Resistance (6 page)

“Okay, so you two know each other. Maybe you should let me
in on how well?” Cade snapped as he kept the rifle on Blade and tossed a piece
of driftwood onto the fire. He wasn’t worried about the sparks showering into
the swirl of snow. The group of hunters Blade suggested were out there wouldn’t
see anything through the storm.

Neither of them answered, confirming his suspicions.

Fine, then. Whatever was going on had nothing to do with
him. He was a bounty hunter not a jealous asshole. He stomped on his anger and
focused his attention on what Blade had said earlier. “Those men following us.
Any ideas who they are?”

“Men are following us?” Reena cried.

She sounded surprised not hopeful, though, which probably
meant she really was out here all alone. How the Resistance would allow her to
do something so stupid said plenty about this group she headed. They were
idiotic and untrustworthy if they didn’t even have protection for their leader.

Bounty hunters he could deal with. He probably knew them. He
may be able to get them to back off, too. But if they were coming after him
because of Red, then they needed to get moving out of the area and pronto.

“Hunters looking for females,” Blade said coolly.

Cade stifled a curse. Men looking for a woman were
desperate. They would kill both himself and Blade in order to get their hands
on her. Somehow they’d discovered she was out here.

Cade turned to her and inhaled sharply. Wisps of hair caressed
her red cheeks, making her look gorgeous. Her sultry lips were parted and had
him thinking of oral sex. Suddenly she tugged off her hat and her fluffy hair
blew wildly in the wind. He’d love to thrust his fingers into those silky
strands and hold her head while he fucked her mouth.

Cade blinked in stunned amazement at the direction his
thoughts were heading. He didn’t know what was going on. Usually he was
professional as hell, but the smoldering whimper that escaped her mouth moments
earlier when Blade had appeared, and now the heated flush in her cheeks and
sparks in her eyes, screamed sex. He struggled to regain his composure.

“You probably have a leak in your organization. Too many
people know your whereabouts,” Cade said, his voice way too thick with arousal
for his own comfort.

She didn’t answer. Her lips parted more, as if she were
about to speak, but she remained silent. He’d seen a similar look on a few
other women’s faces before. During the Wars’ mandatory R & R sessions the
soldiers were ordered to participate in. He’d only lain with women who were
volunteers. And some of them had looked at him the same way as Reena.

Hot. Needy. Submissive.

Uneasiness zipped through him. Mentally he went over the
notes the government had supplied him regarding Reena “Red” Wilde. There had
been no mention of the X-virus. He’d assumed she’d been one of the lucky ones
and was unaffected.

Was she infected? A stab of bitter disappointment shifted
through him, but it was quickly followed by denial. No, a beautiful, sexy,
vibrant woman like her couldn’t be infected.

Could she?

Chapter Four

Secret eye signals were snapping between Blade and Reena
again and it was pissing Cade off. Suddenly she closed her eyes and nodded in
surrender.

“So you want
me
to tell him?” Blade growled. He
seemed totally ticked yet something else laced his voice. Excitement? Maybe.
Whatever it was, Cade sensed something wild racing through his own veins.
Something at the back of his brain warned him if she was infected with the
X-virus, she may have one of those versions that would make her needy. Wanting
sex. Wanting him. Just as Tyler’s woman wanted Tyler and Hunter pretty much
every night because of those erotic fantasies she got compliments of the virus.

Man, he was fucking shallow and desperate, wasn’t he? To
wish Reena would want sex with him simply because she was infected and needy…instead
of out of love and caring.

No, she couldn’t be infected. There had been no information
about her having the X-virus when he’d been hired to hunt her down. Unless
they’d left it off or they didn’t know…or they hadn’t wanted
him
to
know.

She shook her head as she caught his gaze. Her cheeks were
flushed with embarrassment.

Oh hell.

“She’s infected,” came Blade’s reply.

“Which version?” Cade asked as disappointment and disbelief
rocked him. His voice was thick and strangled and distant, as if someone else asked
the question.

“The O version,” she whispered. Her reply punched him in the
gut.

“O” meaning she would need sex. Eventually. She would need
to orgasm. At the very least, she would have to masturbate.

The O version was one of the worst mutations a woman could
get. With that particular version, a female’s brain and reproductive hormones
were targeted by the virus, twisting them into a cycle similar to that of cats
in heat. Once in the heat phase, she would exhibit a sexually receptive
behavior.

Was she entering that phase now? Is that why she appeared
so…bedroomy sensual?

The erotic way the pink tip of her tongue wet her full lips
made his breath hitch. Her condition must have been one hell of a secret if the
government didn’t know about it. But it couldn’t have been that big a secret if
Blade knew.

Cade noticed both of them watching him closely. Most likely
waiting for his reaction.

“How often do you need to…” He wanted to ask how often she
needed to orgasm, but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to say the word.

“I’m fine,” she snapped.

“Maybe for now,” Blade interjected quickly. “Answer his
question.”

“I can take care of it myself when the time comes. Now back
off. Both of you,” she retorted and swung her gaze to the fire.

