by Cynthia Eden
“You get that I’m a trained Wilde agent, of course?” Linc wanted to know. “You didn’t somehow miss that obvious and important fact?”
“I didn’t miss a thing.” Her shoulders were ramrod straight.
“And you know I was an Atlanta homicide detective before joining Wilde.”
“I do.”
“So why in the hell would you ever think you could fool me with a lie?” The floor squeaked again. His hand curled around her shoulder, and he turned her to face him. “Especially when you won’t even look me in the eyes when you deliver that pile of BS.”
She stared into his eyes. “It’s not BS. I need you to leave.”
His face was hard. His eyes blazing. “Why?”
“Because…” Say it. Tell him it’s because he was a mistake. Tell him that you don’t want him anymore. That you want a new partner. She knew all the things to say that would make him turn away. She just had to be cold. Cruel.
Only…
Her lower lip trembled.
And he saw. Linc always saw everything. He yanked her into his arms and held her tight. “You are tearing me apart,” he rasped as he buried his face against her neck. “Baby, let me in. Let me help. You are not alone.”
But she needed to be alone. “If I’m not alone, you’ll be hurt.” He could get caught in the crossfire.
“I’m ready for any risk.” His head rose. His tender gaze slid over her face.
She didn’t want him taking any risks for her.
“That what this is all about, B? You’re running because you think I can’t handle whatever you’ve got in your past?”
“I’m running because I can’t handle it if something happened to you.” Truth. Gut-wrenching, life-changing truth. No more pretending. She was putting all of herself out there. “I don’t have many weaknesses. You’re one of the few. If someone really wants to hurt me, taking you out would do it.”
He gave her a slow smile. The one that usually made her panties melt, but this time, it made her heart ache. “B, you keep talking like that, and I’ll start to think you care.”
“I do.”
His smile slipped.
“I care too much, Linc. That’s why I walked away. I don’t want you at risk because of something I did before Wilde. I don’t want Cole at risk. I don’t want my friends getting hurt because of me.”
“We’re Wilde, we can handle—”
“This isn’t about protecting some rich CEO or guarding a star. This is about people who live in the shadows. People who will torture and kill and not play by any rule that you know. Because for a while, that was my life. I hated it and I wanted out, and when I had the chance to be someone else, I jumped at it.” She looked around, blinking a little blearily at her place. Her home. “This became mine.” The white walls. The bright paintings. The billowing curtains. “I got a new shot. Eric gave me that shot. I could start over. Be safe. Everything was supposed to be behind me. No one was ever supposed to know…” Her words trailed away. “But someone knew. The second bidder knew. I feel like the whole island was a setup. I was lured there, but it wasn’t just about me. I think the person after me—I think he wanted to see how I worked with a team. I think he wanted to see who was close to me.”
Because he wants to take those people out, too.
His jaw hardened. “So you figured we were all targets, and you cut out on your team.”
She flinched. “The only target should be on me. If I’m alone, it will be.” She swiped her tongue over her lower lip. “You need to leave me. Sever ties. Walk away. I’ll take care of this—I’ll figure this out, and when it’s safe—”
“You honestly think I’m the kind of guy who will leave you when you’re in trouble?”
No, she didn’t. That was why she’d left him. “I think you’re the kind of man who’ll put himself between me and a bullet.”
“Any fucking day of the week.”
“No!” The denial tore from her. She shoved against him. Hard. “No!” Blair shook her head. “Don’t you get it? This is why! This!” She gestured furiously between them. “I can’t have you hurt because of me. I can’t have you getting shot because of me. Or getting blown up! I can’t have you hurt because then…” Her voice had been high. Desperate. “Then what in the hell am I supposed to do?” Now it was soft. Ragged.
He stared at her. Nodded. “I get it.”
I don’t. I don’t know why I’m twisted in knots, but I always am when it comes to you.
“You want me to leave,” he said.
“Yes.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “I want you to leave now.”
