He lifted his head, staring at the side of her face before carefully extracting himself so she wouldn’t wake up.
Zak crept downstairs, snagged his secret private cell phone and called Miles.
Without preamble, the voice on the other end of the line answered with, “What happened last night?”
“I went to make the deal without cash in hand, but someone else showed up and scared Demarco. I got rushed out before the details were even discussed.”
“Who was it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before, but I recognized one of his bodyguards.”
“Because of your brother?”
Many of his fellow undercover associates were aware that Zak’s younger brother was a very successful bodyguard. Deke had saved “very important people” on more than a few occasions. There was even talk of a reality television show at one time. Zak would rather be staked face down over an anthill smeared in raw honey. He wasn’t certain how his brother felt about the TV offer.
“No. From a job I did a couple of years back. He’s hired muscle to the highest bidder. But Demarco was freaked out about the visitor, and I was shuttled out quickly. I’m fairly certain none of the newcomers saw me, including the bodyguard. I’m not certain he’d recognize me anyway. But if Demarco is worried about anybody, I believe we should find out why.”
“Is it worth pursuing over our stated mission plan?”
“Yes.” What the hell?
“Is that your ego talking because you want to take Demarco down so badly?”
“No.” Maybe.
“I know what Demarco did to your cousin.” Lots of people do.
“That’s not relevant to this case.”
Miles barked, “The fuck it isn’t.”
“If you don’t trust my judgment, why am I even here?”
“Because I got overruled.” Really? Fuck.
“Listen. No one wants Demarco more than me, for a variety of reasons, but I swear to you, the issue of what he did to my cousin is only one in a long list of things he needs to answer for. He needs to go down. But I’m not stupid. Given the opportunity presented last night, I’d also dearly love to get the guy who makes him nervous.”
He heard a sigh at the end of the line. “Fine. Do what you can to discover who he is and we’ll discuss it. No promises of a mission change.”
“Sure.”
“One more thing.”
“Yeah?”
“Who’s the blonde?”
“What blonde?” How the fuck does he know about Kaitlin?
“The one you left behind upstairs in your bed.”
Zak would never understand how his handler knew things he shouldn’t. Perhaps he was psychic. Or more likely he had spies or hidden surveillance or both.
Zak looked at each of the four corners of the room he hunkered down in, searching for a pinhole camera. Seeing nothing, he answered slowly, “She’s my next-door neighbor.”
“Do I need to be worried about her now, too?”
“No.” Maybe.
“You aren’t very convincing.”
“She followed me to the bar. That’s all. She’s not involved in this mission. But Demarco thinks we’re a couple. I had to play it that way last night to keep her safe.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll likely have to continue the act for the time being.”
“‘The act.’ As if. Now I really don’t like it.”
“You never like anything.”
“There’s a good reason for that. It’s my job to be the one who doubts. Bottom line for now, do what you have to do. You will anyway. Find out the name of the man who scared Demarco and report back. Do not engage the possible new target. You got me?”
“Got it.”
Zak returned the phone to its hiding place and padded to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He did have to go to work today. Sometimes the hardest part of these undercover missions was keeping up the charade of whatever character he was playing. This time he was the new mechanic at a local motorcycle garage where his in to Demarco’s organization, Julio, also worked.
Mechanical work was a good fit. It came to him naturally. He’d grown up around cars. His father had instilled in all five of his sons a very good work ethic along with the idea that no job was beneath them and also that a job well done was good for the soul. He was lucky to have grown up in the family he did. He often missed his brothers when he was undercover for long stretches. His only contact with The Organization and his real life was Miles.
Would Kaitlin like the “real” Zak and his family?
He glanced upward in the direction of where she still slept, wondering what in the hell he was going to do about her. He wasn’t a fool. He wouldn’t get to keep her. But he wanted to.
Memories from last night invaded his mind as the first drips of coffee filled the glass carafe. In the window. In the bar. In his bed. On his cock. He shook his head, trying to dispel the vision of her well-satisfied expression directly after she climaxed while riding him. That dreamy look would live in his memory for a long while, along with her scent. Cherry vanilla would forever remind him of last night and of her.
As if conjured from his imagination, Kaitlin appeared at the kitchen door. Wearing his T-shirt, she looked sleepy, well-fucked and absolutely delicious.
“Good morning, baby. Sleep well?”
She blinked slowly, nodded and blushed vividly.
He motioned for her to join him. She shuffled across the floor, head down, perhaps napping along the way. Without looking at him, she pushed her body into his, wrapped her arms loosely around his torso and buried her face into his shoulder.
“Are you even awake yet?” he asked, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. He breathed in her unique fragrance, letting it settle into his lungs.
She shook her head. “Not until after I have a sip of coffee. That’s all I need. Just a little bit of caffeine to lift my brain from the fog of slumber.”
“Okay.” The ancient coffee maker was loud, spitting plumes of steam from several places as a steady stream of wakeup juice collected in the pot. “Let me make us both a cup.”
She shook her head. “I’ll just have a sip of yours, okay?” She squeezed his middle gently and let out a little sexy sigh.
