Indestructible

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com

Copyright ©2010 by Kimber Chin First published in 2010 NOTICE: This eBook is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution to any person via email, floppy disk, network, print out, or any other means is a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines and/or imprisonment. This notice overrides the Adobe Reader permissions which are erroneous. This eBook cannot be legally lent or given to others. This eBook is displayed using 100% recycled electrons.

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Indestructible by Kimber Chin

CONTENTS Other Books By Kimber Chin Indestructible About Kimber ****

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Indestructible by Kimber Chin

**** A Champagne Books Short Story **** Indestructible By **** Kimber Chin ****

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Indestructible by Kimber Chin

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. **** Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com Copyright (C) 2009 by PKCS Incorporated April 2010 Produced in Canada **** Champagne Books #35069-4604 37 ST SW Calgary, AB T3E 7C7 Canada **** 5

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

****

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Indestructible by Kimber Chin

Other Books By Kimber Chin Breach Of Trust Invisible Flawless Released Bumped **** [Back to Table of Contents]

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Indestructible **** "Tavos is a good boss. He's tough." The pregnant blonde rubbed her swollen belly with silk covered fingers. "But he's fair." For the past ten minutes, Mrs. Santos had been hardselling Renata on working here. Here, in this idyllic paradise where employees joked, and laughed, and ate banana bread off fine china plates on the back lawn. There was a natural inclination to stare when faced with such absurdity. Renata resisted, instead gazing down at her practical shoes. "This has to be stressful, you being so shy." She patted her hand. "But don't worry, you'll get to know everyone eventually." Mrs. Santos chattered on, the buzz of the other employees around them. This informal party had been thrown together to welcome her, a lowly maid, to the team. Except she wasn't a maid and she wasn't part of the team. Renata curled her toes, digging them into the ugly shoes' padded insole. "Jack," Mrs. Santos called out, genuine glee adding a syllable to the simple name. "Come meet Renata." Jack, the head of security. Her opponent. Renata kept her head down, her shoulders rounded. A shuffling step drew nearer, a slight dragging of the left leg. Weakness. One she could exploit? "Renata." The lilt of laughter in a deep voice. 8

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"Mr. Jack." Capitulating to curiosity, she examined him through lowered eyelashes. A dark handsome face, smiling lips, keen eyes. Too keen. She glanced back down again. She had to be careful. "Renata is shy." A gloved hand hugged her close. Hugged her. A complete stranger. Too trusting. She had to fix that. "I expect you, Jack, to take care of her." "I'll keep a close eye on Renata, Miss." Exactly what she didn't want. The warmth of that allseeing gaze swept over her body, looking for weakness. In a maid. Renata's lips twitched, amused. He could look all he wanted. He wouldn't find any. "Not too close, Jack." A finger wave. "He's a bit of a lady's man," Mrs. Santos whispered into her ear. That Renata believed. Power attracted women and Jack throbbed with it. A chuckle. "Don't believe everything Miss tells you, Renata. I belong to no one lady." A declaration of his single status. That drew a giggle from Mrs. Santos. "You're a bad, bad man, Jack. You'll make Renata blush." Blushing was too much for Renata's acting abilities. Instead, she bit the corner of her lip, her best portrayal of innocence. A sharp intake of breath. Jack was interested. As was she. Mrs. Santos was oblivious to their byplay. "Did you see what Tavos made the baby?" She held out a silver rattle to Jack, a lovingly crafted work of art, for an infant not yet born.

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As she'd been shown the gift already, this was Renata's cue to exit. "If you'll excuse me, Miss." She ducked away before Jack could ask the questions written on his face. "She's shy." Renata heard Mrs. Santos explain again as she dashed across the lawn. Shy, his ass. Jack watched the willowy figure dart along the pathway. There was something not quite right about this Renata person. Like the way she walked, the sway of her hips enticing; that was the siren call of a confident woman, not of the quiet, skittish girl she portrayed. "You're not paying attention, Jack." Miss smiled at him, a knowing glimmer in her violet eyes. "And I can guess why." Teasing. "She's pretty, isn't she?" Jack frowned. "It's not that, Miss." He didn't want her spinning romantic fairytales. This was a security issue. "What do you know about her?" "She hurts." Empathy. Miss knew hurt. "I like her and she was Tavos' hire. That's enough for me." A shrug. "It should be enough for you too." It wasn't enough. Because the safety of everyone here, his eyes scanned over the crowd, depended on him. The last time he took that responsibility lightly, loved ones died. Jack put more weight on his left leg, feeling the pain. Marie approached them, her attention on the rattle Miss waved around, Carlos following. More baby talk, Jack inwardly groaned. "I'll go see if Renata's okay," he excused himself. "Oh, you do that, Jack." Mrs. Santos' laughter followed him. 10

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He found Renata standing on the front steps, leaning forward at an impossible-to-maintain angle, staring out at the driveway, wind blowing her dark curls back off her face. His breath caught. He'd never seen anything so beautiful. "You keeping an eye on me, Mr. Jack?" She knew it was him. He made no sound, his tread deliberately soft. She didn't turn her head. Yet she knew. Who was she? "Miss worries about you." It wasn't an outright lie. Miss worried about everyone. "Does she?" She looked back over her shoulder. Blue eyes. His good knee faltered. With her dark coloring, that was near impossible. She smiled slightly, amusement making those unusual eyes sparkle before turning back to study the driveway. "You wear contacts?" Why would she bring attention to herself in that way? When the dowdy way she dressed screamed 'ignore me'? Another smile. "I usually do because of...," She waved her hand at him. "But that wasn't allowed so...," Allowed? By whom? "So?" "So, the eyes are mine." She positioned her legs with her heels together, toes sticking out, feet in a straight line, and bent her knees. A difficult move done without thought. "If that's what you're asking. I'm a freak of nature, Mr. Jack, like black panthers and albino gorillas." No, she was rare and beautiful like scorpionfish found on Belize's reefs. And as with the deadly scorpionfish, Jack would exercise caution handling Renata. "Not Mr. Jack, Jack," he corrected. 11

