Hired to Protect Page 10

  “I know you ha-had to.”

  Raising a hand to her chin, he tipped her head back to look up at him before smoothing her hair back from her face. It had fallen out of her ponytail and now clung to the sweat collecting on her skin.

  “For everything. This shouldn’t have happened. I’m so sorry.”

  She was about to say something when she was interrupted by a crashing sound. Eyes widening, Ethan left her standing in the hall as he raced back to the room where he had left Adrian to see the window shattered, the mattress that had been in the corner thrown halfway through it so Adrian could escape without being cut by the glass.

  “Shit!” he yelled, fists clenching at his sides.

  Ethan let out a roar as he slammed a fist into the wall, punching through the old drywall like it was nothing but paper and sending cracks radiating out from where his hand had disappeared. Pulling it out, he shook the dust from it and turned back to Penelope.

  “He got away.”

  The look of hopeless terror that crossed her face increased his anger, but the need to soothe her won out over the urge to give chase. Striding back down the hall, he scooped her up into his arms and made his way to the main room.

  “We need to get out of here. We need to call the Force and get you somewhere safe before your heat gets worse.”

  Raising her eyebrows, the look she gave him made him chuckle even in the situation they were in.

  “It gets worse?”

  Pressing his lips to her forehead, he put her back on her feet once they were out of the hall and in the empty main room of the house.

  “We need to try to find your purse. Hopefully it’s here with your phone still in it. I haven’t heard any cars pass by, so I doubt we will find a cab without calling it, and we need to call the Force too.”

  Glancing around the room as he spoke, he almost didn’t catch Penelope as she began to crumple, a fresh surge of slick sweetening the air around her. Groaning, her eyes were squeezed shut as she tried to pull her knees to her chest.

  “I don’t think I’ll make it,” she whispered, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes as the cramp seemed to pass and her body relaxed a little.

  Settling her onto the floor, he said, “Give me a minute,” and raced to where he could see a kitchen. There was nothing in the living area, and this was his last hope.

  Sticking his head through the doorway, he looked at the plain yellow countertops in despair. It was just as empty as the other rooms. Shoulders slumping, he turned to go back for Penelope when he remembered the black box in the room that he had been kept in.

  Jogging past her back to the hallway, he gripped the doorframe, whipping around it to stoop down and grab the box. It was small, not much larger than his hand, and obviously not large enough to have her purse inside.

  Letting out a sigh, he opened it to see if there was anything else useful inside. He was met with the sight of two needles and a small glass bottle of milky fluid. Lifting the bottle in his hand, he tried to read the label, but it had been scratched out.

  Tucking the bottle back into the box, he sat it down next to where Penelope knelt on the floor.

  “What’s that?” she gasped between pants.

  “I think it’s what they knocked us out with,” he responded, opening the box and showing her the inside.

  Nodding, she let out a low whine, and when she looked up again there was no trace of her usual caramel colored eyes.

  “I’m… going to go check outside,” he said, backing away from her before turning for the front door.

  Her scent was getting too strong, and if he didn’t find something outside, he was going to have to figure out how they were going to make it through her heat in that house with the threat of Adrian returning.

  26. Penelope

  The cramps were getting stronger and closer together. It felt like her body was ripping itself apart as fire burned through her veins. Slick was running down her thighs now, having soaked through her underwear, and just the sight of Ethan made her want to crawl to him and lick every bit of skin she could reach.

  When he opened the front door and a rush of air carried his delicious, sandalwood scent to her, it caused another warm rush of fluid to flow down her legs, her empty core clenching in need. Whimpering as she watched him walk out of view, she tried to push herself to her feet but couldn’t manage to get her feet beneath her.

  Looking around the empty room, her agitation grew. There was nothing for her to cuddle with or arrange into something comfortable to lay on. Her skin was coated in a thin sheen of sweat, yet she shivered at the breeze coming in the door Ethan had left open.