A pulse of lust hit hard in the center of his chest at the idea of sharing his coffee with her. Why did that simple act seem so intimate? Especially after all they’d done last night.
He grabbed the carafe, much to the protest of the coffee maker, which started sputtering and shooting steam out of even more places. He managed to pour half a cup before thrusting the pot back under the still dripping source.
Zak took a quick sip of dark, rich black coffee then handed the cup to her. She sipped from the same place he did and promptly hummed as if content. He’d expected her to spit it out and request loads of creamer and sugar before drinking.
“Mmm. This is really good.”
“You drink your coffee black?”
She took a deeper sip, moaning this time in appreciation. “Yes. And this is also very strong and very hot, just the way I like it best.” Kaitlin took a third and final sip and handed the cup back to him, but kept her body pressed close. He finished the rest of the short cup in a single swallow.
He did have particular tastes where his morning beverage was concerned. He was gratified that his woman also appreciated his tastes in that arena and shared them.
“When do you have to go to work?” she asked, the breath from her words bouncing along his pecs. Her eyes seemed to brighten with a bit more awareness after the coffee she’d enjoyed, but not much.
“Soon. I’ve got to shower first.”
“Excellent. May I join you?”
He grunted, wondering if he’d ever make it to work if they showered together.
“Is that a ‘yes’ grunt or a ‘no’ grunt?”
He pushed out a long sigh and hugged her tight, wanting to shower with her more than he wanted to be on time to work. “Come on
. You can shower with me. But I don’t want to be late.”
“I won’t make you late.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. Just looking at you sexy and sleep rumpled makes me want to call in sick and stay in bed all day.”
“Really?” she asked, giving him a half-lidded look before burrowing her face back into his shoulder.
“Yes, really.”
“That’s so sweet.” I am not sweet. But you make me want to be.
Zak poured another full cup of coffee one-handed and steered her upstairs. She was absolutely adorable. He needn’t have worried about an active threat to his self-control while they showered. Even with a few sips of coffee, she seemed barely able to function.
After a quick scrub of his body and hair as she leaned against the shower stall, Zak pushed her beneath the water, soaped her body, washed her hair and rinsed her off.
Once they were clean, he considered getting her dirty again, but didn’t want to hurt her after last night’s premier performance.
She seemed to rouse once he toweled her dry and shoved yesterday’s sexy outfit into her hands.
“Guess it’s time for the walk of shame back over to my house.” She slipped the black-and-red dress over her head and grabbed the fuck-me heels.
“There was nothing shameful about last night, baby.” He brushed a wet strand of her hair behind one ear.
“I wonder if the neighbors will feel that way,” she said as he helped her put her coat on.
He shrugged. “It’s early. You can sneak out the back if you’d like. The fence we share will shield you from the street.”
“Thanks, Zak.”
“My pleasure.”
“Was it?” she asked, drilling a gaze deeply into his eyes.
He tilted his head to one side. “Was it what?” Where was she going with this?
She swallowed hard, her expression difficult to read but seemingly angst filled. “Did you have any pleasure?”
Zak took her face in his palms, gave her his best sexy half-smile and said quietly, “I had plenty of pleasure.”
“Did you get enough that you want to be with me again, or is this all I get?”
He should boot her out and break her heart right now, but Demarco would find it suspicious. Better to stay in her life until he was certain that scumbag wouldn’t bother her.
At least that was the lie he told himself to say what he wanted to say. “If you want more, I’ll make myself available. I just don’t want you to follow me to that bar again. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Have fun with your stepsister.”
At first she grunted, but suddenly she brightened. “Thanks for that, too. I expect this to be a very interesting visit instead of dreadful like usual.”
He watched as she snuck over to her back door, carrying her shoes in one hand. His barefoot virgin was safely home again.
Zak filled a thermos with the rest of the pot of coffee and headed to the shop. Julio would likely have a few words for him today. His friend had left the bar soon after Kaitlin entered, but Zak didn’t know why or where he went. He hadn’t seen him when Demarco hustled them out either. He expected his day would be very interesting.
~ ~ ~
Kaitlin managed to make it all the way to her room without making a sound, only to discover that her sister hadn’t bothered to make up the bed in the guest bedroom. She’d just crawled into Kaitlin’s.
Furious, Kaitlin stopped being quiet, slamming her shoes on the floor one at a time. Brooke sat up in bed. Her bed.
“Finally back home after whoring all night?” she said, looking as alert as if she’d been waiting wide awake for Kaitlin’s return.
Kaitlin didn’t want to take the bait, but couldn’t seem to help herself. “Why is it that when you sleep with a guy, it’s exciting and something I should aspire to, but when I do it, I’m whoring all night?”
Brooke frowned.
Kaitlin crossed her arms and marched to the foot of her bed. “My question to you is why you were too lazy to make up the guest bed last night.”
“I was tired after a long day of traveling.”
“Is that so? And it was such a long day of travel that you couldn’t possibly find two minutes to call me or text me to let me know you’d changed your plans?”
“How many more times are you going to bring that up?”
“I suspect until you leave town.” Kaitlin took off her coat and hung it up.