A nod and…he walked past her. Headed for the door.
She couldn’t breathe.
He reached for the doorknob. “Tell me this…do you really not know?”
“Not know…what?”
Linc looked back at her. Sexy rumpled hair. Intense eyes. Rough stubble on his jaw. “Not know how you feel about me?”
“Linc…”
“Are you scared to admit it to yourself?”
She shook her head. “I’m not afraid.”
“I think you are. I think you’re terrified to admit the truth to yourself. So I’m gonna help you. I’m gonna tell you how I feel.” He nodded, as if he’d come to a very important decision.
“Don’t.” They’d already burned bridges. Given in to desire. And if he—
He faced her with his head up and his eyes locked on hers. “I love you, Blair Kincaid.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“And I am fucking not ever going to leave you to face danger on your own. You’re mine, and, hell, yes, I would take a bullet for you in a heartbeat.” He stalked toward her. Angry, now. No, fierce. Determined. “But I think it would be much better if I just killed the sonofabitch after you. That way, you and I both get to keep living.” He locked his arms around her. “Because there are too far many things I want to do in this life with you. Dying isn’t on the agenda for either one of us.” He yanked her against him, and his mouth plunged down to claim hers.
Chapter Sixteen
When it came to Blair…sex with Blair…why was he always madness and lust and need? In his head, Linc was all tenderness and fucking champagne. But in reality…
He was ripping her clothes off.
Literally, he was ripping her clothes off right then.
But she was doing the same thing to him so…maybe that was cool.
He tossed her shirt across the room even as she yanked his over his head. He didn’t care where the clothes went. He just wanted them gone.
She kicked out of her shoes. He ditched his. His jeans followed suit, and so did the black pants she was wearing. He vaguely wondered where she’d gotten them and when she’d ditched the jogging sweats. But, whatever.
He tore the clothes off her. Left her in only her bra and panties, and they were sexy AF. A light, sky blue bra and panty set made out of something soft and satiny. Her breasts spilled against the cups of her bra and made his mouth water. He wanted to lick and suck and take. And he would.
Over and over again.
He wouldn’t be easy. Wouldn’t be gentle. Maybe next time?
He lifted her up. Carried her to the bedroom even as he went wild on her mouth. Her taste drove him insane.
Leave her to face danger on her own? No, not gonna happen. Not even a mild possibility. He’d been in love with Blair from the moment they met. He’d looked up, stared into her eyes, and actually felt the whole world realign. No, correction, his whole world had become Blair.
Take a bullet? He was ready.
Kill for her? Any day of the week.
Leave her? Not fucking ever.
He knew where her bedroom was, of course. He knew every inch of her home. Yes, he’d had more than a few fantasies where she led him into her bedroom, and they tumbled into that kick-ass brass four-poster of hers. But this was no fantasy.
He lowered her until her toes touched the floor near her bed. He
sucked in a breath, trying to get his control but—
She slid to her knees.
Stared up at him.
Nope, he wasn’t going to be holding onto any control.
Blair curled her fingers around his eager cock. He was fully erect and aching for her, and when she leaned forward and put her mouth on him—
Every muscle locked down. She was licking him. Stroking him. Sucking him so carefully while he was about to go out of his ever-loving mind. Blair, on her knees before him. Blair, licking his cock. Blair, taking him into that beautiful, bow-shaped mouth of hers. Blair—
He hauled her up. It was either haul her up or explode then and there, and he wanted her exploding with him. Climaxing so hard that she screamed and her whole body trembled.
He pushed her onto the bed. Too hard, too hard. Go easy—
She reached for him.
He pounced on her. Like some kind of animal. His mouth took hers as he spread her legs wide and his cock shoved at the entrance to her body. She needed to be wet. He had to make sure she—
She’s wet.
“Having you in my mouth turns me on,” she confessed, voice husky.
That was it. Just it.