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"Jack." She glowed. "No need for Miss to worry. I'll be alright. You can go back to the party," she dismissed him. Like he wasn't the head of security. "Why are you here, Renata?" She was no maid. He caught the admiration in her eyes before her gaze flew downwards. Why would his direct question impress her? And why did that please him? "I need money, of course." She was back to talking to her feet, her sudden submissiveness not fooling him. "No one works here for the money." Tavos Santos required more loyalty from his staff, salary was too flimsy a bond. "I needed a change." A vague answer as she balanced on her toes. "From what?" Her resume had been unrealistically sparse. A list of short term cleaning placements at private homes backed up with references. With the baby coming, the Boss had completed the detailed reference check himself, Jack merely confirming their existence with a brief follow up call. A decision he now regretted. "We should return to the party," she changed the subject, spinning around, her movement fluid, graceful. Like a dancer... or an assassin. "Renata." "Yes, Jack?" Those sensuous blue eyes met his. "I'll be watching you." He gave her a half smile to soften his words, in case he was mistaken. Renata laughed. Laughed! "You do that." And she skipped away. Cameras in the staff bedrooms. Jack was thorough. Renata crouched by her door, a body shaped pile of clothing left 12

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beneath her bed sheets. Her amateurish trick good enough to fool a quick glance. Nothing more. To pull this off, speed was necessary. She pressed her ear against the wood, listening. Silence. No one in the hallway. She bit back a sense of disappointment. Jack, after following her all day, had given up. A mistake she'd take advantage of. Tonight. If she waited, she might not get another chance. Jack already suspected her. He'd poke and pry and, eventually, find a hole in her story. Because he was good. A shiver of excitement rippled her skin. Her greatest challenge yet. No blunders could be made. Renata slipped in tabs to fool the security sensors before exiting, opened the door only wide enough to fit through, and closed it behind her. She flattened her body, the door frame shielding her from the cameras. She scanned the hallway. Although it was two in the morning, every light was on. There wasn't a single shadow to hide in. The sensors were there, and there, and there. There were gaps in the coverage. Small, but enough. She counted as the cameras swept the area. A timing error. Right... there. She smiled. She could do this. She'd done this before. She counted, waiting for the camera to rotate, contracted her body, and— "Don't even think about it." A deep voice, a door frame away. Renata relaxed against the door. Jack must have been standing there the entire time, she hadn't heard him 13

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approach. Tenacious, determined. She smiled. Like her. She would have done the same. What to do now? He killed the plan for tonight, but she might be able to buy herself another opportunity. If she used all the weapons in her arsenal. "Jack." The deep throaty sexiness was no act. He was the best and she wanted him. When this was done, she would have him. "You waited up for me." "I told you I'd be watching you." He stepped out into the hall, large and lean and very, very angry. "Are you?" She ran her fingers down her neck, over her chest, his gaze following. "Watching? Do you like what you see?" He stood so close, she felt his body heat. She could reach out and— "I called your references, Renata." Damn. Right when she thought she couldn't want him more, he had to smite her with his intelligence. "They said good things, I hope." She licked her bottom lip. His brown eyes darkened. "I pulled their credit reports." Luckily she had ensured they had credit reports. "They have big houses, fancy cars." Everything a maid would know. She arched against the door, hands spread on the wood. "I asked them questions." He grasped the frame, trapping her in between himself and the door. "They didn't remember their own birthdays, Renata." She should have paid for more brain cells. "They're older, they get confused." She tilted her face up to his, opening her mouth slightly. 14

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"Are they? Not according to their birth dates." He leaned in closer. He smelled of citrus, sandalwood, man and vengeance. "You're coming with me." His hand lashed out, lightning fast. Not fast enough. Renata dodged, ducking under his arm. "I'm not going with you, Jack. Not yet." Later, he could take her anywhere he wanted. "This is between me and your boss." "Like hell it is." Jack glowered at the woman poised on the tiled floor, hating himself, and her, for what he had to do. There was no choice. She was a security risk and he'd deal with her. The only way an assassin such as her could be dealt with. "There's no escape, Renata. You'll never get off the compound alive but if you cooperate, I'll make this painless." "Painless?" Those rare, beautiful eyes glittered. She'd have to die. He knew that. She knew that. Jack didn't bother answering. "You think you can kill me, Jack," she taunted, a blade now in each hand, erasing any lingering doubt that she had come here to kill. "No thinking about it." His gun was in his hand. He was good with a knife but he wouldn't risk lives to prove that skill. "I know I can." She moved, a blur of motion. His finger tightened on the trigger. A sting high on his cheek. She bounced back. He touched his skin in disbelief. Sticky. Wet. Blood. The devil woman had cut him. "Renata," he growled. She laughed, unscathed and not at all repentant. "I 15

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like you, Jack." She circled him, in constant motion. "So tell you what. I won't kill you. I'll only cut you up a little." "In thirty seconds, a dozen guns will be on you." He heard them coming. "That's all it'd take." Knives spun in her hand. "To kill you." "No fuckin' killing, Renata." An amused voice from the entrance. Piss. The Boss. "That was our agreement." Agreement? Jack didn't have time to ask. The men arrived, skidding on the tile. Carlos first, his bare chest heaving, breathing hard, his gun on Renata, finger on the trigger, ready to fire. "Boss?" Jack asked. It was his call. "Your response time blows." The Boss leveled a hard look on the growing crowd. "As soon as she fuckin' pulls a knife, you be here." Another pissed off perusal making grown men tremble. "Now go away." He turned his back to his security team. "Eighteen fuckin' hours, Jack. She could have killed us all." "She was never out of my sight, Boss." All day long he had watched her stretch and bend and twist, thinking her the enemy, outside his touch. She wasn't the enemy. And he was so frustrated, he didn't care what else she was. Once the Boss dealt with him, he would deal with her. "Did she or did she not touch my fuckin' wife?" Normally dead eyes blazed. The Boss swung that skewering gaze on Renata. "Could you have killed her?" A tilt of her head. "Without dying, no." Then she hopped on one foot, along a grout line, as though this was a game. "You have the tightest security I've ever seen." Ever seen? 16

