Techno Crazed (Hacked Investigations) Read online

  “Oh, God. What did you do, Bernard?” Ian jogged toward the door and looked through the peephole.

  One of the guards had killed the other. The tall man stared at the locksmith with fury in his gaze, but that didn’t look like something a normal person would feel. No, it seemed almost animalistic and raw.

  Ian cut a glance at the gnome. “Get away from the door.”

  Bernard blinked and shivered. “Too good. Too, too good. Can’t leave. Nuh uh. Won’t leave.”

  “I’m cutting you off. I knew this was a bad idea.” Just then, another shot rang out. Ian ducked. His nerves were ragged. He shakily looked through the peephole to see the other guard dead.

  The locksmith stared down at his hands. A fine tremble shook his entire body. He lifted the gun slowly, and Ian knew where he’d be turning it next, if Ian didn’t act.

  He grabbed Bernard, feeling a sharp wave of emotion crash over him. The gnome’s power was blasting intensely. Normally, he could shrug the ill effect off with ease, but the strength of Bernard’s power right now was immense.

  Desperation and the feeling of being alone crawled over him as he clenched his fists tighter. The colors in the hallway lost a touch of their warmth, turning slightly monochrome. Willing himself to let go, he tossed Bernard into his gnome-house and locked it. He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the foul sensation that burned him so fiercely.

  Hannah walked over to him, but he shook his head. “Not now. I’m a little unstable.” Her hand descended on his arm. Air rushed from his lungs that he hadn’t been aware of holding. His body relaxed more and more as she ran her hand up his arm. The toxicity of Bernard’s magic drifted away from him.

  She stood on tiptoes and brushed her lips against his.

  He thrust his fingers into her hair and kissed her, feeding from her mouth. God, he wanted her. Everything within him screamed to claim her. Make her his own and not screw up this time. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled them toward the couch. But wait, he needed to check on the locksmith. Heaven forbid the guy took off before calling the cops, and he didn’t need the cops pestering him about the murders.

  Shit!

  He pushed Hannah back at arm’s length. “We can’t right now.”

  She licked her lips, nodding uncertainly. “You’re right. Sorry.” She retreated to the couch, and redness filled her cheeks.

  He didn’t want to her to feel rejected, but he needed to focus on the issue at hand. Checking the peephole, he saw the locksmith kneeling on the ground, still gripping the gun in his lap.

  Ian’s neighbor, Todd, shuffled into view. “Excuse me, sir? Excuse me?”

  The locksmith blinked as if coming around from a bad dream. He frowned as if he didn’t know how he’d gotten there before realization surged through his eyes. He tossed the gun on the floor and crawled away from the two dead guards. “Oh, no, what have I done?” He shivered and kept scooting away until he was out of sight.

  “Just stay calm. Everything will be okay.” Todd didn’t look convinced. “I already called for an ambulance. You’re going to be fine.”

  Just as long as the cops didn’t bother him, Ian would be peachy. But if they did come around, he didn’t want it to seem like he was home. Ian glanced over at Hannah, who started rocking herself back and forth on the couch. Maybe Bernard’s close proximity was affecting her, since the gnome was still throwing around power.

  Ian needed to do something with Bernard’s little house. He’d put it in the room he used for working out on the other side of the apartment. That should keep the toxic power away from her.

  Grabbing it, he strained a little at carrying the weight of it and the gnome, but he managed to get the box into the weight room before feeling as if he’d gotten a hernia. He walked back to Hannah and slumped on the couch next to her. Faint patterns wriggled at the edge of his vision again. Squeezing his eyes closed, he hoped it would stop. But knew it wouldn’t.

  Hannah’s hand landed on his, and he stared at her. Her expression was a little distant, but concern peeked through in her eyes.

  Hannah leaned closer to Ian. Her head had finally cleared a little from the horrible thoughts that had plagued her. Then again, what had Ian said about the gnome? He brought out negative emotions in others? Caused suicide? Yeah, seemed about right. She shook her head and straddled his thighs.