Control was gone. Obliterated into a thousand pieces. He slammed into her as deep and hard as he could go. Her sex squeezed around him all wet and hot and perfect, and she was moaning as he thrust in and withdrew, the rhythm wild and hot.
Her legs curled around him. Her hands grabbed for him, but he caught her wrists and pinned them to the bed. His head lifted as he stared into her eyes. Stared deep as he thrust into her.
Withdrew.
Thrust again.
Her sex squeezed his cock so tightly he could barely think, and there was no looking away from her eyes. He couldn’t—
Her breath came faster. Harder. She choked out his name, and he saw the pleasure wash over her beautiful face.
Linc didn’t slow down. Didn’t ease up. He pounded into her. Linc wanted her climax to last and last. He could feel her sex contracting around him. The powerful ripples sent Linc crashing into his own release. He drove hard once more and erupted into her.
His heart thundered. His breath heaved. He held her in a grip that was too tight, but even as the pleasure faded, Linc knew that he never, ever wanted to let Blair go.
Her long lashes had swept over her eyes. Her lips were red and plump from his mouth. Her skin flushed.
He was probably crushing her. He should move.
Her lashes lifted. “Say it again,” Blair ordered him.
He knew what she wanted. “I love you.”
Her sex tightened around him.
His overeager dick grew hard as he pulled back, only to lazily thrust into her once more.
“Again,” Blair breathed.
He let go of her hands. Curled his fingers under her chin. Kissed her. Dipped his tongue into her mouth. Savored her.
Then Linc thrust harder. “I.” Withdraw. “Love.” Thrust. “You.” Withdraw.
She was slick and sensitive, and she moaned with each movement of his hips against her. His dick stretched her, filled her, and he could have died a happy man right in that spot. Balls deep in his paradise. Buried inside the woman he’d always wanted.
But he wasn’t in the mood to die. Sure wasn’t in the mood to give her up, not ever. So…
He rolled. Tumbled them across the bed so Blair was straddling him. She rose up, pushed her hands down on his chest, and her sex shoved down tightly against him.
“Guess what, sweetheart?” Linc asked her. His voice was thick and rough.
She bit her lower lip. Aw, hell, now he wanted to bite, too.
He snagged her hand. Brought it to his mouth. Let his teeth sink into the pad of her palm.
She hissed out a breath. “Wh-what?”
“You’re mine,” he told her. Yeah, he wasn’t usually the uncivilized asshole type. Or at least, he wasn’t when it came to anyone but Blair. With her, everything was different.
She rose up, sank back down, and took his cock in inch by slow inch.
He bit her palm again. “Mine. Just like I’m yours.” She owned every single bit of him. Body. Soul. Heart. “Now, baby, fuck me like you know we belong to each other.”
Her lips parted.
His fingers moved to that sexy mouth. He traced her lower lip. Then her top. Then she took his finger in and sucked it, the same sweet way she’d sucked his dick.
He drove his hips up into her.
She sucked his finger harder.
Rode him harder.
The bed banged into the wall. Her breasts bounced toward him, and she fucked him like she knew he was hers. Like she knew he’d give her every drop of pleasure that he could.
He fucked her back with a passion that couldn’t be controlled. Fucked her like he knew that he’d make her come harder than anyone else ever had before. There was no more talking. Just panting. Moaning. The slap of bodies as they fucked long and hard. He surged up, locking his arms around her. He kissed her. Thrust his tongue into her mouth and let her suck his tongue and lick him even as he felt her coming around him again.
Skin to skin.
He felt every single contraction of her hot sex around him, and it drove him mad. His hips pistoned against her as he pounded toward completion, and when he came this time…
The world seemed to decimate around him.
***
“You can’t keep me here.” Edward Sharpe offered Cole and James a mocking grin. “I’ve broken no law. Just because I had the unfortunate luck to be on that island paradise, it doesn’t mean you get to take away my rights.”
