Chapter 50

Tyson King hit disconnect on his cell phone and dropped it onto his desk. He leaned back in his huge chair, ignoring the ominous creak. It'd taken several hours longer than he'd expected, but he finally had a location on the girl. His hands and his dick both pulsed with need. He wanted to strangle her, caress her, chain her to him and fuck her until she couldn't think of doing anything so stupid again.
The unfamiliar terror he had felt when Mercer had called earlier to say he was looking at her as she rapidly disappeared by herself on a city train was nearly overwhelming. Claudia couldn't handle herself. She was too soft. If her ex got his hands on her, or even worse, the scum that was Franco Delgado, they would snap her neck without hesitating. She wasn't safe. And the woman wasn't doing herself any favours by running the first chance she got. She was too easy to track.
Now, her safety was confirmed and his fear for her life morphed rapidly into all consuming fury. How dare she put herself in danger? His fist crashed down on the desk in front of him causing everything to jump. His water glass rolled onto its side, splashing water across some acquisition papers. He ignored the damage and stood. Rolling his massive shoulders in his suit jacket, he swiftly turned to the window of his office tower, which overlooked the downtown business district.
Popping his knuckles, he picked his phone back up and called Mercer. His loyal man answered the phone on the first ring. "I know where she is."
"Is she safe?" Mercer asked swiftly.
Any tension Tyson might have felt toward his bodyguard's loss of Claudia dissipated. Mercer didn't show emotions. Ever. Yet he unbent enough to inquire after Claudia's well-being, which indicated he felt some regard for her. Even if it was just as the boss' woman. Claudia was a clever woman. If she had been determined to run, she would've bided her time until the opportunity arose. It was probably only a matter of time before one of them lost her, despite their years of iron control and vigilance. As testified by her ability to stay alive since fleeing Miami, Claudia had a well-honed sense of survival.
"She's safe. For now," Tyson said. "I want you and two of your guys to accompany me to her location. Bring bags. We'll be staying for a few days. I need some time with Claudia, to show her why this behaviour is unacceptable. I don't want her back in the city until I can trust her."
"Done," Mercer replied. "I can get Theo and Brandon. She's met both of them."
"Have a car around to pick me up in the next five minutes. We leave the city as soon as you and your men are ready."
"I'll have them ready in fifteen."
"Good." Tyson hung up. He loosened his tie and dropped his phone into his pocket.
He looked back out over the city, wondering if one of the moving lights far below his tower was his Claudia speeding away from him in the fading light of the evening. He breathed in deeply, attempting to control some of the anger he felt. He would have to teach her why she must never run from him. But he was a big man and he could too easily hurt the delicate woman if he lost his temper with her. He would have to control some of the rage and lust coursing through his veins, demanding him to find his woman and chain her to him irrevocably. Lucky for her, he had a three hour drive ahead of him to contemplate how not to break her while disciplining her.
* * *
The remote cabin hadn't been easy to find, but Vladimir's detailed directions, written out in scrawling cursive, led her to the right place on the first try. She had nearly missed the turn off for the road in the heavily forested area, but had seen it in the sweep of her headlights at the last moment. She'd slowed her borrowed car down and pulled it onto the dirt track. She winced a little as the gorgeous black Mercedes bumped along the winding, hole filled drive.
She knew she was in the right place when she drove up to the entrance. It was exactly as Vladimir had described. The lovely cabin looked deceptively small and rustic from the outside. He had assured her it would have all the amenities she would need to last for years if she chose to stay and hide out. Claudia hoped she could somehow resolve things before that long. She was a city girl at heart. Not that she didn't love the cabin on first sight, but she wasn't in to roughing it. Bears and ticks were on her list of things that she'd like never to experience up close and personal. Right below Dante and Franco.
With no luggage she made her way easily up to the front door and entered the code that Vladimir had given her. The door unlocked and she pushed it open. She realized immediately just how deceptive the ‘cabin' was when she wandered in, her mouth opening in delight and awe. It vaguely reminded her of Tyson's penthouse with its wealthy rustic charm. The main floor boasted wall to ceiling windows that she was sure in daylight would showcase a stunning view of the mountains.
She counted two bedrooms and an office on the main floor as well as a sprawling kitchen with everything she would need. A walk-in pantry proved to her exactly how stocked up she would be. She could survive on many of the items without ever having to figure out the complex looking stove. She decided against exploring the dark basement until daylight. Her tired, overactive imagination was more than likely going to see an axe murderer (or Boris) in every shadow.
Wandering into the living room she looked up and whispered ‘wow' as she took in the loft that soared high above her head at the top of a wooden staircase. She grinned and trailed her fingers across the smooth wooden railing as she headed up. She wished, when she reached the top, that it was daylight and she could see out across the lake valley.
