by Cynthia Eden
Merik was cracking. No, breaking. Just as they’d planned. “You knew that Sergei was Vivian’s stepfather.” Merik had read the dossier just like Chase had. “Luc knew it, too. Making her the fall victim in the data theft was deliberate. Luc hoped to draw out Sergei. He wanted to finish his hit from long ago. And I have to say, Luc was successful.”
Merik’s eyelids flickered. “Sergei is dead?” Relief flashed on his face.
“No. But Luc is. He was found dead in his cell this morning.”
Merik slumped back in his chair. “Shit.”
“Looked like a heart attack,” Dex drawled. “But my money is on poison. We’ll see what the ME discovers.”
“Fuck!” Merik’s eyes had grown to the size of saucers. “He’s gonna come after me?”
“You did try to kill his daughter. I don’t think things are going to end well for you.” Chase stared at the man he’d thought was his friend. “Not well at all.” He rose and stared sadly at Merik.
“You have to help me!” Merik shouted. The shackles jangled again. “Get her to call him off! I will do anything! Give you any intel! Don’t let him kill me! Don’t let him—”
“Told you already,” Dex said. “I’m not here to deal.” He strolled for the door.
Chase’s gaze slid to Eric. Eric was staring at Merik with no expression on his face at all.
“Eric, please,” Merik entreated. “Don’t do this. It’s execution. That’s not what you do. You don’t—”
“You put a gun to Chase’s head. You tried to strangle the woman he loves. Why the hell would you think that I would do anything for you now?” Disgusted, Eric shook his head. “We’re done.”
“Don’t!” Merik cried. “Please, don’t do this to—”
“I believe,” Dex interrupted, “that he said we were done. Or, at least, you are.”
They shut the door on his shouts. As they stood in the hallway outside of the interrogation room, tension stretched between the three men.
And then…
Dex smiled. “That went perfectly!”
Eric blew out a long breath. He ran a shaking hand over his face.
“I told you’d he’d crumble. All we had to do was put the right scenario in front of him. You paint a picture in someone’s head—the right picture—and they’ll do whatever you want.”
Chase sucked in a deep breath. “You’re a twisted individual, Dex.”
“Yeah, well, you are the one who had the idea of bringing up Sergei. I mean, how did you even connect the dots on that one? Damn, man, I am impressed!”
“I connected them because of something Luc said when he was trying to make Vivian unscramble the data.” The words had played through Chase’s head again and again. “He said ‘Sergei’s precious Russian doll’ was under his control. Weird thing to say. Didn’t fit at the time. But then I considered the drugs we’d been given at the hotel and the fact that Vivian told me her mother hadn’t ever experienced any heart problems before her sudden death…” He’d had puzzle pieces. He’d put them together, hoping he might be wrong but…
No, Merik’s reaction had confirmed things. Luc had killed her mother. Chase would have to tell Vivian. And he’d have to watch her pain.
“The part about Sergei going after Luc was cold.” Eric rocked onto the balls of his feet. “What do you think Merik will do when he finds out that Luc isn’t dead?”
“I don’t really care.” Dex’s expression reflected his utter lack of fucks to give. “By then, Merik will have talked until he’s blue. I’ll have all the intel I need from him. I’ll have the names of every dirty CIA man or woman that he knows, and I will clean house. I will—” His phone rang. “Who the hell even has this number?” He yanked out the phone. Frowned at the screen. “Excuse me,” he mumbled before he turned away.
Eric swung his gaze to Chase. “This news will hurt Vivian.”
Yes. “It will also give her closure.” It also explained a few things. “She believes Sergei cut her out of his life, but I think he might have been protecting her. Distancing himself from Vivian could have been a way to keep her safe.”
“Sergei the Savage.” Eric cocked his head. “You’re saying…what? Beneath the blood and gore and monster facade, he has a soft spot?”
Maybe. “Even a monster can love.”
“It’s not a lie.” Dex’s voice was low, stunned.
At Dex’s rather dramatic announcement, Chase squinted at him. “Say again?”
“Luc being dead. Probably being poisoned.” He tightened his hold on the phone in his hand. “It’s not a lie. He was just found in his jail cell, and I swear, the scene went down exactly as we described to Merik. Looks like a heart attack, but my money will be on poison.” He stared at Eric. Then at Chase. “What the hell do you think of that?”
Chase considered the situation. “Huh.” His gaze slid to the closed cell door. “I think Merik had better watch his back.”