“And here I thought we could revisit that one night together,”
Blade remarked and winked at her. Rage splashed through Cade. Why the hell
Blade would dangle a night together in her face, in front of him…it was just
plain ungentlemanly.

Cade raised Blade’s gun and aimed it at his midsection.

“Watch your mouth,” he growled, making it quite clear he
didn’t approve of the way Blade was talking to Red.

Blade glared at him and she said nothing, not that he was
expecting her to. Okay, so maybe he was hoping she’d send him a look of thanks.

He shook his head at his puppy-dog thoughts. Man, he was
pathetic, wasn’t he? Looking for appreciation from her.

“The storm is going to be nasty.” Blade’s comment ripped
Cade back to reality.

He was right. The wind had picked up, driving a thick sheet
of ice cold flakes against them. Reena had lifted her cuffed wrists and was
rubbing her hands near the fire.

Shit.
He’d forgotten he’d made her drop her mittens
back on the lake. Her hands would be on the icy side.

“Stand up, Red. Time to tuck you in,” Cade instructed.

Her head snapped up and she glared at him with pure hatred.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she snarled and returned her
attention to the fire.

“The lean-to is a hell of a lot warmer. Out here you’ll
freeze to death.”

“Out here she’s got me to keep her warm.” Blade chuckled.

Cade grinned as Red cursed a blue streak at Blade. She
grabbed her hat from the ground, shook off the snow and slipped the hat onto
her head. She stood.

“You’re colder than an iceberg,” she retorted to Blade, then
calmly waited for Cade to unlock the chain that secured her ankles to the
downed log she’d been sitting on.

“Stand right there,” Cade ordered and quickly unlocked the
chain from her ankle cuffs.

To his surprise, she did as he asked and her heavy-lidded
eyes had him swallowing at his dry throat as his cock tightened painfully.

Keeping an eye on both of them, he quickly removed his last
pair of handcuffs from his belt and tossed them onto Blade’s lap. Cade jerked
his gun toward the chain from which he’d just released Red. “You know what to
do.”

Blade frowned and shook his head. “You’re making a mistake—“

“Just do it!” His patience was running thin, especially with
Reena standing so close and her seductive sweet scent sailing on the wind,
teasing his nostrils until he could barely think straight.

Blade shrugged, leaned over and grabbed the chain. He
secured one of the cuffs to the end of the chain and the other to his left
wrist. The clicks of the cuffs snapping home shot through the air, making Cade
sigh in relief. Blade was now locked up tight.

“After you,” Cade instructed Red and swung the rifle toward
the lean-to.

She moved into the makeshift shelter where he’d laid out one
bear fur as a bed and another as a blanket. It hadn’t been easy carrying all
that around in his backpack, but it sure beat freezing while tracking Red.

She slipped off her boots, crawled over the bear rug and
covered herself with the second skin.

“Would you at least unshackle my legs? The metal is making
me cold,” she said softly, keeping her voice low so only he could hear. She
stuck her socked feet out from beneath the fur and Cade caved with compassion.
The foot-long length of chain between her legs did look uncomfortable, and so did
the cuffs around her ankles.

Damn her. She sure did know how to push his buttons, didn’t
she? He never let a bounty go without shackles. It’s why he was always known
for catching his man or—in this case—his woman. Hell, he didn’t want her to
think he was an iceberg like Blade. He could cuff her to himself tonight,
preventing her from escaping. That wouldn’t go over well, though. He may need
to move fast in case of company from those hunters or if Blade tried anything.

In his thoughts he was saying no to her, but the rest of him
was doing her bidding. Reaching for the keys at his waist, he removed the one
for the shackles.

“Maybe you aren’t as stupid as I thought you were, Outlaw.
There’s hope for you yet,” she said. To his surprise, she smiled at him, the
curves of her luscious lips tilting sweetly upward into what he could only call
a sunbeam that wrapped him in warmth.

Oh man, he could drown in that sweet smile.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” she said in that soft, intriguing
voice he loved. He tried not to notice how feminine and clean she appeared as
she stuffed her feet beneath the bear skin. Tried to ignore the flare of heat
shifting low in his belly and into his balls and cock as she peered up at him
with her fuck-me eyes.

Okay man, chill.
She had the virus and that’s all he
was reading in her eyes. Just the virus.

“I’ll be back soon. I have to get Blade ready for the
night.”

She said nothing and snuggled under the fur. He waited until
she closed her eyes before he grabbed the ankle restraints and left.

“Are you sure she isn’t going to run?” Blade asked a couple
of moments later when Cade joined him by the fire. Obviously he’d seen Cade
remove her shackles.

“She’s smart. She won’t run without her boots.” He held them
up, and then placed them near the fire sideways with the openings facing the heat.

“She’s domesticated you already.” Blade chuckled as he
nodded at the way Cade had set up her boots.

Irritation slammed through Cade. He knew he shouldn’t offer Blade
any explanations, but he did anyway. Then maybe Blade would keep his mouth shut.

“They’re damp. She’ll need them dry in the morning.”

