Risky Vengeance Read online

  Trunk walked to the gym located on the east side of Keith’s property. Keith had purchased several acres of land in Hopedale, Newfoundland, the small town where he grew up. Keith built his house on the property everyone referred to as The Compound, and also erected a building which housed a state-of-the-art gym, and offices for both Keith’s security business, as well as his construction company.

  Keith also ensured all his employees had comfortable quarters to live. On the back of the acreage, he built bunkhouses where the staff could reside. Some of the guys shared a bunkhouse, and others had taken to buying their own homes around Hopedale. Many of them had fallen in love with the small town.

  For a few weeks, Trunk’s job was to keep Abbie safe, but his resistance to the tempting brunette was beginning to weaken. She made it clear if he was interested, he could have whatever he wanted, but Trunk had a feeling one night with Abbie would never be enough for him. It was why he avoided physical contact with her as much as possible.

  Jess O’Connor was Keith’s cousin and a blackbelt in Karate, as was her father, Kurt. It was a family sport for the O’Connors, and as far as Trunk knew, Keith’s six brothers and four cousins were involved with the martial art to some degree.

  Kurt had opened a small dojo at the local community center for kids in Hopedale and the surrounding communities. Trunk was no slouch, but he knew the girl could take him down without blinking an eye. Jess was the best one to prepare Abbie, Billie, and Dana if they needed to defend themselves. Trunk was there to help, but he enjoyed Abbie’s aversion to the whole lesson.

  “Ugh,” Billie huffed in frustration as she slipped on the mat again.

  “Come on, girl,” Jess urged.

  “I used to like you.” Billie groaned as Jess helped her to her feet.

  “Just be glad Dad isn’t your instructor.” Jess chuckled.

  Kurt was a badass who could kill a person with two fingers. He’d practiced Karate since he was a kid and even trained in Japan for a short time, as did Keith’s father, Sean. Trunk respected the hell out of both men.

  “You’re bad enough.” Billie glared at Jess.

  “Abbie, are you ready?” Jess asked.

  Abbie sat off to the side of the room as if she hoped they would forget about her. She didn’t seem to want to attempt anything Jess taught Billie. Dana looked scared but more involved in the lessons.

  “I don’t see why we need this.” Abbie stood up. “I mean, I’m a lover, not a fighter, and I’ve got the wall here following me.” Abbie hitched her thumb over her shoulder in Trunk’s direction.

  He had to make Abbie understand what could happen without warning. When she turned her back to him, he wrapped his arm around her neck but immediately regretted it. Her flowery scent filled his senses, and his cock hardened instantly.

  “What the fuck?” Abbie struggled against his hold.

  “How are you gonna get out of that?” Jess teased.

  “Ben, for fuck’s sake. Let go,” Abbie snapped.

  “Do you think an attacker would let you go because you cursed on him?” Trunk growled when her ass brushed against his dick.

  He sighed with relief when she stopped struggling and seemed to admit defeat. Dana and Billie smirked from the other side of the room when Abbie went limp in his hold. They knew as well as he did that Abbie hated to be wrong.

  “Just sing,” Jess told Abbie.

  “What?” Abbie tried to throw her arms up in the air, but Trunk kept her firmly against his body.

  “Haven’t you ever seen Miss Congeniality?” Dana chuckled.

  “Trunk, come here.” Jess motioned for Trunk to step next to her.

  He released Abbie and jumped back when she swung her fist at him. She didn’t connect, and he laughed when she called him a fucker under her breath. When Trunk locked eyes with her, he saw something he wished he hadn’t. Desire.

  “Okay, girlies. Sing is an acronym. It stands for solar plexus, instep, nose.” Jess used Trunk to point out each of the body parts. “And every man’s favorite, groin.”

  Jess gave her hand a slight flick, causing Trunk to cover his jewels. Jess wouldn’t hurt him on purpose, at least he hoped she wouldn’t, but he wasn’t taking a chance.

  “Watch it, little girl.” Trunk warned with narrowed eyes.

  “Watch while I demonstrate on this guy.” Jess smirked.