  It wasn’t long before he came into the house again. Crouching farther away than seemed necessary, he looked her over.

  “The van we were brought here in is still outside. I guess Adrian didn’t have the keys or he would have taken it. I’m going to try to find them.”

  Groaning, Penny tried to reach out for him, but he leaned away. Brows drawing together, she bared her teeth.

  “I don’t care about keys. I need you. Help me.”

  “Penelope, I need you to hang on a little longer. I know it’s hard but try to focus. We have to get out of here, you know it’s not safe to have your heat here. I’ll be back in just a minute.”

  When he stood to move past her, she reached out for him again, barely missing his pants leg. A part of her mind was telling her he was right, that now wasn’t the time, but a larger part was saying the Alpha had just rejected her and left her in pain.

  Curling up with her arms around her knees, Penny began to rock herself as tears ran down her face. It had only been a minute since Ethan had left the room, but she already heard his footsteps returning and she tried to pull herself together.

  Looking up, she saw the triumphant smile on his face and lost the little bit of sense she had tried to regain. When he stopped before her to try to help her up, she ignored his hands and reached for his belt.

  Penny could see the impressive bulge in his pants and snarled when his hands caught hers, stopping her from freeing it. Struggling to free her wrists from his hands, she pulled herself closer to him, pressing her torso against his legs.

  When trying to pull free didn’t work, she changed tactics.

  “Please. I need it,” she said, looking up into Ethan’s dark eyes.

  His nostrils flared and she heard a low rumble from his chest, but he continued to hold her hands away from his pants. Whining, Penny leaned forward and nuzzled her face against his erection. She could feel his thick shaft through his pants and rubbed her cheek up the length of it.

  Taking in a deep breath, she could scent precum and knew he was leaking for her. Rubbing her cheek back down the edge of his cock, she could feel the flow of slick running down her thighs.

  “Penny.”

  His deep voice held the edge of a growl and it sent shivers down her spine as she continued to nuzzle him and breathe in his scent.

  “Penelope! If you don’t stop, I’m going to have to sedate you. We can’t do this here.”

  Looking up his body, she could see his jaw flexing as he gritted his teeth. Smirking, she grabbed his belt with her teeth and began to pull it open.

  Stepping away and putting their hands between them, he let out a growl. Snarling back, she began to struggle harder. The Alpha had what would make the pain stop, and she was determined to get it.

  Walking around where she knelt, he tugged her hands, forcing her to turn with him. Transferring both of her wrists to one of his large hands, he bent down, opening the black box on the floor. Grabbing a syringe and the bottle from the box, she continued to struggle as he straightened back up. Snarls devolving to sobs, she began to beg.

  “Please, Alpha. Please help me.”

  Looking from the bottle to her, his face softened, and he began to purr for her, the rich, soothing sound surrounding her and loosening the tense muscles of her core. Slowly releasing her hands, he reached out and pet her head as she
leaned it against his leg again.

  “I promise to help as soon as we are safe.”

  His hand left her hair, but she continued to cling to his legs. His purr continued and it took the edge off the pain and need. The cramps still tore at her, but it was easier to fight them.

  “I’m sorry,” she heard him whisper just before she felt a pinch in her upper arm.

  Jerking back from his legs, she saw the syringe between his fingers, plunger all the way in, and the bottle of milky fluid in the other. Body starting to go numb, Penny swayed.

  “What did you…”

  “I’m so sorry. It’s the only way I can get you somewhere safe.”

  Her body tipped, falling sideways towards the carpet, but Ethan’s large arms caught her. Wrapping one under her knees, he lifted her as her head lolled against his shoulder. She tried to move her arms to cling to his neck, but her body wouldn’t respond, remaining limp as he carried her out the front door.

  Fighting to keep her eyes open, the world swayed with Ethan’s steps. The sky above was darkening, but it was still brighter than the house had been and made it even harder to fight the pull to close her eyes and let go.

