Turbulent Intrigue (Billionaire Aviators 4)

“I belong to myself, Ace. Don’t for one minute think you own me,” she said, tugging against his hold.

“It’s time to go.” He needed to remind her what the two of them had together. He decided he was going to do it all night long.

“Maybe I don’t want to leave yet,” she said.

He just smiled at her as people passed by. This was going to be fun.

“We can walk out of here side by side, or I can throw you over my shoulder,” he said pleasantly.

He could see that it took a few moments for her to process what he’d just said. Then her eyes lit on fire. She gave him a ferocious look that had his lower half throbbing with the need to take her.

“You’re going to be very disappointed to learn I’m not some docile woman who will be at your call and beck,” she snapped.

Ace smiled, deciding not to correct her. “I’ll give you to the count of ten to decide what to do,” he said.

“What?” This was growing more fun by the second.

“Ten . . . nine . . .”

“Are you seriously counting?” she gasped. She looked around as couples milled nearby. Ace would have no problem throwing her over his shoulder as he’d threatened, and she knew it. She was running out of numerals.

“. . . four . . .”

“Let’s go,” she said. Obviously, she knew he wasn’t bluffing.

Ace locked eyes with Cooper as he led Dakota from the room, and Cooper nodded at him. He’d let the rest of the group know it was time to leave. Ace was just grateful they’d all taken separate vehicles. He wanted Dakota all to himself. He didn’t think he’d even last until they got home before he had to sate his hunger. It seemed lust took the edge off his paranoia.

They made it outside to the SUV he’d just bought. With everything that was going on, he’d decided his car was unsafe.

Suddenly, Dakota turned her wrath on him.

“Of all the foolish, macho-man, ridiculous behavior, this is so over-the-top, I don’t even know where to begin,” she snapped as she poked his chest.

Ace just grinned at her. “Damn, you’re amazing,” he said.

He pushed her against the side of the SUV, his body pressed tightly against hers.

“What are you doing?” she asked. But her voice had gone from irritated to hungry.

“What I probably shouldn’t,” he said. “But I need a taste right now.”

Talking stopped as he took those lips the way he’d wanted to all night. He wanted to be sure everyone knew she was off the market. Truth be told, he was completely and utterly owned by this woman. With the snap of her fingers, she could have him on his knees, begging her to never let him go. He was too enthralled with her to let that thought scare him. She was his. But he was also hers.

When Ace finally came up for air, he realized he was out in the open with her with too many people around. That wasn’t good. “We should get going,” he told her, his voice strained.

“Is there a problem, Ace?” she asked in a husky voice. The little minx had a knowing look in her eyes. She knew what she was doing to him, and she enjoyed the power. That was the problem with a woman like Dakota. She held far too much power in the relationship.

“Yeah, I have a definite problem,” he told her, taking her hand and pressing it to his pulsing arousal.

“That doesn’t seem like a problem to me,” she said as her fingers stroked over him, nearly making him come in his pants.

A scuffling in the parking lot made Ace stand at attention, his desire lessening as someone shouted. There were a lot of people leaving. He was sure it was nothing. The hair on the back of his neck had been standing on end since Dakota had been attacked. It was nothing new.

“He has a gun,” someone yelled, and people in the parking lot scrambled to hide.

“Get down!” he yelled to Dakota half a second before several gunshots rang out, shattering the joyous voices of just a moment before.

Ace reached for his gun—he had refused to leave it at home. He glanced at Dakota, who was white-faced, her mouth open in shock. There was the sign of danger he’d been wanting to see in her eyes. Too bad it had taken another gunshot for her to take his unease seriously.