Brooke climbed out of bed, wearing what looked like men’s pajamas. “I was going to invite you to a lavish dinner with my new boyfriend tonight. I was even going to let you bring your sketchy love interest along, but now I’m reconsidering.”
“Whatever. I don’t care.” She wasn’t going to let her stepsister bring her down after such a perfect night with Zak.
Brooke’s mouth hung open unflatteringly. Kaitlin ignored her and grabbed a fresh change of clothes, disappearing into her bathroom to dry her hair and prepare for the coming day.
When she returned, Brooke was nowhere to be seen. While she hadn’t made the bed, exactly, she’d pulled the covers up to the pillows. A marvel if there ever was one.
Kaitlin pondered her options. She’d taken the day off, figuring Brooke would want to take her out for an expensive three-hour lunch and regale her with whatever was current in her very important and much more interesting life. It was the price Kaitlin paid to keep her family in her life. Not for the first time she realized she was laying out quite a premium for little in return.
Brooke sat at her kitchen table, seemingly waiting for Kaitlin. The coffee maker wasn’t going yet. It was likely too much to ask for her stepsister to lift a finger to help out. The pulled up covers had probably exhausted her assistance for the day.
Kaitlin had already had a few sips of Zak’s strong coffee. She smiled at the recollection and pondered the idea of forgoing any further morning beverage.
“I need coffee,” Brooke announced in that whiny voice that made Kaitlin want to grind her back teeth together until they cracked.
“Then why didn’t you start the coffee maker?” Kaitlin asked, expecting Brooke to make a face, which she did.
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know where you keep your coffee.”
Kaitlin shrugged. “I already had coffee with Zak. You’re on your own.”
Brooke’s face turned a very unflattering shade of crimson. “Are you going to be difficult for the whole time I’m here?”
“Maybe it’s time you finally understood how I’ve felt for every single one of your previous visits. I get the sense that you don’t like them either. So I’ve turned over a new leaf. I’m not your doormat any longer.” Kaitlin felt somehow imbued with a new inner strength after spending the night with Zak. She’d had great sex with a bad boy, no less, and Brooke had caught her.
She tried to picture what would have happened if she hadn’t followed Zak to the bar. It was an easy vision. Right now she’d be miserable, listening to Brooke go on and on about her latest boyfriend, the hot monkey sex they were having, and the priceless gems he’d bought her to add to her extensive jewelry collection.
“I don’t understand.” Brooke looked sincerely confused by Kaitlin’s new attitude.
“Of course you don’t. You live in your own world and rarely think of anyone but yourself. You’re a taker, Brooke. You always have been and, worse, I’ve let you get away with it. But listen carefully. No more! I have a life. Yours is not better than mine. It’s just different.”
She’d never spoken to Brooke this way. Given Brooke’s expression, it was a surprise to both of them.
“I never meant to make you feel…” Brooke paused, seeming to search for a nice word to replace the one they both knew she wanted to use. Shitty.
“Bullshit. You always meant to make me feel shitty and belittled. That’s how you operate. I’ve just decided I’m not going to put up with your crap ever again. No more.”
“Kaitlin!”
“
I’ll repeat myself, Brooke. No. More. If you want coffee, then figure out how to use the coffee maker or go out and buy a cup. I’m going upstairs to strip my bed and wash the sheets you slept on last night because you were too lazy to make up the guest bed or maybe you don’t even know how. And honestly, I don’t know which I find more pitiful.” She exited the kitchen, never looking back, though she wished she had hidden cameras to see if Brooke’s expression was flabbergasted.
Once she’d pulled the sheets from her bed, shoved them in the washer and remade it with a new set from her linen closet, Kaitlin felt a little guilty. She wasn’t being a very good hostess. She’d taken the day off to fix up the guest room and decided to continue with her plans, even if Brooke had changed hers.
She didn’t have to look in a mirror to know her own expression was stunned when she found Brooke in the guest room making up the bed. She quickly got hold of herself.
“Find everything you needed to make the bed?” Kaitlin asked in an attempt to be civil.
“Yes. I did. Everything was laid out already.”
“Good. I’m going down to make more coffee after all. Want some?”
“Yes. Please.”
Kaitlin almost fell to the floor in shock at hearing the word “please” come out of her stepsister’s mouth. “Okay. Come on down when you’re finished.”
As Kaitlin scooped coffee into the basket filter, she heard Brooke’s phone ring. She heard her stepsister say hello, but didn’t hear any of the ensuing conversation.
Brooke entered the kitchen a few minutes later.
Attempted morning coffee with Brooke, take two.
She poured herself a cup and pointed to the extra mug she’d set out. Brooke picked it up and made herself a cup. Small victories.
“I’d like to invite you out to lunch today.” Brooke sipped her coffee, not looking at her directly. Interesting.
“That would be very nice,” Kaitlin responded. Civil was the word of the day as of now.
“I’d also like for you to meet my new boyfriend for dinner. He’s invited us both to dine with him tonight. I told him you have a new boyfriend. So, of course, he’s invited as well.”
Biker (Bad Boys in Big Trouble Book 1) Page 9