  The feeling of his lips had stirred up passion long dormant within her. They’d never made it to sex during their former relationship, but regardless of the horrible events that had occurred outside, she just couldn’t stop herself from wanting him. Needing him.

  What was to come for them? Who knew if the people after them would succeed? She could only hope not. Because now that she’d found her way back into Ian’s life, she didn’t want to leave again.

  Ian stared up at her and ran his fingertips over her shoulders and down her arms until he settled his palms on her hips. She smiled at the pleasure radiating through her body, although she couldn’t wait to feel his touch in other places.

  She cradled his head, feeling his soft, short hair against her hands. She dipped her lips and kissed him deeply, enjoying his mouth on hers and basking in the feel of him so close to her.

  His hands tightened on her waist and tugged her closer to the hard bulge inside his jeans. He moved his warm fingers up her shirt. Excitement coursed through her as his hands traveled across her skin ever so slowly. A moan rose within her as he brushed his palms over her breasts.

  She ground herself against him in retribution. He closed his eyes and squeezed her breasts before flicking his thumbs over the nipples.

  Rustling and thumping sounded from the other room. “Ah, I hear sex! Are you two getting it on without me there to WATCH? Damn you,” Bernard yelled. She heard more rattling and then a hiccup.

  That Bernard could hear them dampened her libido a little, but the look in Ian’s eyes fanned the flames within her. She pulled away from him. “Uhmm, maybe we should go somewhere more private.” She ground her hips against him.

  He slid his hands down to her butt. “I know just the place.”

  She smiled and tried to scoot back to let him get up, but he cupped her to him and stood. A gasp erupted from her lips, and surprise widened her eyes. When they’d been together before, he hadn’t been so rock solid and strong. He certainly had been working out since they’d parted ways. Not that she cared about appearances. But the guy carrying her wasn’t just the adorable geek she’d cared about before.

  He grinned at her and took her off to the bedroom where he nudged the door shut behind him. He crossed the room and laid her gently on the soft white comforter.

  Loud knocking sounded from the living room. “Police. Open up,” a male voice yelled.

  “Should we get the door?” she whispered, pushing into a sitting position.

  “No, I don’t want them to know we’re here.”

  The cop pounded on the front door again, but the sound of talking indicated that they were busy questioning Ian’s neighbor. They would need a search warrant to enter Ian’s apartment anyway.

  Hannah raised her hands toward Ian and breathed in his earthy scent. A scent that washed away the darkness she’d felt earlier. A scent she hadn’t known she’d missed. Maybe her pheromones knew something she didn’t. But whatever the case, she cared about Ian. She didn’t know what might face them in the future. They could end up dead in an alleyway like Rich, but she wanted to experience Ian regardless of their fates.

  Ian grabbed her shirt and helped her into a sitting position before tugging the material over her head. His gaze dipped to her skin, and his mouth followed. He trailed a path of kisses to the swells of her breasts and popped open the clasp on her bra. His mouth dipped a little lower, and he flicked his tongue over her nipples.

  She moaned and ran her fingertips over Ian’s brown hair, savoring the feel of his weight pressing her into his mattress. She enjoyed being so close with him.

  He continued caressing her breasts
for a moment, then journeyed farther downward, pressing kisses and nibbles against the flesh of her torso and abdomen. He trailed his tongue in a slow circle around her belly button. His hands massaged her hips and thighs.

  Desire rose up within her. She propped up on her elbows and stared at him, noticing the utter mischievousness in his gaze. Tease! A grin curved her lips. “Whatcha waiting for, big boy?” she said, playing the coy seductress.

  “An invitation, but that’ll do.” He smiled and unfastened the button of her jeans, then yanked down the zipper. He slid her pants down her legs and tossed them to the floor. His gaze dropped to the black cotton bikini-cut panties she wore. Her only remaining piece of clothing.

  And yet he still had all his clothes on. No fair!

  His greedy hands reached for the waistband of her panties, but she grabbed it first. He stopped and leaned back. “What’s wrong?”

  “You haven’t shed one ounce of clothing. Yet you’re trying to make me entirely naked? Why?” She wanted to place a hand over her breasts to shield them from sight, or cover herself with the blanket from the foot of the bed, but no, she wouldn’t do that. It’d lack confidence, and she wanted to display self-esteem in front of him, especially at a moment like this.

