The man was incredible.
A low, muted groan, or a growl, vibrated against her br**sts as his lips smoothed over her nipple. Racing pleasure raked over the tender tip, sent an incredible mix of sensations flowing through her.
Her head tipped back, her back arching as she bit her lips to hold back a cry. Her nipple lodged between his lips as his tongue stroked over it. Stroked, like a wet, heated flame.
She was on the verge of begging for more. Begging was clearly becoming an option when she suddenly stiffened at a sound she couldn't believe she was hearing.
"Mikayla, are you out here?"
Her brother? Scotty?
Her eyes flew open, watching as Nik's head lifted just enough to allow his eyes to glance through the veil of his lashes toward the gate that separated their yards.
"Mikayla, your car's out front. Where are you?"
Her lips parted in shock. "He called the police the last time I tried to ignore him."
Nik's expression tightened with predatory intent, a glint of danger flickering in his gaze.
What was she allowing herself to get into here? Where had her common sense gone?
"She's not here, Neil," Scotty called out. "Get Beau; we'll call the sheriff. He might actually help us this time."
Her eyes widened. All her brothers were there?
Oh, Lord.
"Let me go." She wiggled beneath Nik, still feeling too fragile, too feminine, against him. "They really will call the sheriff."
They didn't care how they embarrassed her, but she was lucky. They cared. For all their overprotectiveness, for all their irritating ways, her brothers loved her.
Nik's gaze slid slowly back to her. She imagined she saw a war waging in his gaze, whether to release her or to hold her, to ignore her brothers or to tempt her further.
Finally, between one breath and the next he eased up, straightened, then lifted her from the table.
His hand slid the strap of her dress up as the other adjusted the neckline, hiding the rounded flesh of her breast as he stepped back.
"A lucky save," he told her, his lips quirking. "Go do what you have to do, pretty girl. We'll talk later."
Talk? She could just imagine where that conversation would lead.
"I think the best thing I could do is stay away from you," she said softly. "I don't need a broken heart, Nik."
"Do any of us?" He glanced behind her. "There are your brothers."
"Mikayla." Suspicion laced Beau's voice as he opened the gate. "What are you doing here?"
Nik stepped back. "Good night, pretty girl."
He turned and stepped into the house, the doors sliding closed behind him.
Mikayla turned, faced her brothers, and breathed out wearily.
A lucky save? Or simply a reprieve?
Chapter 5
Maddix Nelson's home was in the most exclusive part of Hagerstown. The rising mansions and gated estates were lavishly rich and heavily secured.
The Nelson home was on the lower end of lavish, situated in a gated community, surrounded by other similar homes, just as expensive, just as secured.
As Nik pulled the Hummer into the Nelson driveway behind several other vehicles, he was clearly able to see why his neighbors had been so certain Maddix had been home the evening Eddie Foreman had died. They were intensely curious. Even now Nik counted no fewer than half a dozen watching as he stepped from the vehicle and made his way along the precisely placed sidewalk that led to the front door.
The door opened as he stepped onto the ornately decorated front porch.
"Nik." Maddix opened the door and stepped inside. "They're all here." "They" being the two city council members, chief of police, and mayor, as well as Maddix's son, Luke.
Nik followed Maddix through the quiet, understated luxury of the house to the back of the house where the office was located.
Nik stepped into the room, paying particular attention to the heavy, closed drapes, the dark wood walls.
"Nik, Councilman John Cooker, Mayor Dempsey, Chief Daniel Riley, Councilwoman Caroline Faulkner, my wife, Glenda, and my son, Lucas. We were all here the night Eddie was killed."
"This is ridiculous, Maddix." Glenda Nelson, Maddix's younger second wife, was clearly his trophy bride. At thirty-three the former model with her dark chocolate skin and rounded dark eyes was an exotic beauty who was clearly put out at being asked to attend this meeting.
His son, Lucas, sat slumped in a chair in the corner, his brown eyes narrowed with spoiled defensiveness. His expression bespoke a man who considered himself far beyond being required to attend to anyone else's schedule.
The councilman and -woman watched in interest from their places on a love seat. There was a heavy sense of familiarity between the two that bespoke of lovers, despite the fact that they were married, to other partners.
The chief of police sat in a chair next to a cold fireplace, his lips set in a thin line, his hazel eyes watching Nik suspiciously as Mayor Dempsey nodded his head in greeting.
The gang was all here.
"Thank you for meeting me," Nik said, making an attempt at a polite greeting.
"It wasn't as though some of us had a choice," Maddix's son sneered.
"No, it wasn't," Nik agreed. "But I'm certain we all appreciate your cooperation."
Cooperation his ass. Nik had warned Maddix he would drag the son there by his hair if he wasn't in attendance. It was a threat Maddix had evidently relayed.
"Why must Luke and I be here, Mr. Steele?" Glenda crossed her arms over the soft pale cream blouse she wore with stylish white shorts. "I'm certain we weren't needed."
"You were all here the night Eddie Foreman died," Nik said. "I have some questions I wanted to ask."
"Yes, we were all here, which means Maddix obviously killed no one," Glenda continued to protest. "That makes this an exercise in futility if you ask me."
So much for cooperation.
"Did I ask you?" Nik queried with cool softness.
"Enough, Glenda," Maddix growled. "Let Nik do his job. If he asked you to be here, then it's for a reason."
"We should have invited Mikayla." Luke's lips tightened into a smile of clear male appreciation. "Then perhaps I wouldn't be so bored."
Nik turned his head and stared at the other man. "And why do you say that, Mr. Nelson?" he asked.