A/N: Thank you all again for the wonderful reviews, hope I can keep living up to your expectations. It may surprise you that I have updated so soon after my last chapter, but there is a good reason for that. I have had this in my head for weeks now, ever since I wrote that first love scene in fact, and it came out easily. But before you start reading, I think it's only fair to give you a

***WARNING***

This one is NOT suitable for reading while at work as it may cause your coworkers to give you funny looks, or to start asking you funny questions, like why you are blushing and fanning yourself... Also, there's explicit language.

Enjoy!

Chapter eighteen

Nico had to take a minute to get his shit together again. He still couldn't believe she was sitting there on his couch, looking good enough to eat in her skintight black jeans and those sexy high-heeled boots. But he realized he couldn't let his true feelings show now. This was his chance to get it through her head once and for all that he was anything but the right man for her. So he crossed his arms and scowled at her. "Dani. I asked you to leave. There's nothing for you here." Hurt flashed in her eyes but was gone the next moment, her face once again taking on that grim and determined expression. She stood up and came sauntering over to him. It was all he could do to keep his arms crossed instead of reaching out to her when she got within touching distance. Her eyes were now glaring daggers at him.

"So, you want me to leave?" She asked.

"Yes." No.

Crossing her own arms again, she gave him a challenging look. "Make me." She didn't move. Neither did she look away from him, despite the angry look he gave her. He took a step towards her, invading her personal space, towering over her. But she stood her ground. "You're not scaring me, you know." Her voice was steady.

"You should be. Scared. You know what I'm capable of." Nico said.

"Is that why you ran?" she replied. "Is that what your nightmares are about?"

He flinched. "I don't want to talk about the nightmares."

"Fine. Then tell me why you ran." Now she was the one taking a step forward, coming so close to him that Nico felt the soft leather of her jacket lightly brush his arm, sending a slight shiver through his body. He looked down at her and saw her lips part a little as she sighed inaudibly. Her eyes widened fractionally and the challenge in them gave way to longing. Closing his own eyes, he swallowed. He wanted to kiss that red lipstick right off her lips… Right when he was about to cave and do just that, he felt her back up a little. "God, Nico – could you at least go put on a shirt or something? You're not making this any easier."

Look who's talking! He opened his eyes and gave her his most intimidating scowl. "You're free to leave anytime."

"Yeah. I know. We already established that that's not gonna happen any time soon." The challenge was back in her eyes.

Damn woman! "You're too stubborn for your own good."

"I know. I'm tough, too. Never give up the good fight. That's what you love about me, if I remember correctly. So why did you run, Nico?"

Okay, if she wanted him to spell it out for her, he would. "Because we can't be together, dammit! I'm not the right man for you."

"Really. And don't I get a say in that?" She stepped up close again. Once more there was fire in her eyes, but this time not from longing. "Because I happen to think you are the only man for me." Her voice was a low whisper.

Nico stepped back. "You don't know what I am," he bit out. He turned so he wouldn't have to look at her anymore and took another step away from her. "You don't understand."

"Then tell me. Help me understand." Dani replied. He heard her taking a step towards him again. "Tell me what you are. Tell me why you're not right for me." Once more her heels clicked on the floor. She was getting too close again. "But it won't change a thing, you know." Nico tensed as her warm hand touched his shoulder blade, carressed it. "Because I know what kind of man you are, remember? And I happen to love that man."

She didn't pull her hand back, just kept it resting there as she waited for him to say something to that. "You should stay away from me." He tried one last time.

"I won't. I don't want to." Still defying him.

Nico turned around, grabbing her arm in the same quick motion, right above the spot where he knew the bruises he'd put on her wrist were. "You've seen what I can do. That could happen again. I could really hurt you."

Instead of flinching away from him, like she'd done when he grabbed her wrist in the car on Monday morning, she surprised him by smiling sweetly at him. Her voice, however, was anything but sweet. "I would like to see you try."

Before Nico could reply to that stunning statement, Dani surprised him even more by launching herself at him and pressing her mouth to his. Blood started pounding in his ears as he felt her tongue against his lips, demanding access. He tried to resist, but then she wrapped her free arm around him and dug her nails in the skin of his shoulder blade. He groaned, opening his mouth, and wrapped his own arms around her. Taking control of the kiss, he backed her up against the wall, bringing his lower body forward to grind himself against her core. He felt more than heard her moan as she let both hands slide to his ass and pulled him into her more firmly, rubbing herself against him. He could feel her heat even through the layers of clothes between them. Lust and alarm shot through his body at the same time and he tore his mouth away from hers. "We should stop. Now."

"Why?" She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with desire, her mouth swollen.

He backed away from her slightly. "Because I'm about to lose control."

She bit her bottom lip and gave him a naughty smile that did all kinds of crazy things to his stomach. Not to mention his dick. "Mmm. I love it when you lose control," she whispered.