  “I want to please you. I want you to know how much I care.” He rubbed his fingertips over his temple as if a headache were coming his way.

  What a way for her to be a downer. She’d given her maybe-boyfriend a headache. During almost-sex, no less.

  “I’m sorry. I’m happy to be with you again, and I don’t want to feel like I’m taking too much and not giving enough.” She placed her hand against his chest, running her fingertips down the hard expanse.

  “No, don’t be sorry.” He leaned over her and placed a kiss on her lips. His hand stroked her waist, dipping near the wound, but never getting close enough to hurt her.

  “Did I give you a headache?” She placed her hands on either side of his face and stroked his cheeks with her thumbs.

  He covered her hands with his own. “No, as Bernard said, it’s something different. Something related to me being a technomage. Neither of us is sure what exactly is giving me these. I can honestly say that I hate them. But don’t worry about that.” He smiled. “I just want to spend this night with you, not thinking about stuff like that.”

  “Okay, then, get naked.” She grinned and helped him with his shirt first.

  “Oh, so brazen. I like it.” He unfastened his jeans and shoved them down to reveal his long, hard cock. Looked like he was definitely ready for her.

  She pulled him closer again, wanting to run her hands over that solid length. “I never would’ve guessed you to be a commando guy. I’d have thought boxers.”

  He smirked. “I haven’t had a reason to wear underwear for a while. I might wear boxers to sleep in occasionally, mostly when I’m on the couch or if Bernard is extra active, but aside from that, no way.”

  “I’m happy with you like that.”

  He leaned forward and nudged her legs apart with his knee. She loved the press of him on top of her. Yet now she wished he’d taken off the damn panties when he’d wanted to. Lifting her butt, she tried to pull them down, but Ian grabbed the panties and ripped them from her. She gasped and stared up at him. Wetness surged between her legs at the display of strength.

  He spread her legs farther and kissed her full on the mouth. His knee brushed against her thigh, and she took a deep breath, waiting for him to push into her.

  “Wait.” He pulled back and sat up.

  Her eyes widened. The urge to cover herself grew almost too strong to bear. What was he doing?

  He dug through his nightstand drawer and pulled out a small wrapper. “I want our first time to be great, but I don’t want us to chance something unexpected. Like children. I don’t think I’d be able to handle that right now.” He glanced at the door for a moment, then stared back at her. “No, definitely not.”

  She sighed in relief that it’d been just that, and not him regretting this at the last minute. Then again, from the way his cock stood so hard and ready, she would’ve had a hard time believing him. “Yeah, I’m not ready for children either,” she said, slapping a hand over her mouth as a giggle escaped. It’d been a long time since she’d giggled.

  He rolled on the condom with one erotic stroke. “Hmm… So, I need to check if you’re ready for me.” He grinned and pressed his mouth against hers. His hand dipped between her legs, stroking and setting her body on fire. He moved away just enough for her to feel his lips and breath caress her as he spoke. “Oh, yes, you’re ready.”

  She pressed her hips against his, not wanting any more of the craziness with MAX Home Security to affect them. She wanted life to be simple and stable. Well, sometimes…

  Ian eased himself inside her, letting her accommodate his size before continuing. His gaze focused on hers as he rocked his hips against her in a steady rhythm.

  A moan erupted from her throat, and she grabbed him by the nape of the neck, bringing his mouth down for her to devour. She kneaded the tense muscles of his shoulders and luxuriated in the thrusts, feeling desire drive her closer and closer to the edge.

  Ian’s breaths came out in pants. Beads of sweat moisturized their skin. Ian slid his hand over her breast, squeezing it gently. Her body convulsed as passion sent her spiraling to heights beyond what she’d ever experienced.

  Ian groaned and pressed a kiss against her lips. “You’re beautiful.” His thumb trailed over her jaw line, and she tried not to blush. Then again, her body was blushing from what he’d done.

  “Thanks. At least one good thing to happen before… Never mind.”