Instead, she would have to make do with the huge low platform bed that filled the space and all the other luxurious amenities she would be forced to enjoy. A gorgeous painting of what she assumed must be the lake surrounded by autumn trees rested over a fireplace across the room from the bed. In front of the fireplace was a single, huge leather chair that looked well loved and well used.
On further inspection of the top floor, she discovered a massive tub that could double as a pool. "He did tell me to make myself comfortable" she murmured her hands going to the zipper of her borrowed jacket.
She felt like Goldilocks, discovering a warm, welcoming abode that would fit her quite well after all of her trials. Letting the jacket fall to the floor she leaned over the lip of the huge tub, plugged in the stopper and turned on the water. She trailed her fingers through the pressurized stream and made adjustments until the heat of the water was just right. With a sigh, she stood and began stripping her clothes.
She studied herself in the mirror over the sink as she let each garment fall to her feet. She looked like the same voluptuous blond that had tried and failed to become a showgirl on the Vegas strip. Her big breasts and hips had slowed her down compared to the other girls. But her perfectly shaped lips, prominent cheekbones and innocent green eyes had bought her place on the stage. With a small smile, she struck a showgirl pose. One leg up and bent as though propped up by a four-inch heel. The other leg was long and straight. She threw one arm up over her head in presentation, tilted her head back and curved her spine to thrust her breasts out.
Claudia crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the image. She gathered her long, wavy hair on top of her head and tied it with one of the many hair ties she used as accessories so she would always have one available. She slid into the tub with a deep sigh and relaxed completely into the warm embrace as her bare bottom came to rest on a bench. She tilted her head back and sank down until her shoulders and most of her neck was under the water. Tendrils of hair, escapees from her hastily tied up hair, floated in the water around her. She idly trailed fingers across the top of the tub until her exploration yielded a button, which she pushed to turn on the jets, filling the tub with bubbles.
Claudia enjoyed the energetic jets as they danced around her body. She relaxed completely and stared out of the single window in the room into the darkness of her new mountain home. She was definitely liking it here more and more with every passing moment. Lazily, she reached for the soap and began running it over her wet body. Each stroke felt like the hands of her lover caressing her abundant curves. Images of the erotic shower she had shared with Tyson several days ago flooded her mind. Claudia hastily put the soap down. She turned around and kneeled on the bench propping her arms up on the edge of the tub. With a sigh, she lazily stared into the darkness and thought of the generosity of her benefactor.
She was deeply impressed with Vladimir Sitnikov's good taste. She wouldn't have expected it of a man that surrounded himself with heavy, masculine furniture that looked old world Russian. In fact, she had even more trouble picturing him out here in the wilderness than her city-raised self. She had no problem picturing Tyson King's big body resting sprawled out in the massive tub. Or on the huge bed. And in one of the big leather chairs next to the fireplace. And working in the kitchen, with all of its modern amenities.
With a gasp Claudia sat up, water pouring over her shoulders and down her back. "No!" she said out loud, eyes wide and staring into the darkness beyond the door. "He wouldn't"
But why would Vladimir Sitnikov set her up? He had seemed so sincere in his wish to help her. Maybe she was being paranoid. Claudia stood up and, ignoring the streaming water, swiftly exited the tub. She snatched a towel from the rack and dabbed at her body as she headed for the bedroom closet, heedless of the watery footprints she left on the hardwood floor.
She flung open the closet, snapped on the light switch and stepped inside. Though most of the clothes in the closet were more suited to wilderness , jeans, T-shirts, sweaters , she saw that there were a few business suits with dress shirts. She reached for one of the dress shirts and, dropping her towel, pulled it on. She ignored the way it clung to her wet body and buttoned it up. With dawning realization she knew, without a doubt, that she was wearing a shirt that belonged to Tyson King. It swam on her, falling down to her knees, the sleeves reaching past her hands.
"Son of a BITCH!"
Whirling around, Claudia ran. She grabbed her purse and car keys, where she had dropped them on the bed and ran down the flight of stairs. She didn't bother to dress in something more appropriate. She could figure it out along the way. If Vladimir Sitnikov sent her to Tyson King's cabin deep in the woods, the big dark-skinned devil wouldn't be far behind. And he would be pissed.
She flung the front door open to find the man himself standing on his own porch, waiting for her. His eyes glinted down at her with a mixture of triumph and something much darker. He was furiously angry with her. Claudia stumbled back a step, clutching tightly to her purse.
"Stop, Claudia," his deep voice growled. He stepped over the threshold and reached for her.