Nico tried to take a step back, but his feet seemed to be glued to the floor. The need in her eyes mesmerized him, drew him in. Look away from her, dammit. He leaned in closer. "Dani… I don't want to hurt you," he said. He could feel his control slipping away.

She came up on her toes. "Nico," she said against his mouth, "You couldn't hurt me if you tried."

He felt her teeth nibble at his lower lip. Then her hand moved from his ass to cup his throbbing length, squeezing gently, stroking slowly… And he was lost. Growling in the back of his throat he took posession of her mouth again, moving his hands to her ass and lifting her up. She immediately wrapped her legs around him, grabbing on to his shoulders with both hands. Without breaking the kiss, he carried her to his bedroom.

Dani was amazed by how quickly things had heated up between them. Somewhere in the back of her mind she had the vague thought that this wasn't quite working out the way she'd planned – but she couldn't bring herself to care as long as he kept kissing her like this. Feeling light headed with desire and feverish with need, she could only hold on to Nico tight as he carried her. She had only one complaint. There were too many clothes between them. She needed to feel her skin against her own. Now would be good… He stopped walking. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist and slid down his body until she was standing on her feet again. Bringing her arms back, she let the jacket slide to the floor while his hands started tugging on the hem of her tank top. She broke the kiss and lifted her arms. Nico yanked the top up over her head and as it was sliding over her arms it snagged on the bandage covering the wound on her left arm. Making a frustrated noise Dani shook the offending arm a little, unsnagging the top so he could take it all the way off. But he didn't. She looked up at him to find him staring at the bandage. Uh-oh. "Nico." She waited for him to look at her and made sure the truth showed in her eyes as she managed three short sentences. "It's fine. I barely feel it. Now kiss me."
For a second, she thought he wouldn't. Then he made that growling sound again and his mouth came down on hers. Dani wrapped her arms around him, pulling him flush against her. The lace of her bra chafed her nipples as she pressed her breasts against his hard chest and she moaned at the feel of it. Nico broke away from her and started kissing and licking his way down her neck to her breasts, drawing more moans from her. Her legs were starting to feel a little weak and he must have caught on to that because she felt his strong arm tightening around her, holding her up. Without warning his mouth closed around her nipple and he sucked it hard through the black lace, making her gasp and her insides feel liquid. Her hands seemed to come up out of their own volition, grabbing his head to make sure he kept doing that. He obliged, alternating between both breasts, until her legs couldn't hold her any longer and she moved her hands to his shoulders to keep from falling, digging her nails into his skin. Nico let out a low groan and lifted her up again. Then her world tilted as he tumbled them down on his bed together.
Dani almost cried out in protest when his mouth left her breast but then she felt his lips and tongue trace a path down her abdomen, making the muscles there jump like crazy, and her cry became a gasp of pleasure. When he reached the waistband of her jeans he got up off the bed and made quick work of the button and fly, and she lifted her hips to help him get the pants off her body. He yanked it down to her boots. She then expected him to take those off, but he looked at her with dark eyes and a hungry look on his face. "I need to taste you." Before his blunt statement could make her self conscious he shoved her panties down to her knees, bent over and licked her, making her hips buck violently. The sound of his appreciative moan was drowned out by her cry of pleasure, but she felt it all the better. Dani got lost in sensations for a while as he kept on pleasuring her with his mouth. Just when she was about to reach the edge, he stopped. Moaning in frustration, Dani tried to grab on to his head to keep him going, but he was already out of reach. He pulled off her boots, jeans and panties, then dropped his own sweat pants.
The sight of his hard, throbbing length made her mouth water. "No." She said when he moved to join her on the bed again. He froze, an uncertain look on his face. She sat up, went to her knees and smiled up at him. "My turn," she whispered, closing her hand around him. His eyes glazed over with lust and she felt him tighten his muscles as she bent her head and took the tip of him in her mouth, reveling in his salty-sweet taste. As she loved him with her lips and tongue he rested his hand on her head but he didn't try to set up a rhythm. In fact, he seemed to be more than happy to let her take control. Taking full advantage of that Dani licked, sucked and stroked him, alternating between quick and tantalizingly slow, deep and shallow, until she felt his hand tighten in her hair, holding her still.