  Ian rested his forehead against hers. “No, I won’t miss out on more of that. And next time, I’m going to take my time.” He leaned back, grinning mischievously.

  “I look forward to it.”

  * * *

  Hannah looked around the bedroom in the morning light, tired but content. Light drifted in from behind the curtains, giving the entire room a steady, warm glow. The screaming alarm clock had yet to sound, and she preemptively turned it off to allow Ian a little more sleep.

  In the kitchen, she found a TV dinner in his freezer and warmed it up. The faint sound of snoring came from a room off the kitchen, where Bernard was still locked up in his small house. Curiously, she walked into the weight room and saw the gnome taking a nap through a window. His face looked somewhat serene and happy, perhaps genuinely. Shrugging, she returned to the kitchen where the microwave pinged.

  Ian trudged from the bedroom, rubbing his eyes and looking around the apartment. “Hey, when did you get up?” he asked, sleepiness roughening his voice.

  “Ages ago. You snore and woke me up.” Hannah grinned and began to eat.

  Ian grunted and headed toward the coffeemaker and set about making a new pot.

  “So, why don’t you use your magic more often? You have normal things like a stove, a coffeemaker, and an ancient computer… Only thing that differs is the ward on the door.” She cocked her head to the side.

  “The problem isn’t that I can’t do things with my magic, it’s whether or not I should,” Ian said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

  Hannah set her fork aside and scratched her head, not understanding what he meant.

  “It’s not so simple. Every time I use magic, I exert some of my will. I get tired. And I like keeping a low profile. Besides, I would get lazy having the oven cook my meals automatically or the coffee pot refill itself whenever needed. It might be practical, but it would probably freak out Bernard, or he could ‘adjust’ the mechanics to do something other than what I’d like.” Ian sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

  The sound of slight snoring drifted into the kitchen from Ian’s exercise room, causing them to laugh.

  Hannah sauntered over to Ian and gave him a long kiss. “Thank you. For everything.” Glancing down at her watch, she sighed. “We need to start getting dressed. Rich normally wou
ld have tea in about two hours, and I need a shower.”

  “Sure thing. Need any help?” He grinned.

  She winked at him. “I think I can handle it this time. You need to eat breakfast.” Walking toward the bathroom, she heard Ian talking softly to Bernard.

  The sexy technomage waking up the foul-mouthed gnome rather gently made her smile. The two were so much alike, yet utterly different.

  During the shower, she noticed her wounded side was a ghost of what it had been. The initial gaping wound had reduced, and the pain lessened. Sure, the gnome was annoying, but at least she wouldn’t have to spend the next two weeks changing bandages.

  Walking into the living room, she caught the lingering scent of coffee in the air. The clinking of dishes came from the kitchen. Ian plopped a piece of egg into his mouth. Bernard sat near him on the kitchen table, sulking with a big cup of coffee.

  “What’s wrong with him?” she asked, nodding toward Bernard.

  “Hangover. Seems like he managed to sneak a bottle of rum into the house before I locked him up.” Ian raised an eyebrow at the gnome. “He most likely drank until morning, enjoying last night’s emotional overload too much. He’ll be fine. Won’t you, Bernard?” Ian said loudly and nudged the small guy’s cap.

  The gnome grimaced and shot Ian a look of murderous intent with his bloodshot eyes. Bernard hopped off the table and walked down the hall. A moment later, a door slammed and more soft snores echoed from the gnome’s house.

  Hannah couldn’t help but feel just a little sorry for the gnome.

  Ian left as well, heading to the bathroom.

  She sat on the armchair in the living room and leaned her head back, taking deep breaths and relaxing.

  The sound of running water droned on for a while. Ian seemed to be taking his time, but she didn’t mind. It gave her a chance to disconnect and have a moment to herself. She stood and went to find the documents Ian had printed the night before.

  A few things popped up at her after a moment. It was odd that Ian had missed them, but then again, she knew why he hadn’t noticed the lack of certain stores. Rich had paid the mortgage, groceries, and so on, like every normal person would, but there were no clothes, books, entertainment, or magazine and newspaper subscriptions in the regular purchases.