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"And those other assholes whose security you saw? Where are they now?" The hopping stopped. Her wounded blue eyes snapped up and held Jack's. "Dead." Jack didn't blink. He wasn't shocked she killed them. He knew what she was. What shocked him was how much he wanted her. As she wanted him, her slow smile conveyed that before Renata twirled and hopped back the other way. "Dead. Fuck. Exactly." Mr. Santos' grim mouth twisted. "You didn't reach my bedroom so you fucked up the grand prize but you did last eighteen fuckin' hours. That earns you a week. At the end of that, Jack decides if you stay or if you go. Understand?" Dark curls bounced. "Stay?" Jack struggled to concentrate on business as Renata positioned herself into a bridge. "As what?" "As a bodyguard, Jack. What the fuck do you think?" The Boss stared pointedly at his bloody cheek. A bodyguard. This graceful creature. "We always hire men." Brutes no sane person would mess with. "Newsflash, jackass, I'm married. Got a wife now." As though reminded, the Boss turned and stalked back in the direction of his bedroom. "Likely have a fuckin' fit." Jack heard him mutter. Leaving Jack alone with Renata. He leaned to the right, relieving the stress on his left knee, and crossed his arms.

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That defensive move seemed to amuse her. She laughed, straightening. "Looks like I'm working for you now, Boss." Renata walked towards him, hips swaying. He watched her approach, painfully aware of her. "For the week." "For forever." She circled him. He pivoted on his good leg, keeping her in sight. "We'll see." "You don't think I can do it?" Her face grew even more animated. That she thrived on a challenge was reflected in her sparkling eyes, but this wasn't merely a challenge, it was impossible. "No." There were very few trained bodyguards he'd add to the team. Renata was unseasoned. She didn't stand a chance. She leapt forward and the cut on his cheek smarted with wet warmth. Hell. He caught her, his hand circling a tiny wrist. She'd licked him. The devil woman had licked the blood off him. It was too much. "Come here." He yanked her out of view of the cameras. He bent her over, ignoring the pain in his knee, ignoring everything except her, warm and vividly alive in his arms. He devoured her lips, using his mouth to communicate his frustration. She met him kiss for kiss, leaning into him, a death grip on the back of his neck, pressing him further into her. When they broke away, both were panting. "This won't influence my decision," he warned her. He'd never allow passion to affect safety. 18

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"Good." She slid out of his embrace, softly laughing as, kiss drunk, he tried to catch her. "I don't want it to. I don't need it to. I'll earn my spot. Fair and square." "It isn't about the skills." After a few more futile attempts, he captured her wrist again. "It's about the mindset." Her pulse drummed against his fingers. "You don't have it." "Oh, I do." Cocky. She didn't understand. A demonstration then. Without warning, he jabbed out with his free hand. She dodged the punch easily, twisting in his grip, laughing. "See." "I do." He nodded, smiling gravely. "Your Boss just died." "Ohhh...," Those beautiful eyes widened. "Yes, oh." She was bright and beautiful and trouble with a capital 'T' and he would kiss her again. "This job is to protect, not kill, not survive. It's an entirely different way of thinking." "You learned it." She searched his face. "You could teach me." She brushed her hips over his. His body reacted. "It'd be fun." He could and it would be. "Only if you show me the holes in security." Although it irked him to ask for input, lives depended on it. He put weight on his bad leg. Never again would he put ego in front of safety. He learned that lesson long ago. "That'll be fun too." Her approval of his plan made Jack feel ten feet tall. "It was part of my deal with Mr. Santos." She swayed against him. "Boss," he corrected. "You call him Boss." "And you?" She stroked his cheek. "What do I call you?" 19

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If spoken in that husky voice, anything she wanted. "Jack." He curled a possessive hand around her waist, stilling her enticing hip movements, and kissed her soundly. Jack stood in front of the sniggering, jostling bunch of idiots he supervised. They nudged each other, casting leering glances in Renata's direction. He caught words like 'girlfriend' and 'lover' as though he'd be stupid enough to introduce any of those to the team. Renata made no indication she noticed, standing slightly apart from the others, her face expressionless, but Jack suspected she heard everything. Her eyes flicked around the room, wary. He cleared his throat, hushing the men. "I'd like to introduce a new addition to the team." To give her a chance, he'd treat her as permanent, making another announcement when the week was done. "Renata, after the probationary period...," They had all gone through one. "Will be protecting Miss." "And who will be protecting her?" No sooner had the words escaped Eduardo's mouth than he was face down on the tile floor, Renata's arm pulling his head back, her knee in the middle of his back. The laughter abruptly died, awe on the men's faces, fear on Eduardo's. Piss. She was amazing. Jack chuckled. "Renata, you promised the Boss you wouldn't kill anyone." "If I was going to kill him, he'd be dead." She released Eduardo, extending a hand to help him up. "Who are you?" Eduardo held onto her longer than Jack liked, his mouth hanging open. 20

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"Anyone I want to be. Yesterday, I was a maid. Last night, I was a killer. This morning, I'm a bodyguard. Tonight, I'll be Jack's lover." She arched an eyebrow at him. Daring him to refute her declaration. Not going to happen. Jack grinned. She wanted to claim him, fine. That meant he claimed her also. For the week. After that... they were both grown ups, they knew what they were doing. "The maids will be very disappointed." Carlos, his best bodyguard, got the first jibe in. "I'm sure they'll recover," Renata drily retorted. The men chuckled, already charmed by her. As Jack was. "She getting special treatment, Jack?" a voice from the back, Javier, asked. Quick as a whip, those warm blue eyes turned icy and hard. Silence. All eyes on the spinning of blades in her hands. Javier gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. Carlos' gaze traveled from the knives to Jack's cheek. "Where'd you get that cut, Jack?" Jack shook his head. Shit disturbers. Every single one of them. "Special treatment." Renata's feet danced. "Anyone else interested in special treatment?" A chuckle escaped Jack. Witty, and deadly, and oh, so beautiful. "There'll be training, if that's what you're asking, Javier. As all of you had. I'll work on her defensive moves." He didn't want anyone else touching her. "And I need a volunteer for Renata to shadow." His knee prevented field work. 21