  The sound of Ethan’s footsteps changed to the crunch of gravel as he turned, violet sky blurring with green treetops in her vision. Grunting, he adjusted his hold on her and she picked up the sound of a key entering a lock.

  Adjusting her again, he pulled open the van door with a squeal of hinges before leaning forward and sitting her in the passenger side. Arranging her body for her, he pulled the seatbelt across her chest before putting a hand on her cheek.

  “I’ll get you somewhere safe. Somewhere you can ride out your heat,” he told her.

  Concentrating to get her mouth to form the words, Penny said, “I want you. Tend me.”

  It came out as a whisper, but she knew he heard since his brows drew together before her eyes slid shut. Struggling to open them again, she couldn’t make them cooperate.

  “I wish I could,” she heard him whisper before his hand left her and she heard the door slam.

  She was unconscious before he made it around the van to climb into the driver’s seat.

  27. Ethan

  Resisting Penelope was the hardest thing he had ever done. He knew omegas became victims to their primal urges when they went into heat, and they would seek out an Alpha as a way to stop the pain, but she had become fierce when he denied her. Ethan’s instincts urged him to take the omega.

  To give her what she wanted and claim her.

  Suppressing the growl that wanted to break free, he rolled down the window of the van to try and escape the scent of her slick. The sweet fluid called to him, making his cock throb and mouth parched for the taste of it.

  Looking into the back of the van as he turned in his seat to reverse it down the drive, Ethan spotted Penelope’s purse in the floorboard behind where she sat. Hope rising, he reached for it and yanked it open, her phone sitting in clear view.

  Smile stretching his lips, he snatched it up, dropping the purse in the back again before he noticed the phone was locked. Growl ripping from him in frustration, he realized he only needed her fingerprint and reached over to take her limp hand.

  Pressing her thumb to the button, guilt churned in his belly. He hadn’t liked needing to use the medication to knock her out, but he couldn’t think of any other way to get her out of the house and back to somewhere safe. She would continue to grow more violent as her heat deepened, and eventually he would lose control of himself, giving in to their biology.

  Finding her maps program, Ethan typed in the address of The Haven. He had seen it often enough on business cards and brochures that he knew it, and he knew they would be safe there. He didn’t know her home address and didn’t think she had a safe room in her apartment. In her state, just trying to get her through the lobby could be an issue, plus Adrian knew where she lived, so it wasn’t safe to go there.

  Confirming the course, Ethan backed down the driveway and turned towards the city. They were a little north of it, and it was going to take about an hour to get back to downtown, then they would have to go further south to where The Haven was on the outskirts of the city proper.

  Leaning his head to catch the fresh air rushing in the window, he tried to clear his mind of Penelope’s influence. Ethan knew he was on the verge of going into rut, but he was holding it back the best he could, and the air helped.

  Turning to check on Penelope, he pressed two fingers to her neck, checking her pulse and breathing. She seemed fine, but he wasn’t sure what would happen since that was the second dose of whatever medication was in the bottle that she received in one day. He had only used a quarter of the syringe, not sure what the proper amount was, and there was a niggling worry that he had inadvertently hurt her with too much.

  Finally leaving dirt roads and moving onto the highway, Ethan picked up speed, glad he had learned to drive as a kid. Not many Alphas knew how since there was no reason for them to. Unless they were one of the ones to use construction equipment, they would most likely never be allowed behind the wheel of a vehicle.

  Periodically checking on Penelope, they eventually made it to the city, and he was forced to slow down. She seemed to be doing fine and even began to stir a bit in her sleep, but he still wanted to get to The Haven and hopefully have her checked by a medic. Preferably before she came to and put up a fight.

  He ran out of luck as they pulled into the parking lot in the back of The Haven. Penny stirred, groaning and grabbing her stomach as he parked the van by the back entrance. It was after-hours, and no one would be in the lobby to open the doors for them, but the back entrance was always manned in case a client needed to come in during the night.