“And what about her? You gonna have her nice and dry by
morning?”

Cade ignored the sexual innuendo and tossed a couple more
pieces of wood on the fire. The son of a bitch was only trying to irritate the
shit out of him. It was working.

“You won’t be dry because you’ll be sleeping out here
tonight. Make sure you keep that fire going nice and strong or you’ll be doing
me a favor when I find you frozen to death.”

Blade chuckled lightly and held up his cuffed wrist.

“Can’t very well keep the fire going with my not being able
to move more than a few feet.”

“That’s your problem, isn’t it?” Cade snapped.

“It’ll be your problem when those hunters catch up to us.
And if they’ve sniffed out the woman, you can bet they’re going to be up before
the crack of dawn and will continue through the snowstorm, and then they’ll see
the fire.”

“Then do us all a favor and stay awake and keep the fire
small,” Cade growled. He would be staying awake to make damn sure Red didn’t
make a run for it. He headed into the darkness to rip some more bark and
branches from a nearby dead tree, as well as collect several armloads of wood.

He placed them within Blade’s reach, but Blade’s gaze was
fixated on the opening of the lean-to. Another bolt of irritation slammed into
him and he returned to the mouth of the shelter. Ensuring Blade couldn’t see
the woman, he propped himself on the cold ground right in the doorway, turned
his back toward Red and faced the heat of the crackling fire.

If he were smart, he’d shackle her legs again. But when it came
to women, he’d never been smart. Why start now?

* * * * *

Reena snuggled deeper under the bear skins, pulling her hat
down around her ears, and told herself her trembling had everything to do with
the freezing air breathing against her face and nothing to do with the two men
sitting just outside the makeshift shelter.

She wasn’t pissed off at being captured, at least not
anymore. Not since she’d been able to wiggle her wrists out of the handcuffs
beneath the camouflage of the bear skin. Hell, she was an expert at escape,
especially getting out of handcuffs. Her wrists were unusually tiny and most
handcuffs were designed for men’s wrists. She’d expected better from an Outlaw.
It appeared Cade wasn’t as swift as his youngest brother Tyler.

On the other hand, she hadn’t missed that he’d taken her
boots. Even if he had left them, she wouldn’t be going anywhere. Not in this
storm. She wasn’t stupid. Unlike Will “Blade” Smith who’d been caught.

She’d known Will was an assassin. All the people who worked
for SKULL were assassins. She just hadn’t expected Will to actually come here
to try to kill her. Especially not after the hot sexcapade they’d shared that
one evening.

She’d tried to show Cade she didn’t care if Will wanted her
dead, but she did care…and it hurt. Bad. Will came here to assassinate her and
that meant she owed Cade for saving her life.

She hated being in debt to anyone. When she got the chance,
she wouldn’t be able to kill Cade. Plus, he was Tyler’s brother and she
couldn’t do that to Tyler.

Will, on the other hand, was another story. She just might
have to take him out. He was her biggest threat. Both men were threats. She’d
seen the erotic gazes on their faces when Will revealed she had the virus.

The heat in their eyes was unmistakable. Men were so
predictable, but she’d be lying if she said she hadn’t reacted to those scorching
looks.

Arousal shifted through her as she drifted, thinking about
the two of them. Of the things they would do to her.

If she let them…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She was tense. Needy. Breathing roughly. Her senses alert.
Her body on fire.

Just watching the two men, inhaling the powerful pine,
delicate soap and male sweat, made arousal sweep through her so strongly she
moaned at its intensity.

Blade crawled into the small lean-to first, crouching beside
her, his hot fingers scorching her skin as he slipped the bear rug from her
body and helped her sit up.

“I have to orgasm,” she panted as intense need writhed
through her like a coiled snake.

“I know. Cade and I will help you. Let’s get your coat off.”

Heat wafted off him in waves. She couldn’t wait to taste
him. To touch his hard body. Take his cock into her mouth. Into her pussy. Into
her ass.

Then there was Cade. She wanted him in a different way than she
yearned for Blade. Where she was attracted to Will’s mask of coldness, she was
just as intrigued by Cade’s warmth.

Cade smelled like fresh outdoors and freedom. An intoxicatingly
delicious combination. He might even be a man she could settle down with.

Reena tried to push away that last idea. She wanted to be
the one in charge when it came to Cade. She didn’t know why she wanted to
resist him. Resist the strong, overwhelming desires lashing her like a tidal
wave. The scorching way he studied her, as if seeking permission to gaze upon
her naked flesh, both irritated and aroused her at the same time.

She sensed Cade understood she wanted both of them. She held
her breath as his gaze dropped to her naked breasts. He groaned softly and a
burn of arousal shifted through her.

He began to undress and it seemed as if she’d waited a
lifetime for this moment when they’d only truly met today.

Cade pulled off his jacket, bunched it and laid it down on
the bear blanket, meaning for her to use it as her pillow when the time came.
Such a chivalrous man. Would he be the same during sex? Just thinking of the
hot sex, of having both men wanting her, fucking her, had her creaming with
anticipation.