“You didn’t ask me a question, Trinket,” he said.
Stroking his chin and his neck down to his chest, she brushed her fingers over his scar. “I don’t want you to think I’m judging. I trust you and the guys completely,” she said, letting her fingertips descend his arm to his wrist.
Picking it up, she laid his forearm on his torso and climbed over his leg to lie between them, relaxing her chest low on his abs. Though they were open and low on his hips, he did still have his pants on and she had to move the buckle of his belt out from under her.
“You trust us,” he said, watching her kiss the points of the stars on his arm. “Spill it, what did we do?”
“I love these too,” she said, grazing her lips around his stars.
Her arm was parallel to his on his abs and he drew a line down hers and then back, tracing it back and forth. “Yours are attached to something hotter.”
“Did Anwen get hers yet?”
She hoped her question was subtle, but his finger stopped mid-caress. “Get her what?”
“Her stars,” she said, trying to be cool.
It wasn’t a big deal. No, it was. If the guys had decided she deserved them, Harlow was going to accept that she wasn’t the only girl on the team anymore.
He raised his arm. “Count ‘em,” he said. “Read ‘em to me.”
Pushing higher, she kissed one star. “Dover,” she whispered and kissed the next, each in turn with their names. “Maze, Noon… my man.”
Tipping up her chin, she let him see her smile before she kissed the last star with the thin concentric star around it.
“My girl,” he said before she could identify her star. He touched her hair at her temple. “You see any others there?”
Rising to her knees between his thighs, she slid her hands into his jeans to his hips. “Haven’t seen all of you, have I?”
He just lifted his head to lock his hands behind his head. “You want the goods, baby. You’ve got to do the work.”
After shuffling backwards down the bed, she began to unlace his boots. “Being in here is reckless… but sex…” she said. “We’re playing with fire.”
It was dangerous enough to have done what they had done. Being naked and wrapped in each other would be impossible to explain away as insignificant or platonic. Unless she admitted to drugging Ryske with Pothos so she could have her way with him. That was a possibility. Although it wasn’t true, Harlow would confess to it if Ophelia found them.
“Keep going,” Ryske said. “You’ll find something else to play with.”
Pulling off his boots one at a time, she dropped them to the floor. “Can I keep everything I find?”
“Everything that’s here already belongs to you,” he said. “Two weeks max and the club will be ours too.”
Crawling back up the bed, she kissed his stomach and his stab scar before working his jeans down to pull them off. Once they were on the floor, she laid back down on him, her breasts nestled against his groin.
Closing her eyes, she enjoyed his fingers combing through her hair. “I’m imagining we’re at home.”
“You should come home with me,” he said. “Noon’s outside—”
“Maze already made that suggestion,” she said and kissed his abs without opening her eyes. “I saw Noon outside. We talked.”
“What’d you talk about?”
“Your fighting. You’re corrupting Felipe. Will you please tell him you’re an idiot so he’ll stop copying you?”
“I’m not the one slicing guys up,” he said, scratching his fingers in her scalp. “I’d never tell you to stop fighting, baby.”
But she didn’t see what she’d done as the same as what he’d done. Ryske was going out to seek frivolous violence. Harlow had been defending her honor.
“Brash touched your toys without permission,” she said, turning her head to suck his stomach until she was sure it would bruise. “You should know that he and Ophelia have a deal by the way.”
“What deal?”
“After you get with her, she’s handing me off to Brash…” Propping her chin on his stomach, she blinked up at him. “I’m not trying to start fires. I don’t need you to act. I want you to know what my future is after you stick your cock in her.”
“Then you better protect it… Just like you’re doing now. My dick likes this kind of shield.”
“I can tell,” she said and shimmied to divert some more of his blood. Laying her cheek on him again, she picked up his hand to fidget with his bracelet. “Don’t take this off again.”
“How do you know I took it off?”
She smiled, liking that he sounded impressed and incredulous at the same time. “I know things,” she said. “Promise me you won’t.”
“You saw Anwen wearing it,” he said. It was pathetic that her heart broke a little. If he knew she was wearing it, that meant he’d authorized it. “Is that why you asked about her? But why would you think she’d get her stars?”
His thoughts were obviously catching up with her questions and he was getting curious.
Her heart rate was beginning to rise, which made it difficult to maintain her patience. “I’m not in the loop, Crash,” she said, aware of the vibrating strain in her tone. “Whatever decisions you guys are making, I stand behind them all.”
“Sounds like you’re getting a little amped, babe.”
And, he was right, she was.
Bouncing onto her knees, Harlow slapped his thighs. “You know, I just don’t understand what I did wrong.”
He rose to his elbows, a frown on his face. “You did nothing wrong… Well, you shouldn’t have agreed to the stakes that took you away from us, but…”
Telling herself to calm down, she picked at the hair on his thigh. “I think I forget how far back you two go.”
“Baby,” he said, sitting up to scoop the heels of his hands under her jaw to bring it up. “I don’t have a fucking clue what you’re talking about.”
“You and Anwen,” she said, looking into his eyes, fumbling for the bracelet on his wrist. “You guys were together for six months.”