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Eduardo straightened, but before he could say anything, a huge hand clamped down on his shoulder. "She can shadow me, Jack." Everyone in the room turned to stare at the big man. Had Jack heard Carlos correctly? He wanted Renata as a protege? He never bothered with the newbies, claiming that being around inferior bodyguards dulled his own skills. What did that mean? It wasn't due to lust, Carlos was head over heels in love with Marie. That left skill. Jack studied his lover-to-be as she nonchalantly lifted herself off the floor with one hand. Renata had that in abundance. Mindset was the only unknown factor. Could she possibly make the team? Renata breathed heavy as she reached the other side of the hall. Fast, but clean. She should have done it. "Well?" She looked over at Jack. "Piss." He frowned down at his computerized watch. "Not one beep." She smiled, relieved. "The cameras could have caught it." Though she doubted it. She'd watched the timing. "Don't care. The cameras are secondary. The motion detectors are key." He paced to the middle of the hallway, his limp barely noticeable. "One here?" He stuck out a balled fist. "A little higher." She covered his hand with hers and moved it. "Here." She held on. "I don't sing, Renata." He grinned but his eyes were serous. "Good." Eduardo's outrageous serenading over dinner embarrassed her. "I don't watch movies like Carlos does." 22

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"I don't either." She laughed along with the rest of the men but it was a lie. She didn't get half the references her new mentor made. "I'm very boring. All I know is this." He tugged his hand away to indicate the room. "Good. That's all I know too." They had that in common. It would be enough to build on. Jack was special, Renata recognized that immediately, and she planned to keep him. "Why?" He placed a temporary sensor on the wall, inputting the specs into his watch. She waved, testing it, and he nodded. "It started as revenge." She tugged her skin tight shirt upwards, showing the scar. "And then...," She shrugged. She didn't know anything else. He moved quickly even with his warrior's knee, his hands warm on her stomach. "You survived this?" "I tried to tell you last night Jack, you can't kill me. I'm indestructible." She attempted to laugh it off. "My five brothers, my parents weren't." The attackers thought her dead like them. "I can't have kids, Jack." All she could do was safeguard the children of others. He understood what that meant to her, she saw it in his face, and he kissed her, his lips firm, and soft, and comforting. His chest expanded and contracted against her body, his hands caressed her back. She pressed her face into his shoulder. He held her to him. It felt so good, so strange. Two people touching with no deadly agenda. "No special treatment, Renata." 23

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Were his words a reminder for her or for him? She danced back, the quiet moment so rare in her violent life gone. "I don't want any." His fist flew out, no warning. She forced herself to stand firm, her arms raised to block, the connection so painful, she winced. "Better." He grinned, nodding. "You're still thinking about it but it'll eventually become natural." He tilted his head. "Here though." He moved her arm. "You'll break it otherwise." "I'm rusty," she apologized, embarrassed by her ineptitude. "I know. That's why...," Why this might not be a permanent placement, why she could end up alone again, a taker not a protector of lives. No. She couldn't allow that. She'd practice more. She'd ask the others to test her constantly. She'd help Jack. She studied the new sensor set up. "Let's try again." It'd be tight but she could do it. An hour later, Jack was finally satisfied. With that hallway. He'd work with Renata to test the others. It was nice to have someone to work with. No, he watched her stretch easily into a handstand, better than nice. He wanted her. More than he ever wanted any other woman. Every catlike movement she made with her finely tuned body increased that want. "Renata." He didn't disguise his need. She flipped upright. "Come." She didn't ask him to explain, taking his hand and pulling in the direction of her bedroom. 24

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The room was bare, the standard room given to all staff, except for the larger than average TV. Jack, without thinking, turned it on, turning to the dedicated split screen camera channel. He studied each view, looking for anything out of the ordinary. When he looked up, he saw that she did the same. Their eyes met and he grinned. "It's a habit." A not very romantic habit. She smiled back. "One you should never break. I know what your job is, Jack. I know you'll never take that watch off." She nodded at the monstrosity on his arm. "I know we could be interrupted in the middle of tonight's mind-blowing sex." Mind-blowing sex. He hardened. "I know you risk your life every day, as I do. I accept that, you." She wrapped her arms around his waist. "I don't want to change you into someone else." As previous lovers tried to do. He kissed her, slowly, thoroughly, the TV's glow casting interesting shadows on her face. She nudged him until his legs hit the bed. He let himself fall back, a painful motion. His damn leg. He scowled. She stepped away, looking down at him, those eerie blue eyes sympathetic. "Hold that pose for a minute," she instructed before she disappeared into the washroom. Piss. He rubbed his bum knee. She could turn herself into a pretzel while he couldn't bend his leg. How was he-? His thoughts vanished because she reappeared, nearly gloriously and unashamedly naked. Only a tiny triangle of black fabric held in place with silken cords hugged her hips. "I'll rub you down." She held up a jar of liquid. 25

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Dressed like that, she could do whatever the hell she wanted. He stripped off his clothes, more challenging to do in his state of arousal. His eyes never left her body, as she stretched and twisted like she was limbering up for a wrestling match. "Damn." She stilled, her plush mouth rounded. "How'd they save your leg?" The scar was hideous, he knew. "I'm indestructible." A weak smile. "Like you." "You must be." She looked more impressed than horrified. Her hands ran over the damage. A shudder of pleasure racked his body. "We're both survivors, aren't we, Jack?" "We are." He was no mere survivor, this close to her. Him naked. Her almost so. Touching. He was a returning hero, about to get his reward. He rubbed her arm, painfully aware of how her dark nipples tightened as he touched her. Could he suck on them, caress them? "Renata." "Lie back." She pushed him over, onto the bedspread. His need overruling the pain. "Up." She nodded to the head of the bed. He scurried that way as best he could with his bum knee. "Now relax." Relax? With that gorgeous body hovering over him? She poured some liquid onto her hands and rubbed them together. "Non scented," she explained. "So our enemies can't find us." A grin. Her hands were hot, soft, and slick. He felt her touch down to his bones. She focused on his knee first, gently kneading the muscles as though she made love to it.

