aunts and mother first, see if they wanted him brought directly down to Tartarus or if just removing the piece of shit from the face of the earth would be good enough.

  He let himself get a little distracted, thinking about what was going to happen to Tommy later, and that arrogance meant that he didn’t see the other man charging from behind. The blow hit him around the middle and drove him to the ground just as Tommy had intended it to, while a fist hit his kidneys over and over again.

  Before he was completely crushed under the other man’s weight, Ben shifted to the side and kicked out, nailing Tommy in the shin. Punches rained down on him like hail before a tornado as he tried to protect his head while also looking f
or an opening.

  The other man quickly seemed to slow down as though he was used to a one-hit knockout and not an actual brawl, whereas Ben’s tactic was exactly what he’d employed already, to tire his opponent out and then go after him. When Tommy pulled back to regain his balance before striking out at him once more, Ben took the opening. Two quick jabs to the man’s ribs with all his strength brought Tommy’s face within hitting distance, and he took the advantage, lashing out with a vicious punch that broke the man’s nose. Blood spurted down his face, and though the other man seemed to want to ignore it, he couldn’t, especially not when Ben had almost certainly broken his ribs as well.

  He shoved Tommy hard, and the other man rolled off him, one hand clutching his nose while the other gripped his side as he groaned in pain.

  “Stay the fuck away from Fiona or next time I won’t walk away, and neither will you.” He ground the words out as he leaned over the man. When he turned around, he found on the ground the photo frame he’d been carrying, the glass insert smashed. He shook it out and got into his car, careful not to hit Tommy as he backed out. Tommy was an asshole, but he needed clearance before he could kill the man, not that he had any doubt he’d get it.

  Chapter 10

  A banging noise had Fiona sitting up, her heart slamming in her chest as she looked around for the noise. Ben was leaning against the door, breathing heavily as he dropped a couple bags on the ground. She recognized them; they were a couple of her go bags that he’d clearly stuffed with other things as well.

  “Sorry if I scared you,” he grunted.

  The light in the apartment had changed, and Fiona realized how long she’d been asleep. She glanced around and found that Cin was gone, with just a simple note left on the coffee table in front of her. When she looked back at Ben, she realized he had a couple nasty-looking bruises on his face. She shot to her feet and limped over to him.

  “Are you okay?” She whispered the question, slightly afraid of the answer.

  His dark, sexy eyes found hers, and it was like there was a fire burning in them, warming the air between them. “Yeah, I’m fine. Tommy and I just had a conversation is all.”

  “I shouldn’t have let you go.” Her hand came up unbidden and touched the side of his face. When she realized what she’d done, she yanked it back. “Let me get you some ice or something frozen. Sit down.” She gestured to the couch where she’d been unintentionally napping moments earlier. It was all wrong. Ben getting hurt on her behalf left a sour feeling in her stomach.

  Once he was down on the couch, she made her way to the freezer and grabbed a pack of frozen stir-fry vegetables. Sitting back down on the couch beside him, she gently pressed the cold bag to his face where the bruise was the worst.

  “I’m okay, really. Plus, it looks worse than it is,” he said, turning toward her as he placed a hand over hers on the bag.

  Her breath hitched as his gaze traveled down, taking in her new outfit. He reached out, and a hand briefly skimmed her own cheek before brushing her thick, still-damp hair over her shoulder.

  “Did you have a good shower?” he asked, his voice rougher than it had been a moment ago.

  She wasn’t imagining the lust she saw on his face, nor was she imagining the frantic beat of her own heart. The whole situation was so surreal that she wanted to scream. Her ex was hunting her down like a dog after a fox, and meanwhile, her whole body was betraying her with its desire for Ben. He’d asked her a question, hadn’t he? Her brain was too fogged with longing to remember or to answer clearly, so she just made an um-hum sound and tried to look away from his sinfully pouty lips.

  “Fi . . .” Ben trailed off as his face closed in on hers.

  His kiss was so delicate, so gentle, that at first, she thought maybe it wasn’t really happening, so she pushed forward, her own lust pulsing in her ears as their lips connected more firmly. When he pulled back, confusion fell over her. Had he changed his mind already?

  “Fiona, you don’t have to. We don’t have to do this.” He took a breath. “I don’t want you to feel like you owe me or are repaying me. I want you to kiss me because you want me.”

  The words surprised her. She hadn’t even thought about the situation in that light, but the fact that he had? Well, it only served to cement her already glowing opinion of him and stoke the flames of her desire. “I want you,” she whispered before she leaned in and kissed him.