They were in Miami and holed up in a federal building that was off the books. Cole swept an assessing gaze over the man who sat—so casually—at the old, scarred table in the middle of the interrogation room. Edward had been cooperating, until about five minutes ago.
Now, his tone had changed.
Why? Cole knew the man had to be working an agenda. He would figure it out.
“Where are the others?” Edward tapped his fingers on the table top. “Like that ever-so-enticing Natasha Frank? Where did she go?” He craned his head to look back at the closed door behind him. “Is she somewhere in the building, too? You got more agents interrogating her?”
“Don’t worry about anyone but yourself,” James advised him.
“That’s generally how I operate.” Edward’s head turned toward him, a slow, snake-like slither. “You are interesting.”
James lifted his brows. “Am I?”
“This guy…” Edward jerked a thumb toward Cole. “I get him. Ex-military. Practically bleeds it from his pores.”
Cole sighed. Was he supposed to be impressed because Edward had figured out he was ex-military? He wasn’t impressed. He didn’t impress easily, if at all.
“But you…” Edward nodded toward James. “You’re different.” An assessing gaze. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you weren’t even one of the good guys.”
“But you do know better?” James asked.
Edward smiled again. “I’ve worked for Uncle Sam a few times over the years. The government has needed my special skills. When the government owes you, you’d be surprised at how you get paid. Sometimes, it’s not in cash at all. Sometimes, it’s in secrets.”
Cole was so not in the mood for BS. “If you’ve got something to say, spit it out. Stop wasting everyone’s time.”
“I think I just said plenty, don’t you?” Edward rose. “Now, seeing as how neither of you are cops or Feds or any sort of government agents—at least, not anymore—then I think that means I get to walk my ass out now.” His face tightened. “I know my rights, and I also have money to burn. That means you can’t intimidate me. I’ve played nicely until now. Haven’t gotten my lawyers down here to rip you a new one, but I’m not really a nice man. So take some advice and don’t push me much more.”
James glanced over at Cole. “He’s not nice.”
Cole nodded.
“No. I guess that makes him…bad? Bro, I’m shivering.” He looked back at Edward. “No, I’m not. And I don’t particularly care if you want to burn your money. Seems like a waste, but, hey, bored rich people do some dumbass shit all the time.”
“You can’t hold me here,” Edward snarled.
“Carthright is dead. Someone snuck into his house, slipped past all of his fancy security—”
“It wasn’t Wilde tech,” James interrupted Cole to say. “Maybe if it had been…”
“Guy would still be alive.” Cole nodded. “You know it.” His eyes narrowed on Edward. “Someone got past his security and slit Carthright’s throat.”
Edward swallowed. “You don’t say.”
“Yes, actually,” James shot right back, “he did just say it. The man who you told us wanted to sell the island to you? He’s dead. Died after he arranged for you and Blair to be on the same island, and you know, that has me feeling all kinds of twitchy since it’s just way too convenient.”
“I don’t like convenient things,” Cole agreed. “Always seem suspicious.”
“Damn straight.” James crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m the fall guy, obviously!” Edward blasted. “I was supposed to look like the one who wanted Blair dead. I was lured to the island. Set up!”
“Yeah, but…let’s take a step back from that scenario for a second.” Cole propped one hip against the table. “My team originally went to Turquoise Island because of the kidnappings. Our job was to find the kidnappers. Stop them. We did that. Georgia is dead. Martin is in custody. No more kidnappers.”
Edward waited.
Oh, he wanted more? Fine. “Carthright wanted the abductions investigated by a thorough team. Or, at least that was the story he gave to my boss. If the other two women hadn’t been targeted, Carthright wouldn’t have contacted Wilde. Blair never would have been sent to the island. When I questioned my boss, I found out that Carthright specifically requested Blair. Gave some song and dance about how she’d been recommended to him.”
Edward shrugged. “I don’t get how that relates to—”
“Someone was playing a long game,” James surmised. He’d obviously connected the dots just like Cole had.