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"Renata, tonight won't...," Change anything, but he couldn't say it because it was a lie. From the first moment he saw her, his world had shifted around him. An understanding smile. "I'd care for you less if it did." She cared? Her hands traveled up his thigh. "But that's tomorrow and you and I both know that tomorrow may never come." She stroked his hip and then over him, her grip firm and strong and sure. He groaned. "Are you dying, Jack?" She brushed a soft nipple against his tip. "Did you know that the French phrase for orgasm is la petite mort? It means the little death." "No." All he knew was he couldn't take much more of this. "I'm going to kill you tonight," she whispered in his ear. One last stroke and... "Not if I kill you first." He flipped her over onto her back, kissing her mouth, her neck, her collarbone, her small breasts. "Do you think you can?" she taunted. "Kill me?" "I know I can." He nibbled on her nipples, tiny bites on her skin, spurred on by the purring sound coming from deep in her throat. He worshipped the long, wide scar on her tight, toned stomach, proof of her resilience. She moaned, raising her hips. He accommodated, pulling down her almost nonexistent panties. Hairless. Completely hairless. A clear message of what she liked. He glanced up at her. Her eyes were closed, mouth parted, expectant. Waiting for this. He licked and sucked and kissed. She hooked her legs over his shoulders, drawing him closer. Her scent, her taste, her soft flesh was all around him. Quivering, and then shaking, 27

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and then she came apart with a piercing cry, thrusting up towards him, back arched. Her panting slowed and Renata's blue eyes opened; dark with passion. As they should be. Jack braced himself up with his elbows, peering down at her, pleased. He did that to her. Softened her beautiful face. "My turn?" she asked, didn't tell. Hesitant, unsure, the fearless killer nowhere to be found. "No." He grinned. "I'm not done with you yet." He flung her legs back over his shoulders. "I may never be done with you." A declaration of intent before he thrust into her. Three nights later, Renata rode Jack's bad knee, applying enough pressure to bring herself pleasure but not so much that she caused him pain. And pleasure there was. Building, building until this, this, she flung her head back, water sloshing over the sides of the Jacuzzi tub, this was it. She seized, she shook, her world exploded and then she collapsed, light-headed and spent. Jack chuckled, pulling her into him. "I'll never look at that leg the same way again." She leaned back into his chest. "Good. It's a wonderful leg." Renata floated on a sea of sexual satisfaction. "It killed me dead." She rubbed the scar gently. "Does it still hurt?" The reason for this bath. They'd been both sore. Jack from his usual overdoing it. Renata from spending days training with Carlos, evenings plugging the building's security gaps, and nights loving Jack. "I'm feeling no pain." Her ass cheeks cradled his hardness. "Unfortunately, I'm remarkably alive." 28

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"Oh." The water swirled as she turned. "We can't have that." She straddled him, lowered herself down, her eyes closing as he stretched her. "No, we can't." Jack grinned. His watch buzzed. "Security is not a joke." Jack stood in front of Eduardo and Carlos, hands clenched behind his bare back. "We thought the water'd be cold." Was the weak defense from the younger bodyguard. "Not cold enough," Jack grumbled. Renata smothered her laughter, touching the collar of her bathrobe with a blade, visually reminding him she wore nothing underneath it. Jack's face darkened. "I should-" "Beat us into the ground like I wanted to do after that time with Marie?" Carlos' hairy eyebrow lifted. Jack looked sheepish. Ahhh, Renata nodded, even more amused, payback was a bitch. "What the fuck is going on?" A roar from the doorway. Renata straightened. The Boss. And judging from his face, he was angry. "False alarm, Boss," Jack voluntarily took on that anger, shielding the others. "Nothing to worry about." Hard brown eyes scanned the room, settling on Renata. "You part of the fuckin' response team now?" She returned that gaze as coolly as she could muster. "Yes."

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"Fuck." He glanced at Jack and then back at her. "I see." Renata didn't doubt he did. Mr. Santos knew everything going on in his house. "What was the time?" "Renata and I were there in under five minutes." Jack folded his arms. "Five fuckin' minutes. Two people died." How the Boss did that math, Renata didn't know. "And you jackasses?" Eduardo studied his feet. Carlos glared at the far wall, his ears red. "They knew I was closer, Boss," Jack covered for them. "Fuck. I ought to...," A slashing movement across his throat with one hand. "You jackasses keep in mind that when you interrupt Jack, you interrupt me, understood?" Heads bobbed. "Jack, walk with me. Renata, get some fuckin' sleep. Mrs. Santos is getting her haircut tomorrow. Carlos will go too but I need someone there to stop her from dying it orange or some other crazy-assed color." A hard look at her mentor. "Yes, Boss." Renata wanted to skip. No more training. She'd be on assignment. She smiled at Jack. He didn't smile back. The Boss didn't walk, he prowled and with no consideration for Jack's knee, expecting him to keep up. He never treated him as a cripple. "She's not ready, Boss." A sharp glance. He didn't often question the Boss' decisions. "You're thinking with your dick, Jack. That's not like you." No, if he was thinking with his dick, he'd still be in the bedroom with Renata, instead of rushing around half naked chasing false alarms. "She thinks about the blocks." 30

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"But she does fuckin' block. Carlos tested her." The cool night air hit Jack's bare chest as the guards opened the door. A perimeter check, the Boss never completely trusting the cameras, the motion detectors. "Renata's delay might get herself killed but not Mrs. Santos. You have a fuckin' problem with that?" Her beautiful face filled his mind. He did. "How do you know she'll sacrifice herself? She's an assassin." "An assassin who killed her crime boss' targets and no one more." The Boss pushed on the fence. It didn't sway. "Do you know what that is?" Impossible? How'd she get past the bodyguards? "Difficult and a fuckin' death warrant." The Boss continued. "She hadn't the heart for the job." He looked up at a flickering light. "Change that." "They're all being changed in the morning." Weekly, whether the lights needed changing or not. "Send one of those jackasses out tonight." The Boss' lips curled. "No, not one of the jackasses, Carlos." Carlos would be in his bed as they spoke, having woken up specifically for the prank. "He almost woke up my pregnant fuckin' wife." Unlikely. Miss could sleep through an earthquake. "Yes, Boss." The Boss peered closely at a hinge on a gate. "Cracked." A hairline fracture, only visible under to the bright lights. "Fuck. Replace this." "Tonight?" The maintenance men were accustomed to the Boss' midnight requests. The Boss paused, considering. "Tomorrow, but early." He moved on. "Yeah, I handpicked Renata but the final fuckin' 31