“We were never together. We fucked. And I told you how she made it happen,” he said. “She’s sleeping on the pull out bed in the living room. We figured she’s not in danger anymore. I’m not sharing our bed with her.”
“What about our secrets? Are you sharing those?”
He scowled. “No fucking chance. You think I rolled on you? Baby—”
“Then how does she know who killed Hagan?” The stern look on his face intensified. “I trust you and the guys and I know it’s tough right now because we can’t communicate… But when I see her in Ophelia’s kitchen wearing this…”
Hooking a finger under it, she let herself look at the bracelet.
“Trinket, I didn’t give it to her. She took it while I was in the shower. You’re right, I shouldn’t have taken it off. We knew she was going to Ophelia’s… She said gaining her trust would help us. But me and the guys, we’re not sure. We don’t know what’s going on there. We were giving her the benefit of the doubt, hoping she’d get useful intel, but she came back with nothing… I ripped her a new one for stealing from you.”
Even mad Ryske could make her smile. “From me?”
“Yeah, it’s yours,” he said, turning his wrist. “I’m just holding it for you.”
11
So, Anwen had taken the bracelet while Ryske was in the shower. Maybe because she knew if she asked for it that he’d never give it to her. But wearing the accessory would give credibility to her assertion that she was sleeping with Ryske. That was probably why she’d stolen it for her visit with Ophelia.
Harlow snagged the bullet that hung low on his chest. “You’re supposed to be holding this for me too.”
Cupping her breasts, he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples. “I’ll hold anything you want, baby.”
“Seems like your hands are full, Crash,” she said, leaning in to kiss him. After a long battle of t
ongues, she eased back before he could step things up a notch. Bowing her head, she let her forehead rest on his chin. “I missed this… I feel so much stronger being close to you.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Come home, baby,” he said, not ready to give up. “Just walk out there now and Noon will take you home. The guys and me will fight to the death to keep you safe.”
“Don’t joke about death,” she said, curling her hands over his shoulders and digging her nails in. “And I’m not worried about my life. We’re doing this to save you.”
“From Ophelia’s bed,” he said. “I’ve been in plenty of women’s beds that I’d rather have avoided.”
“I meant her threat to blame you for Jarvis’ death. The only proof we have that it was her is the recording. We can’t use that without implicating the rest of us in other crimes.”
She could feel his tension. As he grew rigid, she skimmed her hands toward each other across the back of his neck to slide them over her own forearms, clinging tight to him.
“I want you home, Trink,” he said, scooping his hands under her to hook her legs over his thighs. “I won’t feel right until you’re back in our bed… I woke up in your bed without you this morning. That’s sure not an experience I want to repeat.”
She didn’t understand. “My bed?”
“Your mom and Lena have been calling about wedding plans. I went over last night, told them you weren’t feeling well, but your mom asked me to stay for dinner. Your dad wanted to talk after. I ended up sleeping there.”
She smiled and kissed him, imagining he hadn’t put up much of a fight when her mom invited him to stay. Being there might have made him feel closer to her. They’d made some memories in that bed.
“What did he want to talk about?” she asked. “He already asked about your intentions.”
“This was business, not personal.”
“If you take a job at SweSec, your chances of getting me back drop considerably.”
He licked her lip and caught it in his teeth. “Getting you back, hmm? Was that your pussy I was just inside?” he asked. “And your titties rubbing all over me?”
“Oh, well if you’re complaining,” she said and started to withdraw, but he tugged her back.
“Won’t ever hear me doing that.”
His next kiss felt like a prelude to something. He lifted her to position her on top of him, but she pushed back. Losing themselves in sex would be so easy. It was exactly what she’d feared they’d do if they got this chance to reconnect. But tonight was a fluke. They had to take advantage of this time for the sake of the op, not their own animal needs.
“I don’t want you to alienate her, be subtle about it… but I think you should move Anwen out of the apartment.”
He groaned and tried to kiss her. “Aren’t we done talking about that yet?”
Ryske could be impatient because he didn’t know that he was being played. It was Harlow’s responsibility to educate him. “She knows more than she’s letting on. No, in fact, if she came back from Ophelia’s saying she got no info, she’s flat lying… I overheard them. They don’t know I did, but… she seemed to be trying to form an alliance with Ophelia.”
He stopped trying to seek her mouth. “What did Ophelia say?”
“What she always says. Some variation of, when I’m with Ryske, I won’t need anyone else.”
Swearing under his breath, he flopped onto his back and rubbed his face with both hands. After a long groan, he threw open his arms, letting them fall out wide on the bed. “I’m so sick of this shit.”
“I know,” she said, stroking his torso. His head stayed back and she wasn’t sure she still had his attention, so she drove her nail into him. “Crash, will you look at me, please?” He lowered his chin to look down his nose at her. “Ophelia is fucking Yarker.” His head tilted. “She’s been fucking him for a long time… at least since this started. He told her about Parratt’s link to Arjan.” Who was their European Pothos contact, their supplier. “I know that we know she orchestrated this, but it’s much more contrived than we thought. I don’t know if it was Yarker or Ophelia, but some combination of them convinced Parratt to do this… She showed her faith in it by bringing on her brother for money and premises… She knew they’d need someone who could link them to a woman, or group, to facilitate the use of the drug… Ophelia knew they’d need you.”
