‘Dax,’ she sighed, but his hand came over her mouth, and he locked his eyes onto her.

‘I’m going to protect you,’ he panted, still thrusting into her. ‘No one will take this away from me, and I’ll kill any man who tries.’

Digging her nails into his shoulders, her body ceased around his, bucking up to keep a hold of his dick within her. He pumped on through her clamping muscles and gave her no space to vocalise her relief, but he growled out his own. Whipping his hand out of the way, he closed his mouth over hers, delving his tongue into her mouth and consuming every part of her.

When he was finished filling her with the liquid of his climax, Dax pulled away and pounced off the bed, giving himself no time to savour the moment. Ivy was curious about why he wasn’t lying with her to recover from his exertion. But she was too busy breathing through the tingling aftereffects of her orgasm that shimmered through her every time she tried to move to question him.

As if Dax had somehow known it would, his cell phone started to ring, so he crouched to swipe through their clothes until he came across the device.

‘Yeah?’ Dax asked the phone.

Opening her eyes, Ivy observed him standing above her at the foot of the bed. Because he was still close, she prodded his knee with her toe. Dax snatched the digit and pulled it high, which forced her legs further apart. Whilst he continued his phone conversation, his focus suggested that he was watching the evidence of their previous union seeping out of her.

‘I’m not on the job anymore, Serg,’ Dax said into the phone. ‘I told Mauri that I wasn’t coming back… Ok… Great, I’ll see you in five.’ He hung up and dropped her foot.

‘What was that?’ Ivy asked, gathering the sheet to wrap it around her body. ‘I can be ready in two minutes if we have to go out, but Serg… what did he say when you told him that you weren’t going back to work with Mauri?’

‘He said this was personal,’ Dax said, throwing the phone onto the end of the bed.

Leaving her, he went into the bathroom. Ivy was up and across the room in a flash, leaving the sheet in a discarded trail on the path she’d taken to get there. Dax switched on the shower then retreated from the stall to give the water time to heat.

‘I’ll grab a towel and—‘

‘You’re not coming,’ Dax said. ‘I want you to stay here and stay away from the windows. I’ll close all the blinds. If you keep the door shut, then you should be safe.’

‘They could come here, anyone who knows where you live… Word will be out about the bounty now and—‘

‘Don’t panic,’ he said, taking her shoulders to square their bodies. ‘I’m going to be as quick as I can. The only way someone will get through that door is to kick it in or blast their way through and in spite of the money at stake here, most criminals don’t want to draw that kind of attention to themselves. This is a good block without many shootings, so if anyone hears gunshots, they’re going to call the cops.’

‘Great, except I’ll be dead by then.’

‘Come here,’ Dax said.

With their fingers linked, he led her out of the bathroom, through the bedroom and into the closet. Reaching up to the top shelf, he pulled down a metal box, which he flicked open to show a nine millimetre.

‘Do you know how to use this?’ he asked, checking the ammunition and loading the chamber. ‘It’s ready, loaded, and the safety is off. If you have to, aim and shoot, just squeeze the trigger.’

‘I’ve used a gun before,’ she said, taking the piece away from him.

‘I’m not surprised.’

‘What does that mean?’ she asked, the gun fell to her side when her arm loosened.

‘I mean you have that kind of personality,’ Dax said. ‘I’ve thought about shooting you a few times myself.’

‘You don’t use a gun, I’ve never seen you even touch one. Why would you use one on me?’

‘I’m not going to hit you, am I? That wouldn’t be right.’

‘But shooting me is ok?’

‘I haven’t done it yet, have I?’ Dax asked.

‘Yet?’ she asked.

He didn’t exactly smile, but his frown was far from sight. He squeezed past her, and she heard him move through into the bathroom to take his shower. Ivy wasn’t sure where he was going, but it was admirable of Serg to show such loyalty to Dax. That proved to Ivy that Dax had respect among Mauri’s men that outshone the loyalty they had to the Starks. She just hoped that was enough to help them get to the bottom of this.

Ivy was going stir crazy, it had been an hour since Dax had closed all the blinds and curtains then kissed her and left the apartment. There was plenty for her to do, she could watch TV and clear out the fridge, or finish packing Dax’s belongings ready for them selling this apartment.

But no matter what she did, Ivy couldn’t forget that Dax was out there, in the streets, and a target himself. Anyone who wanted her knew her as Ravager’s wife. So they might try to use him to get to her. Dax could take care of himself in a fight, but that didn’t save him from bullets and knives.

Ivy was on the couch in the living room, tapping her cell phone on her knee when it rang. She jumped to her feet. ‘Hello?’ she answered, having not even checked the number.

‘Ivy?’

The voice was female, so definitely not Dax, and the quiver of the tone made Ivy frown. ‘What is it? Who is this?’

‘He… he’s dead.’

Her first thought was of Dax and the ice of the breath she drew in parched her lips. ‘Dead?’

‘Yes, oh Ivy, I’m so sorry, I… I didn’t know what to do. He said I could use the pool, and I came out and… I didn’t hear a thing, but there he was on the carpet, in the living room, dead.’

‘Wait? Who is this? What are you talking about?’

‘It’s Carina,’ she sobbed. ‘I’m talking about Vegas. I’m talking about Saul.’

‘Saul?’

It disgusted her that her first emotion was relief. One wave crashed over her, and she immediately experienced revulsion. Hearing about the death of a man she once loved shouldn’t please her, and it didn’t, but she was pleased to know that Dax was still alive.

‘They must have come in while I was swimming, maybe they didn’t see me, I don’t know. But he’s dead.’

‘Did you call the cops?’

‘I… I called the cops then left, I hired a car and came back to California.’

‘You’re back in California? Why?’ Ivy asked, sitting on the couch again.

‘Yes, I came back here to Mauri, I… I don’t have experience with these things. I knew… I thought maybe bounty hunters were looking for you. I wouldn’t have been able to answer the cops’ questions, I… I didn’t know what to do.’

‘You’re at Mauri’s? Now?’

‘Yes!’ Carina said. ‘He told me that he would keep me safe. We’re all in danger now, anyone who has been near you… Saul died because you went to him. That means Dax is in danger and me and Rosie and—‘

‘Rosie,’ she exhaled. Her sister had left Mauri’s without any form of protection. Anyone watching the house who may have seen Rosie enter with her and Dax could have taken her.

‘It’s ok. I’m sure she’ll be ok.’

‘Rosie should be long gone by now,’ Ivy said.

‘I hope so, Carina said. ‘Mauri said you should come here, you and Dax, it’s just not safe on the streets.’

She had no interest in going back to Mauri’s, but if it was the only safe place, then Ivy would have to put her pride and personal prejudices aside. ‘Stay there, Carina, I’m going to call Dax.’

‘Call him? You mean you’re not together?’

‘Just stay there, Carina,’ Ivy snapped. ‘Worry about yourself.’

Disconnecting the line, she immediately dialled Dax. He answered on the second ring like he too had been holding the phone waiting for it to ring.

‘Dax?’ she said the moment the line was active. ‘Carina called, she's back at the Stark mansion. Saul is dead, the bounty hunters got to him.’ She hated the panic in her voice but guilt came with clarity; Saul was dead because of her and the people who had done it could be right on their tail. ‘What do we do? Mauri said we should go over there, but—‘