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

decision is yours, Jack. You have three more days. If you say 'no go', we look for another." Another Renata? "Yes, Boss." "Short or long, what do you think, Renata?" Grace Santos sat in the chair, the hairdresser positioned behind her. Renata paused in her perusal of the shop. Scissors, chemicals, people coming and going. There were dangers everywhere. "Renata?" Violet eyes stared at her in the mirror. "The baby will be a handful." On the ride over, Grace had placed Renata's hand on her stomach. When she felt the baby move, Renata vowed to herself right then and there that no one would harm that child or her mother. "You won't have much time to fuss with your hair." "Short, it is." Mrs. Santos beamed. The hairdresser combed out her wet hair. "I wish I could color it." A sigh. Carlos caught Renata's eye, shaking his head. No one wanted that gorgeous blonde hair dyed. "The chemicals could harm the baby, Miss." "You're to call me Grace, remember?" Another shake of Carlos' head. Everyone called her Miss, a reminder of their duty. "Miss." "I insist." Mrs. Santos' chin stuck out. Renata looked to Carlos for help. "But...," the bodyguard broke in. "No." Mrs. Santos was firm. "You work for Tavos, Carlos, and you have to follow his rules but Renata works for me, Tavos told me that this morning, so she follows my rules and 32

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

I want her to call me Grace. I really do." She looked ready to cry. Carlos shifted uncomfortably. "Of course, I'll call you Grace," Renata soothed. It didn't matter what she called her. She'd never forget her vow. A big watery smile as the hairdresser clipped. "We'll be friends, Renata." Friends. "I haven't had a friend in a long, long time." Since her family... pain and loss and hurt sliced through her. "Me neither. Though...," A tilt of her head. The hairdresser hissed as a longer lock fell to the tiled floor. She straightened it again. "I consider Marie a friend and Carlos." The big man nodded, smiling again. "And Jack." She studied Renata in the mirror. "Jack likes you, you know." "I like Jack, Mm..., Grace." She caught herself in time. "You do? Ohhh....," Mrs. Santos wiggled, causing the hairdresser to cluck unhappily. "This is so wonderful. Jack spends too much time alone. He needs someone to take care of him." "Every man does." Renata arched a mocking eyebrow at Carlos and he chuckled. "They do, don't they?" Her new friend's face was animated. "But especially Jack. He's special." He was. "He's also stubborn but given enough encouragement, I know you can get him to act on his feelings." Carlos coughed as he was well aware that Jack had acted on his feelings last night. Renata threw him a hushing look. "I'll keep that in mind, Mm..., Grace." 33

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"If you need any help." Mrs. Santos leaned closer. The hairdresser threw up her hands and walked away. "I helped with Carlos and Marie, you know." A stage whisper. Carlos made choking noises, Mrs. Santos notorious for her bordering-on-disastrous, schemes. "I'll keep that in mind, Grace." "You do that, friend. Where did Barb go?" Mrs. Santos looked around her. "Oh, well." She shrugged. "She'll be back. Are you sure I can't dye my hair?" She twirled a blonde lock around her gloved finger. "I dyed it purple once, you know." Renata heard about that. Purple like her eyes. The Boss' roar of horror, when he found out, shaking the windows. "I thought pink would be nice. To match the baby clothes." She rubbed her belly. "You should see the cute little dress Tavos bought for the baby." A stranger approached, scissors in hand, determination on her face. "He is so sure it's a girl but I told him the ultrasound could be wrong and-" Renata placed herself protectively in front of Mrs. Santos. That didn't slow the woman. She reached out andRenata flipped her over, pressing the attacker's face into the hair covered tiles. The woman screeched, her arms and legs flopping. "Oh, hi Lucy." Mrs. Santos cheerfully peered down from the chair. "Have you met Renata, my new friend?" Lucy? Damn it. Renata immediately released her. "I'm so sorry. I...." Brown eyes in a pale face glared back at her. Carlos doubled over in the corner, laughing his head off. Mrs. Santos hummed happily. 34

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"And then she flipped her over. Whoosh." Miss attempted the action but her advanced pregnancy prevented any bending movements. "Quick, like a blur." Awe on her face. "She's going to teach me how to do that, Tavos." Bouncing on the balls of her feet. Jack echoed Carlos' groan. Miss practicing throws meant knees in groins and elbows in eye sockets. "No teaching until after the fuckin' baby." The Boss glowered at Renata. Jack took a step closer. "No, she said the pregnancy will throw my balance off." Miss rubbed her belly. "She calls me Grace, Tavos. We're going to be friends." She called Miss Grace? Jack looked to Renata for confirmation. Her eyes flicked upwards. "I don't pay her to be your fuckin' friend," the Boss thundered. "Ohhh...," His arm was stroked. "You don't have to pay people to be your friend, Tavos. It simply happens. And it did with us, didn't it, Renata?" Big eyes turned Renata's way. She nodded, keeping her mouth shut. Jack's lips twisted. She knew she was in trouble. "You said yourself that money can't buy loyalty but friendship can." Miss winked back at Renata. A grunt from the Boss. "Your hair is all fucked up." He tenderly rustled her lopsided locks. "Get Marie to straighten it out." "But...," "You've had enough fuckin' excitement for today, Duquesa." He placed a kiss on his wife's wrinkled nose, and then another deeper one on her lips. Jack looked away. 35