  Trunk backed away and held up his hands. There was no way he was letting Jess beat the shit out of him. He wasn’t afraid of her, but he’d seen her bring down some of the guys he worked with while they trained.

  “I’m not actually going to hit you. You’re such a pussy.” Jess rolled her eyes.

  Trunk decided he’d make the lesson more entertaining, and as Jess gradually showed each step with an explanation, he exaggerated the movements as if Jess connected with him. Dana laughed, but Abbie looked as if she was hoping Jess would knock him down.

  “Do you want to try?” Jess asked the women.

  “I’ll give it a try.” Abbie stalked toward Trunk with a wicked grin on her beautiful face.

  Trunk couldn’t get too close to her, because it would be like a form of torture to have her pressed against his body. Still, he wanted Abbie, Dana, and Billie to be prepared, which was why he wrapped his large arm around Abbie’s neck.

  “If you can knock me down, I’ll play strip poker with you,” Trunk whispered against her ear.

  He hoped the comment would encourage Abbie to put everything she had into the lesson. She’d been trying to talk him into the intimate game since the first night he’d been alone with her. Dana had returned to her own home with security, and Trunk was assigned to Abbie exclusively.

  Abbie tensed when he pulled her hard against his body. By the way her jaw clenched and the small sigh that escaped from her lips, he could tell she was affected from their close proximity. She stood still for a moment, and he felt her pulse increase.

  “What’s wrong, Abs?” Trunk murmured,

  Before he had a chance to say another word, Abbie struck him in the stomach with her elbow, and all the air whooshed out of his lungs. He hadn’t recovered from the surprise blow when she slammed her foot down on top of his.

  “Fuck,” Trunk cursed and barely escaped an elbow to the face.

  Trunk quickly anticipated the next move and grabbed Abbie’s fist before it connected with his balls. He lifted his eyes to see a sly grin on her full lips. She knew exactly what she was doing.

  Trunk tugged her toward him and hooked his leg behind Abbie’s knee, knocking her off her feet. Abbie fell flat on her back with a grunt. Before she could react, Trunk straddled her hips and held both of her hands above her head.

  “Get off me, you big ass.” Abbie struggled under him, and his cock jerked.

  “You’re a real tiger, aren’t you?” Trunk smirked.

  He started to get up off her because the way she squirmed under him was as arousing as fuck. When he released her hands, Abbie grabbed for his crotch, but Trunk jumped up before she had a chance to find out how hard he was.

  Abbie lay on the floor with provocation written all over her face. He could see the pulse in her neck pounding erratically confirming that she wanted him as much as he did her. That couldn’t happen while he was assigned to protect her.

  “How was that?” Abbie sounded breathless as she propped herself up on her elbows.

  The position pushed her ample breasts out, and her nipples poked against the fabric of her T-shirt. His mouth watered at the thought of wrapping his lips around those hard buds and sucking them into his mouth.

  Trunk tried hard to shake the image from his brain, and his cock throbbed painfully. He had to get away before the girls noticed his arousal. His engorged cock wasn’t easy to hide in his jeans.

  “Not bad.” Jess laughed. “Anyone else want to give it a go?”

  “Not fucking likely. I’ll send Smash in. You can beat the shit out of his danglers.” Trunk grumbled and left the room.

  When he stepped
outside, he closed the door and leaned against the wall. After a couple of deep breaths, he made his way to the office to send Gabe ‘Smash’ Hodder to help out. Smash was the other computer analyst employed by Newfoundland Security Services.

  It was tough for Trunk to fight Abbie’s allure, and touching her made it painful. He’d never felt such an intense attraction to anyone in his life. He always believed everyone had someone in the world meant for them. As much as he struggled with it, Trunk knew Abbie was his.

  Chapter 2

  Abbie Martin sat on the couch and glared at Trunk. He’d been driving her hormones in overdrive for weeks, and she was ready to explode. For some reason, he kept his distance, and she’d practically given up on him.

  Her one piece of happiness at the moment was the knowledge Billie didn’t have to worry anymore. The celebration was bittersweet because they’d lost a dear friend during the ordeal. All because of the sick bastards who thought selling women and children was okay. Abbie shuddered as thoughts of what could’ve happened flashed through her head.