"Enough." His voice was shaky and breathless, his eyes burning with need. Gently, he tugged at her hair and she let him go, feeling a little disappointed that he wouldn't let her finish. But then his mouth was on hers again and she forgot to feel anything but pleasure. He pushed at her shoulders, making her lie back on the bed again. Then he came over her, leaning on his elbows. She felt him hard against her core and couldn't resist grinding against him.
He broke their kiss and reared up on his knees, reaching for the nightstand. For a moment, her lust-hazed mind couldn't grasp his intention as he rummaged around in the drawer, but then his hand came back out holding a box of condoms. Oh. Right. Good thinking. She watched as he impatiently tried to open the box, then groaned in frustration and snatched it away from him. Using her nails she made quick work of the plastic around the box and handed it back to him. He opened the lid and condoms came tumbling out. Grabbing one, he quickly opened the wrapper, put the condom on and came back to her. She welcomed him with open arms, greedily sealing her lips to his again. And then, finally, he entered her, burying himself to the hilt in one smooth stroke.
Dani sighed with pleasure as she felt him fill her up completely, then pull almost all the way back out and thrust again. She wrapped her legs around him and tilted her hips to feel him even deeper inside, grabbing on to his shoulders and closing her eyes. He pulled out again. "Look at me." His voice demanded. Opening her eyes, she felt him slowly entering her again. "I want to see it. All of it." He whispered. She nodded and he started moving, slowly at first, then picking up the pace and deepening his thrusts as he took her up higher and higher, whispering words she couldn't really make out but that sounded like caresses. She kept looking into his eyes as she moved with him, already feeling the first waves of pleasure ripple through her. Her breath came out in short gasps as she surrendered to them and her hips started moving uncontrollably. His blazing eyes were all she could see, his whispering voice all she could hear, when the world around her was washed away by a tidal wave of sensations, beginning in her core and spreading out through her whole body. Then the wave swept her up and made her drown in ecstasy while she cried out his name.

Nico almost lost it when her eyes glazed over, she cried out and he felt her muscles clamp down on him hard, but he managed to hold himself back as he rode her through it. He slowed his pace as she relaxed again and came back to him, a look of amazement on her face. His heart overflowed with the love he felt for this woman, but he couldn't bring himself to say the words. So he bent his head and kissed her, trying to say it without words. He kept thrusting into her, his hips picking up speed again as he felt his own orgasm build. It was all he could do not to start pounding into her like an animal, but he managed to keep his strokes controlled. Then she broke their kiss and looked up at him, her eyes filled with love. "Let go," she whispered, nearly undoing him. He shook his head and she raised her hands, cupping his face when he would have looked away. "I want all of you."

He couldn't. He'd hurt her. "You. Don't. Know…" His hips kept moving out of their own accord, punctuating each word he ground out between his clenched teeth. "What. You're. Asking."

"Not asking. Offering." Her voice was breathless and he felt her muscles start to clench again. His heart was throbbing in his ears, almost drowning out her next words. "I'm yours, Nico. Take me." That was it. He had the sensation of a lever being pulled somewhere deep inside of him, making his mind go blank, and he started pounding in a frantic rhythm. "Oh, yes. That's it," he heard her moan. "More. Please. Don't hold back…" The last thread of his control broke. Rearing back, he hooked her legs over his elbows to get even deeper, clenching his eyes shut and throwing his head back. "Look. At. Me." He heard her say. He did. And was amazed by the love and unbridled lust he saw in her eyes. He started moving even faster, fucking her as hard as he could, sweat breaking out all over his body, the headboard of his bed slamming into the wall over and over… And still, she met him thrust for thrust and her eyes were burning with passion. When he felt her muscles contract around him and she cried out his name again at the same time his own climax bore down at him, a roar of pleasure welled up from his chest. He couldn't for the life of him hold it in. So he let it tear from his throat as he plunged into oblivion, holding himself as deep inside her as he could go.

Panting heavily, Nico rolled to his back to keep from crushing her. Dani rolled with him and put her head on his chest, cuddling up to him, her heated skin feeling soft against his own. His breathing started to slow down and he felt his body grow heavy as he absently stroked her hair and shoulder. "Feel better now?" Dani asked, a smile in her voice.

"Much," he answered with a smile of his own as he remembered her answer when he'd asked her that after their encounter at her house a few nights ago. He closed his eyes, simply enjoying the moment and feeling more relaxed and at peace with himself than he had in… Well, years actually. He released a content sigh and pulled her closer, wishing he could stay here with this beautiful, brave woman forever. It had taken courage for her to stand up to him like she had done tonight, putting him on the spot like that. But then, that's who she was, right? A courageous, strong, tough woman… She had proven that over and over again. Hope bloomed in his heart as he thought about that some more and realized that maybe she wouldn't run away when he told her the truth about himself. He sighed again. And even if his hope turned out to be false, he understood now that he could no longer keep it from her. She deserved the chance to make up her own mind about him. Besides, she had given him everything tonight, it was only fair to do the same. "Dani?" Part of him hoped she had fallen asleep already, so he could delay this.

"Yes?" She sounded totally awake.

"I love you." He felt her holding her breath at that. Funny how easy the words had come out now that he had decided to go and ruin it all… He forced himself to go on, before she could say anything in return. "But before this goes any further, there's something about me that you should know." She quietly released the breath she'd been holding, but didn't say anything. The silence grew heavy and for long moments Nico didn't know how to go on. There was really no way of softening the blow he was about to deliver, was there? So he decided to just open his mouth and let the words tumble out. "My name is Dominic Eugene Careles – And I'm a murderer." His heart thudded heavily in his chest and he felt his body growing tense again as he clenched his jaw and held his breath while he waited for her reaction.

A/N: Sorry - I seem to have developed a thing for writing cliffhangers. I'll do my best to update soon!