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

At Renata. A mistake as she was looking back at him with a soft expression on her beautiful face. Guilt sliced through him. She wasn't ready. Today's over-reaction proved it. And she might never be ready. He couldn't risk her life by putting her in situations she couldn't handle. He couldn't. "Why the fuck did you try to kill the hairdresser?" the Boss demanded, Miss finally wandering off to find Marie. "It was a different hairdresser than the one assigned to her, Boss." Carlos stepped forward. "Am I talking to you, jackass?" The Boss' eyes gleamed. "She was a stranger, she came from the back room, she looked upset, and she carried a weapon," Renata rattled off. "A weapon?" A snort. "Fuckin' scissors." "I've killed with scissors before," her quiet response. Three heads snapped her way. "Fuck." That word summed up what Jack felt. She killed with scissors. Scissors. "You're not Mrs. Santos' fuckin' friend." The Boss moved onto his next grievance. "Pity," Renata replied. Carlos sucked air through his teeth. Jack tensed. "What!" The expected roar. "Because Miss is right." She stood on one foot, the other held out, pointed toe. "I kill for loved ones. Those people are now few." Sadness. "Jack." A nod in his direction, "Miss and your baby, but if you don't want me to care for them...," A shrug. She loved him? After less than a week? "Fuck." Dead eyes studied Renata. "I should have listened to Jack. Hiring you was a fuckin' mistake." 36

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

The Boss had to quote him. Piss. Jack glared at a tree, unable to see the betrayal on her beautiful face. "I'll pack my bags immediately." No emotion in Renata's voice. A grunt of appreciation. "No packing your fuckin' bags. Firing your ass is Jack's call. Go practice your blocks more with Carlos, that jackass." Gruffly said to the big man. "Jack, walk with me." Jack read Renata's face before hustling to catch up to the Boss. Resigned to her fate. Sympathy for what he had to do. His back straightened. "I'll do it tonight, Boss." And decide then whether he went with her. "You're thinking with your dick again, Jack." They entered the house. "Did you see her eyes when she talked about Mrs. Santos? Fan-fuckin'-tastic. She really would kill for my fuckin' wife." And get herself killed in the process. "She's too nervous, Boss." "Is she the nervous one?" Another snort. "Not a fuckin' chance. This is business, take your emotions out of it and ask yourself 'Can she do the fuckin' job?'" She could but Jack didn't know if he could do his job, knowing she put herself in danger. He swung the door to the control room open. It bounced off the wall. "Leave us," the Boss barked at the others. They jumped up and silently scurried away. The Boss took the center chair, Jack sitting to his right. 37

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

They scanned the screens. "She attacked the hairdresser," Jack laid out his case. "She's too slow with her blocks." And the death blow. "She puts Miss' wants ahead of yours." The Boss demanded absolute loyalty. "Fuck." The Boss zoomed in on the pool area where Marie was fixing Miss' hair. "She works for Mrs. Santos, Jack. She does take her fuckin' orders from her." "But...," That put Miss at risk. That put Renata at risk. Miss didn't know security like the Boss did. "One of my men," Carlos, his best man, "will always be assigned to my wife but Renata will only be loyal to her. That's the way it should be, in case something fuckin' happens...," The Boss was killed or taken or... It wouldn't happen. Not while Jack was alive. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted. "I can't put Renata in danger," he confessed to the weakness, bracing for the Boss' reaction. "Fuck." Hard eyes studied him. "You poor jackass." A shake of his head. "You can't put Renata in danger. Then good. The safer you make my fuckin' wife, the safer your Renata is. Happy fuckin' faces all around." Miss laughed on screen, her hands caressing her jiggling belly, and the corners of the Boss' mouth twitched upwards. "My wife is a fuckin' crazy woman." Jack could bump up security. Add more sensors, more cameras. He watched Renata dance around Carlos on screen, the man's big fists shooting out randomly. But would it be enough? To make that sick feeling in his stomach go away? Would it ever be enough? 38

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"It doesn't have to be a Doberman. Alvar claims he can train any breed to be a good guard dog." To protect Miss and the baby. "And there's time to think about it. He says five is the best age for kids to get one." Five years. Would she be here in five years? Renata examined Jack's unusually serious face. She hoped so. "Kids like puppies, don't they?" "Do you like puppies?" He didn't turn his head, his eyes on the road, his hands on the wheel. She did like puppies. Very much. But that wasn't what he asked. Renata sighed. Jack's conversation with his friend narrow in focus. "I can do the job, Jack." She wouldn't work for the former bodyguard. "But do we want to do the job?" We. She perked up. He said we. "Alvar is happy raising dogs with Edenia. He needs help. We could...," She blinked. This was about him? "I thought you liked working for the Boss." "I do." The agreement fast. Honest. "Or I did." Until she came along. Renata put her hand over his and squeezed. She wouldn't make him choose between her and his life. "If you have to let me go, if you can't...," She'd leave. It'd hurt. A lump formed in her throat. But she'd go. "It's not that. If anything happened to you, I couldn't...," His jaw ground. "You worry about me?" Heat swirled in her stomach. He cared? "You could die." "Not me." She teased, trying to put laughter back in his eyes. "I'm indestructible, remember?" 39

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"This isn't a joke." She sighed. Where was the sense of humor she adored? "Over one third of all deaths are caused by smoking, obesity, and alcohol. I don't smoke, overeat, or drink." She battled his fears with reason. "I'm not going anywhere." "There's a reason for the security, Renata," he snapped. "It isn't for fun. The Boss has many enemies. They could-" "Battle my own enemies for a chance to kill me." She had to address this sometime. "I have many, you know, enemies. I've killed people, people with loving sons, fathers, brothers, friends. I sought revenge when my family was killed. Why wouldn't they?" "Piss." He slapped the steering wheel. "Then you're putting everyone in danger, aren't you?" Renata squirmed in her seat. That was why she hadn't mentioned it before. "The Boss knew my situation when he approached me." "The decision is mine, Renata. Not the Boss'." "All the bodyguards have a history." Though hers was more extensive. He pulled over to the side of the dirt road, and turned to her. "None of the other bodyguards are you." He cradled her face in his hands. And that was the problem, Renata knew. She brushed his nose with hers. "I can do the job. I swear. I'll keep Miss safe." "And you?" He kissed her gently. "Will you keep yourself safe?" That warm feeling spread up her neck. "I'll do my best." "You do that." His lips captured hers. 40