  Billie was fearless, putting herself in harm's way to bring down the asshole who murdered poor Peggy. Abbie didn’t think she could do it because the whole situation terrified her. The sofa dipped next to her, and she turned.

  Sandy O’Connor sat next to her with a gigantic smile on her face. Why wouldn’t she smile? Sandy married Ian O’Connor a year earlier and the sexy doctor adored her. With Mike secretly planning to propose the following week, it meant five of the O’Connor Brothers were now off the market. Not that Abbie had any interest in any of them, but most woman with a pulse would find the men attractive.

  She liked Sandy mostly because she was loud and obnoxious, just like Abbie. Sandy also enjoyed teasing the men she worked with incessantly. It was hard to believe she was one of the best computer analysts in the country. Abbie had even heard people say she was the Penelope Garcia of Newfoundland.

  “Trunk still not giving it up?” Sandy whispered as she handed Abbie a glass of wine.

  “I don’t get it. I know he’s interested, but he keeps me at arm’s length. It’s so fucking frustrating.” Abbie sighed.

  Abbie and Sandy had become friends over the last few weeks. Since she knew Trunk well, Abbie asked Sandy for advice on what to do. Dana and Billie told her to move on, but she couldn’t. She felt deeply connected to Trunk, which was the biggest problem.

  “I asked him what his problem was, and he told me to mind my own business.” Sandy shrugged. “He knows I never do that.”

  Abbie almost spit her wine across the floor when she burst into a fit of laughter. Leave it to Sandy to help her put aside all the bad stuff and make her remember how great it felt to laugh. So much tension filled their lives over the last few weeks, she couldn’t go back to the easy-going person she once was.

  She did have something to feel happy about. They found another office to relocate her real estate company until she could rebuild her old office. She was lucky Billie insisted on buying fireproof file cabinets and ensured they back up every evening before they left the office. Abbie would be screwed otherwise.

  “I should just give up and join one of those dating sites,” Abbie scoffed.

  “Sweet Jesus. You’re desperate.” Sandy gasped.

  “You’re such a bitch.” Abbie slapped Sandy’s arm.

  “You’re only figuring that out now. I’m proud to be a bitch. I’m actually the queen of bitches. I’ve ordered a crown.” Sandy grinned.

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.” Abbie finished the wine in her glass.

  It was getting late, so she decided to make her way home. Abbie moved around Mike’s parents’ home, saying goodbye to everyone. Sean and Kathleen were terrific people, and she was happy Billie found a family who cared about her as much as her own, not to mention a man who loved her more than life itself. Abbie figured she’d never find that. She still had her parents and her friends, but that didn’t keep her warm at night.

  Abbie avoided Trunk on the way to the front door. With so many people in the house, it wasn’t hard to miss one person. Trunk’s gaze burned into her as she sauntered by him, swaying her hips more seductively than she usually did. When she pulled open the front door, she turned and gave him one last look.

  She thought she could escape without Mike’s grandmother giving her a container of food that could feed four people. Betty O’Connor, or Nanny Betty, caught Abbie before she made it outside. The eighty-something-year-old seemed to think it was her job to feed everyone.

  “Ducky, doncha leave witout dis,” Nanny Betty said, shoving the reusable container into Abbie’s hands.

  “Thank you, Nan.” Abbie smiled.

  Abbie learned from the first moment she met Nanny Betty that nobody called her Mrs. O’Connor. They were only permitted to refer to her as Betty or Nan. Since it didn’t seem respectful to call someone her age by her first name, Abbie decided to call her Nan like mostly everyone.

  Abbie pulled into her driveway about thirty minutes later and turned off her car. She’d stopped at the grocery store, not because she needed anything, but because she didn’t want to go home. For the first time in weeks, she’d be home alone, and she didn’t know how she felt about it. Without Trunk or any of the men who worked for Keith, she was uneasy with the thought of being by herself.