“We knew it was her.”
Harlow nodded. “Yes. We did. But I think the affair’s still going on, or it’s not all the way over. Yes, this all started back then. But you should know the influence she has now. She has him and he has Parratt. You need to start cultivating a relationship with him. We might need it… Ophelia must have manipulated Yarker to convince his good friend to bring you on. I don’t think Hagan knew you were coming on until the last minute. I don’t think she cared if the way he acted toward you made him look like a maniac… We know they were competitive and that she’s a few sandwiches short of a picnic.”
His eyes ascended. “She’d have to be to give a shit about me,” he muttered.
Doubling over him, she seized his arms to bend his elbows, pressing all of her weight into his forearms, doing a feeble job of pinning him down. “You calling me crazy, lover,” she whispered on his mouth before slipping her tongue between his lips.
Harlow was sure that she could stay like this on top of him forever. Kissing him was the cure for every ache in her body. It might drive her insane, but she’d welcome insanity if it was a side effect of loving him.
When she let him have his mouth back, she kissed his jaw and his throat. “I’m a fucking mess without you, Trink,” he murmured, losing his hands in the mass of her hair when she released his arms. “I’m losing my mind.”
“Stop fighting,” she whispered, kissing his chest. “Please, my love. Please, stop getting drunk and stop being angry.” Rising to look into him, she kissed him once. “I want to come home to you. We just need a little more time. Trust your crew. Trust me… Please, Crash. Trust me.”
“I promised to never leave you… I feel like that’s what I’ve done. You cursed me for abandoning you once—”
“I abandoned you this time,” she said. “It’s me. If you have to hate anyone, if you have to be mad at someone, hate me. Be mad at me.”
Sliding his hands up her back, they tangled in the hair that surrounded them. “I’ve never been able to get you out of my blood… You run through my veins, Trink.”
She didn’t know about the moisture in her eyes until her tear dropped onto his cheek. “Every breath you are is me,” she breathed the words. “You are my soul.”
“I will bleed my last drop with you.”
“For you.”
“You ever thought about it?” he asked, pushing her loose hair from between them to hold it against the sides of her head and brush his thumbs under her eyes. “What we’d do if it came to a do or die moment?”
“If I lost you again?” she asked. “If I thought one of us would have to go on without the other?” He nodded. “Die, every time.”
Harlow didn’t hesitate. The way he didn’t blink betrayed he’d come to the same conclusion. “We should give Bale DNR instructions,” he said and she nodded. “Get paperwork for Maze. Leave everything to Dover. We don’t want anyone to have cause to investigate or get in their business. It has to be clean.”
“Yes,” she said and kissed him. “But I can’t—”
“I’ll do it. I’m still your proxy. I can act and sign for you,” he said, pulling her down, tucking her head until his chin, holding her tight, stroking one hand through her hair while his mouth turned down to the top of her head. “I’ll take care of everything, Trinket.”
This time when she closed her eyes, the tears that escaped didn’t surprise her. There wouldn’t be any point in going on without each other. Vengeance could be left to the crew if there was any need for retribution. But it wouldn’t matter to them. All they wanted was to be together, in life and in death.
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Pulling his arms away from around her, she sat up on him, sliding down his body until she could rise over his groin. Wrapping her fingers around his shaft, Harlow didn’t have to tell him what she needed. He was ready for her, so she sank down onto him and began rocking her hips.
Wriggling on him, she guided his hand up to her throat and smiled when he used the other to swipe away her tears. “I love you,” he mouthed without making a sound.
“Tighter, Crash,” she said and bit her lip.
They could admit to each other that there was a chance neither of them were getting out of this. It was a sad notion that they might have to give up their lives. But this was their time. Harlow wanted his memories of her to be positive, especially if there was a chance these could be their last moments alone.
His fingers strengthened, sending a pulse of pleasure through her. His entitled hand fondled her breasts, erasing any negative memories she had of being caressed by another man. Harlow had asserted to Brash that he couldn’t take anything from her because Ryske would always put it back, and her love was proving her point.
Pushing up, she began to move faster on him, building her rhythm, doing her best to maintain her pace, so she’d be able to see them to the end. It wasn’t easy, she wanted him so much. The way he touched her fired her into a frenzy that made her forget about stamina and think only about pleasure.
“My fucking God,” Ryske hissed, making her head fall forward and her hair cascade over him. But he still had her throat and she leaned further over him, bringing it closer to him while still riding him hard. “How the fuck are you still teasing me?”
He was deep inside her. How he could still feel it wasn’t enough or she wasn’t giving herself to him, she didn’t know. Raising her chin a little, Harlow blinked smoldering eyes through the sections of her dark hair hanging between them. With her teeth in her lip, she winked at him.
Letting go of her throat, he grabbed for her hips, almost trying to slow her like he might be ready to go off at any second.
But neither of them got the chance because the sound of the door opening broke the mood.
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