  Jumping out of the van, he ran around to Penelope’s side and opened the door, her eyes blinking up at him in confusion. Pupils fully expanded, her eyes were dark pools and he was hit by the fresh scent of slick.

  Gritting his teeth and trying to keep his mind focused, Ethan reached in and slipped his arms under her, pulling her body flush against his chest. He could feel her muscles tensing as cramps ripped through her, her body seeming to try to catch up for the time it had missed during her drugged nap.

  Whimpering, she clung to him as he grabbed her purse from the back and strode to the door. Trying to free an arm to ring the bell, Penelope ended up twisting in his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, arms twined around his neck as she buried her fingers in his hair.

  His cock surged at the feel of her full breasts crushed to his chest, the erotic tingle in his scalp as she raked her nails over it and ground herself against the bulge he couldn’t hide. Head tucked under his chin, he couldn’t escape her scent and he staggered the last few steps to the door.

  Pressing his finger against the bell desperately, he braced his other hand against the wall as Penelope continued to writhe against him. Her slick had soaked into his slacks and he could feel the heat radiating from her core as she nipped at his chest through his shirt. Hands clenching her flesh unconsciously, Ethan groaned.

  The automatic growl he released when the door opened abated somewhat when he caught the scent of the person standing there and realized it was a beta female. Unable to focus on whoever it was that had opened the door beyond that, he fought against the rising rut and tried to speak.

  “I’m Ethan Cirlee, head of security. The omega I was hired to protect was kidnapped and given drugs to force her into heat.”

  Pausing, he pushed himself from the wall as his fingers dug into Penelope’s plush ass.

  “I need to get her into a room. Usual heat protocol.”

  “Of course,” the woman responded, opening the door wider so he could step inside.

  Bolting the door behind him, she began to lead him down the hall to the suites where omegas spent their cycle.

  “The AI needs to monitor her for medical issues. She was drugged twice today with something that made her lose consciousness. There is a black box
in the van I drove here that contains the drug. It is unlocked, so have someone retrieve it and find out what it is.”

  Trying to gather his scattering thoughts so he could give instructions was like trying to piece a shredded piece of paper back together.

  “The Force needs alerted about the man she hired me to protect her from.”

  Another pause as they turned a corner and the woman slid her card through the reader beside the door.

  “This was a forced heat so it may last longer than usual. I’m not sure what she was given, or how much, but she was on suppressants too. She should probably be checked by a medic.”

  The beta nodded to him as he passed her by. Trying to peel Penelope off of him so he could put her on the bed in the center of the dim room, he heard the door snick closed behind him.

  Heard jerking to look behind him, his heart dropped even as his cock surged again. He had planned to leave her in the room alone. She had never agreed to being tended through her heat no matter how many times she said she wanted him once it had begun.

  He also wasn’t prepared the way the studs were. He had never had a shot to make him sterile, and he didn’t have teeth guards.

  Tossing Penelope onto the bed, he ran to the door, pounding on it to get the beta’s attention.

  “Wait! I’m not, she didn’t, I can’t…”

  28. Penelope

  Bouncing on the soft bed, Penny was briefly distracted by the blankets and pillows piled at one end. Sniffing them, she couldn’t detect any scent besides a clean laundry smell, and she let out a soft purr as she ran her hand over the fabrics. They were all in a bland white, but they were soft.

  Rolling onto her knees, she began to arrange the pillows in a semi-circle around one end of the bed. The heavy boot on her foot kept getting caught and holding her back when she tried to move around, and she gave an irritated growl as she kicked at it with her other foot.

  Moving into a sitting position, she was reaching for the straps to remove it when the noise she had been hearing finally caught her attention. Glancing up, she watched Ethan banging on the door, yelling something her mind couldn’t hold on to long enough to understand. All that mattered was that there was an Alpha in the room and she finally had a nest.