  After a deep sigh, Abbie grabbed her things and made her way up the steps to her house. It was dark, but the streetlights gave enough illumination for her to see the keyhole to her front door. With a twist of the key, she unlocked the door and opened it. She was about to step inside when an arm wrapped around her.

  Abbie froze as she was pushed into the house, and the door slammed behind them. Panic started to bubble up from the pit of her stomach, but she calmed herself and tried to remember what Jess taught her. There was just one problem, her arms were pinned to her sides, and her feet weren’t touching the floor. She had to use her head.

  Abbie dropped her head forward and was about to slam it back into the guy's face, but she stopped. A whiff of Polo Red Intense by Ralph Lauren tickled her nose. It was expensive cologne, and over the last few weeks, the scent played havoc with her hormones. There was just one person she knew who used it.

  “Ben, you asshole. Put me down.” Abbie squirmed in his arms.

  “Why did you say goodbye to everyone but me?” He growled in her ear.

  Trunk let her slide down his body until her feet were back on the floor, but he didn’t release her. He kept his arms wrapped tightly around her and she could feel every hard muscle pressed against her back.

  “I didn’t feel like it.” Abbie tried to pull from his grasp.

  “You were trying to hurt me, Abs. Be honest.” Trunk’s raspy voice tickled her ear.

  “I didn’t think cold-hearted pricks could be hurt,” Abbie returned.

  She was pissed with herself more than him. Her body betrayed her when his lips lightly brushed behind her ear. A shiver of desire raced through her, and goosebumps formed on her skin as her core tingled.

  “You think I can’t be hurt? Abs, I hurt every day I couldn’t be with you like I wanted. I needed to stay focused until we neutralized the danger.” His nose skimmed the side of her neck.

  “Ben, you’re driving me nuts.” Abbie sighed and allowed her body to press back against him.

  “Good, because you’ve been making me crazy with wanting you since the first time you undressed me with your eyes at the hospital.” Trunk spun her around and backed her against the wall.

  “I did not,” Abbie griped.

  “Yes, Abs. You did,” Trunk’s deep voice rumbled.

  Abbie tipped her head back and gazed into Trunk’s deep chocolate-brown eyes. She could get lost in them if she allowed herself, and having his mouth a breath away from hers was making it hard to think.

  “What are you doing here?” Abbie asked.

  “You’re not in danger anymore, so I can show you what you do to me.” Trunk ran his index finger down the si
de of her neck.

  “You think you can just come here, and I’ll fall into bed with you?” Abbie tried to sound annoyed, but it was impossible when his erection pressed against her and his scent surrounded her.

  “Abs, if you don’t want this, tell me now because if you don’t want me, I’ll turn around and walk out that door.” Trunk rested his forehead against hers.

  “I can’t think when you’re so close.” Abbie’s words came out breathy and desperate.

  His large hands cupped her ass, which made it even tougher to think about anything but ripping off both their clothes. He teased her with soft kisses across her cheeks and down to the corner of her mouth. Abbie wanted him. She hadn’t been with anyone in over a year, and she was tired of helping herself.

  “I want you,” Abbie murmured as she grabbed the sides of his head and slammed her lips against his.

  Trunk didn’t need any coaching. He plunged his tongue inside her mouth, and it tasted like chocolate. Between his taste and his scent, Abbie knew she was about to have one of the best desserts of her life.

  She fumbled with her blouse and jeans as she kicked off her shoes. Their lips separated long enough for Trunk to tug his shirt over his head. It took less than a second, and his mouth was on hers again.

  Abbie was down to her panties and bra when Trunk picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he braced her back against the wall. When he pulled his lips from hers, his eyes dropped to her chest.

  He pulled the cup of her bra down, exposing her breast, and he lowered his head. Trunk tugged and teased her sensitive nipple with his teeth as his wet tongue circled her areola after every gentle nip. Abbie’s head dropped back while his hot mouth sent shockwaves of need through her body.

  “Oh, yeah.” Abbie panted and ground her throbbing pussy against him.

  It had been so long since someone touched her intimately, and it felt like heaven to have his strong caress over her body. Trunk’s hands weren’t soft, and his rough palms made his touch even more pleasurable.