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"Yeah?" The Boss paused, hammer in hand, pieces of the specially designed lawn furniture strewn around them. "If we stay-" "We!" thundered. "If we stay." Jack held the hard-eyed glare. They were a package deal, him and Renata. "We hire another bodyguard." "Fuck. I told you. Carlos will always be assigned to Mrs. Santos." One strike and the nail fully imbedded into the carved wood. "For Renata." It was a brazen request but the only way he knew to deal with it. The Boss struck the ground with the hammer, once, twice, three times, before exploding. "Fuck. Am I hearing you right? You want a bodyguard for a bodyguard?" "It's for everyone's protection." Jack flicked the grass and dirt off his pants, making a mental note to replace the turf. "Due to her past." She'd be safer under the Boss' protection than on her own but not safe enough. A grunt and a hand wave at a curved piece with bulbed feet. Jack held it in place. The wood splintered slightly under the force of the Boss' blow. "I won't put you or Miss at risk." Or Renata. "Unnecessary." The Boss moved the legs up and down, testing them. "We have the same fuckin' enemies." Jack figured as much. "They'll have more incentive." He handed him the piece he reached for. "And I want more motion detectors, more cameras." "Fuck." More hammering. "A dog—" 41

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"Not another fuckin' dog!" The Boss tossed away a much needed piece of wood. "That jackass Alvar sold us his entire kennel." Hands clenched on his hips. "Could it have killed this guy to send a fuckin' photo?" Or instructions. "We'll send it back." This was a waste of the Boss' time. "Have him ship it fully assembled." "And admit we don't know what the fuck we're doing?" A snort. "Mrs. Santos'll have my balls." "Tavos!" she called, as though on cue. Miss waved to them from across the pool. "Oh, fuck." But the Boss smiled, warmth in his eyes. She headed their way, two bottles of Belikin in her hands, smiling, not looking where she was going. Judging from his horrified 'fuck', the Boss spotted the sheen off the wet tile the same time Jack did. Grace was falling, there was no time to prevent it, so Renata dove, headfirst, twisting onto her back as she slid along the pool tiles. Their bodies collided, Renata wrapping her arms around Grace, taking the impact directly. A crack. A sharp pain shot from the back of her skull to her eyeballs. A flash of light. And then darkness. Her next conscious thought was she hurt. All over her body, her elbows, knees, back, but especially her head. Mini explosions, her thoughts battle drunk soldiers wandering a minefield in her brain. "Ohhh... I killed her." A loud moan. "Tavos, I killed my best friend in the whole wide world." The words increasing and decreasing in volume. 42

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

"You almost killed your own fuckin' self, Duquesa," The Boss roared at only one volume—unbearably loud. Renata twitched in pain. "Boss.," A furious whisper. Her darling Jack. He'd make the yelling stop. Then quieter. "Fuck." "Renata, love." Familiar fingers touched her face. "How are you feeling?" Love. Grace must be right. She was dead. Squashed by a pregnant lady. "You were right, Jack." Her eyelids were too heavy to move. "How's that?" He combed fingers through her hair, tickling her left ear. "I'm not indestructible." She opened her eyes. Too bright. She closed them again. "Ohhh..., noooo...," Another moan. "Is she okay?" Grace sounded in more pain than she was. "She's fine, only worried." She gasped as he probed the back of her head with gentle fingertips. "You're going to have a pisser of a goose egg." "Ohhh..., I hurt her, Tavos." "Fuck Grace, stay put or you'll fall again." Another roar. Sounds of a struggle. "Stop fuckin' moving. Let Jack take care of her." "Jack, take care of me," Renata pleaded, the yelling splitting her skull in two. "My poor love." He clucked. "The Boss worries also. Loudly." His hands ran over her body. "Not that there's 43

Indestructible by Kimber Chin

anything to worry about. You'll live. Miss is fine. The baby's fine." Renata managed a smile. "I kept them safe." "You were supposed to keep yourself safe too." Warm lips pressed to her forehead. When he withdrew again, she peeked out through lowered eyelashes. Jack's skin was ashen, his eyes concerned. She traced his tensed jaw with one finger. "I tried." "Try harder next time." He drew her up into a sitting position. The world swirled around her. She rested her aching head against his chest. He smelled good, warm and male. "Can you walk?" She could barely sit. "Give me a moment." At least until her head stopped pounding. A moment? Like hell, he'd leave her another second on the cold, wet tile. "Come." Jack gathered Renata up in his arms. "Jack, no!" Her limbs flailed in protest. He couldn't do this with her moving. "Be still, Renata." She quieted, her feet linking around his waist, her arms hanging onto his neck. He pushed off the tile with his hands, struggling to rise, teetering, off balance. Oh, piss. His knee gave way. They were going to... The back of Jack's shirt collar yanked up so hard, he gasped for air. 'Fucked up jackasses' muttered in his ear, the Boss' grip remained until Jack stabilized. No offer to carry Renata. Good. He would have refused it anyway. Driven, Jack strode through the house, blocking the pain. He needed to get her back to his room. That was his sole 44

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thought. He didn't care how they got there. In his room, he could take care of her, protect her. By the time they reached there, he couldn't feel his leg. "You won't be fuckin' leaving, Jack." A grave-faced Boss held the door open. "We'll get another bodyguard and you can have a fuckin' dog. 'Cause I'm Mother fuckin' Teresa," he muttered as he left. That was the future. Concerned only with the immediate moment, Jack laid Renata carefully down on the bed. "You carried me," she whispered, her smile wobbly. "I did." He stretched out beside her, hugging her close. "I thought I lost you," he mouthed into her hair. She had been so still, so stiff. He thought... and he knew if she died, a part of him would also. "You didn't." She moved down his body. "I love you, Jack." Kisses on the hollow at the base of his neck. "I love you too, Renata." How could he not? After all she'd been through, she now rubbed his aching knee. He sighed, contented. She had magic hands. "Jack." She paused. "Yes, love." He shifted, encouraging her to continue her ministering. "Did I hear the Boss correctly?" She touched him again. His eyes closed. Heavenly. "Are we getting a puppy?" Jack chuckled. [Back to Table of Contents]

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About Kimber Kimber Chin writes romance novels set in the exciting world of business, a world she continues to play in daily. She is happily married to her first and only love. They spend any spare moments they have traveling (using their real, not camouflage passports) and starting new ventures (under corporations). More details on Kimber Chin and her novels can be found at businessromance.com/ Visit our website for our growing catalogue of quality books. www.champagnebooks.com ****

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