  She hadn’t missed the smile that had reached his eyes when she uttered those three little words, like he hadn’t heard them enough. This time, his kiss was hot and passionate. His hand cupped her head, angling her just right so that his tongue could sweep in and dance with her own. Every part of her body felt like it burst into flames for him. Her nipples had become hard little peaks that were only stiffening more as the fabric of the T-shirt brushed against them. Suddenly, she remembered she wasn’t wearing a bra.

  As though he’d heard her thoughts, Ben’s hand moved from her head down her shoulder and over to her breast. When his fingers brushed the painfully hard bud of her nipple, she couldn’t help but moan. It had been so long since a man had touched her this way that she wanted to faint at the sheer pleasure of it.

  Ben’s teeth nipped at her bottom lip, and he seemed to want to eat her sounds up. A deep rumble began in his chest as he pushed her back against the couch. She willingly went, enjoying the sensation of his strong hands on her body, and when his mouth moved from her own down to the crook of her neck, she became lost to pleasure.

  Her hands ran through his silky ebony hair and down to his muscular shoulders, feeling the muscles tense and relax under her fingers as he moved. When his hand moved over her still-bruised ribs, she squeaked, and he immediately backed up.

  “Shit, sorry. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s just still tender, that’s all.”

  Ben sat back as though realizing just how far things had progressed. “Did Hal come over?”

  “Yep, and whatever that pain-relieving stuff is, he should seriously consider marketing it.”

  He laughed, and the skin around his eyes crinkled in a way that spoke of a life full of smiles and happiness. It changed his whole face and made him even more attractive. Just knowing he could go from broody and dark to joyful and light was enough to satisfy a piece of curiosity she’d had about him. Tommy had smiled, but it had never reached his eyes. He would never have developed lines like the ones Ben had.

  “Do you need some ice? More painkillers? Water?” he asked as the laughter died down.

  “I don’t need anything, except maybe more kisses from you,” she said, feeling bold.

  “That I can do.” He grinned again, and her heart squeezed with delight.

  When their lips connected once more, it was like going to see fireworks. This time, though the passion was still there, his movements were slow and deliberate, as though he were trying not to hurt her, or make sure she felt comfortable stopping him from going too far. The problem was, she just wanted to rip his clothes off and fuck him right there on the couch.

  His slow, methodical attentions made her frustration rise. She wanted the passionate, hands-everywhere kissing they were doing before, not this overly careful stuff. When he shifted, she took the opening and pushed him back on the couch, moving to a straddling position while being as careful of her ribs and ankle as she could.

  Ben raised his eyebrows in surprise.

  “I’m not a fragile doll,” she said breathlessly in answer to his unspoken question before bringing her mouth down on his.

  To her delight, he took the kiss and deepened it, pulling her to him so she could feel the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her through his jeans. His hands came up and brushed her thighs at the hemline of the boxers before sliding underneath and grabbing her ass. She moaned again, and this time, his hips ground upward as though his body was responding to her sounds without his permission.

  “Ben.” She whispered his name in a sigh while he continued to move rhythmically
against her, already bringing her to the edge of a climax as the rough fabric of his jeans pressed against the thin cotton of the boxers.

  “By the gods, Fiona, if you don’t stop, I’m going to come in my pants.” It was only when he said something that she realized her hips had been moving against his in their own response to the rhythm he had set.

  She smiled between gasps, unused to having such a strong effect on a man. “Bed?” she asked.

  He froze. His eyes popped open and stared into her own. “Are you sure?”

  She nodded, biting her lower lip.

  His gaze became fixed on her mouth, so she let her lip fall from her teeth and swept her tongue out over the swollen skin before biting down on it again. Ben groaned and stood, picking her up with him as though she weighed nothing more than a pillow. As he walked them through to the small bedroom, she noticed the strong masculine scent that she’d begun to associate with him became even stronger, sending her body into a frenzy. She needed him inside her soon or she was going to lose her mind. When he gently deposited her on the bed, the smell of him engulfed her, her lust roaring in her ears.

  “Tell me if anything hurts, okay?” His voice was gravelly with need, and he looked at her with eyes the color of rich mahogany, a deep brown with flecks of red scattered across.

  She nodded at him, unable to tear her gaze away. Ben stood and, without breaking eye contact with her, began undressing. She wanted to look, wanted to help him, but watching each other was so hot that she couldn’t do anything but bite her lip once more.

  The clank of his belt hitting the floor made her heart flutter, and when a flash of material forced them to stop the staring contest, she realized that he was completely naked.

  Her eyes traveled lazily down the lines of his body, taking in the firm planes of his chest and the ridges of his lean stomach before landing on a rock-hard cock. It jutted out of him proudly as though announcing itself, and she couldn’t help but smile.