***
When Chase returned to his apartment, he found a vase of sunflowers sitting by his door.
He stopped. Frowned. And bent to pick up the flowers. Okay. That was strange as hell. He unlocked the door and pulled the card from the flowers as he stepped inside.
Make her happy. Take care of her. Love her.
—S.
“Oh, fuck me,” Chase breathed. He’d have to check the security camera that he still had installed in the hallway near the elevator, but every instinct he had screamed that freaking Sergei the Savage had left those flowers. But sunflowers? What the hell?
A knock sounded at the door. Chase grabbed his weapon because if a Russian mob boss was about to pay him a visit, then he damn well wanted to be ready. But when he glanced through the peephole, Sergei wasn’t on the other side.
Vivian was.
He swung open the door and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly. Far, far too tightly. And he never wanted to let her go.
“Hey, not so hard!” Laughter rang in her voice.
He eased up, a little.
“Did you buy me sunflowers?” She pushed against him and peered over at the vase of flowers. A wide smile curved her lips. “How did you know they are my favorites?” She ran to the flowers and touched them with careful fingers. “My mom loved sunflowers. We used to plant them in our garden every spring, and Sergei would be there to help us…”
Her favorite flowers. Of course.
Chase shut and locked the door. “Baby, we need to talk.”
But she’d found the card that rested beside the flowers. The card he’d dropped when he rushed to answer the door.
Uncertainly, Vivian’s head angled toward him. “Chase?”
He squared his shoulders and went to her.
***
“You bake when you’re stressed, and I love that about you. Mostly because I love every single thing that you bake, and if you decide you want to make more brownies, please, by all means, do it. Bake them until you can’t bake any longer.”
Vivian glanced up. She’d been stirring brownie batter, probably a little too hard, and Chase had snuck into the kitchen. He was right. She did bake when she was stressed, and she’d been stressed ever since he’d revealed the truth of her mother’s death to her.
Luc killed my mother. And it looks like my stepfather killed Luc. And my stepfather sent those flowers and—
“I think you might be hurting the brownie batter. While I am not a master baker by any stretch of the imagination, those seem like very vicious swipes.”
She put down the batter. “He’s a killer.”
“Who?”
“Sergei.”
Chase nodded.
“He…loved her.”
Once more, Chase nodded.
“He…loved me.” She yanked off her apron.
“From what I can gather, he still loves you. Dex has uncovered intel that shows Sergei had men ready to storm inside and kill Luc when he had me tied up at that old office building. Sergei only pulled back his men because he caugh
t sight of Dex.”
So her stepfather was watching over her. She’d thought he’d just left. No, that he’d sent her away. “He didn’t think it was safe for me to be with him.”
“Baby, he knew it wasn’t safe.” His golden gaze was so tender. Warm.
“I know what he is,” she whispered.
Chase inclined his head.
“And I-I still love the dad I knew.” Another of her secrets. She’d lost count of how many she’d given to Chase. The number didn’t really matter. She knew that he’d always keep her secrets safe. “What does that say about me?”
Chase slowly walked around the counter. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “It says you can see good in people, and, baby, that is one of the many things I love about you.”
She searched his gaze. “You’re not worried because your future father-in-law is part of the Russian mob?”
“The only thing that worries me is the fear that you’ll change your mind. You’ll realize that you’re too damn good for a jackass like me.”
“No.” She curled her arms around him. “That’s not going to happen. I love you.” With all of her heart because he was good. She’d asked Chase to be one of the good guys, and he was. He was brave, strong, determined. Good. She knew that he would do anything for her. And she…
She’d take any risk for him.
“I love you, too,” Chase told her. His head bent. His lips took hers.
Vivian kissed him back eagerly. She needed his kiss. Needed his warmth and power. After he’d told her the dark news the night before, she’d cried. He’d held her all night long while she’d grieved again.
He’d been there for her, in a way that no one ever had before.
She could count on Chase.
Her body pressed to his. Her lips parted even more. Her tongue darted out to rub against his.
A guttural groan tore from him. “OhmyGod.” He kissed her. Harder. Deeper. “You were sampling the brownies. Brownies and vanilla. You taste like my best dream ever.”
She laughed. Chase could do that. He could make her laugh in the darkest of times. He held her when she cried. He fought for her when danger closed in.
How could she not love him with her whole heart?
“Chase…” She nibbled on his lower lip. “Make love to me?”
“Baby, I will make love to you forever.” He swung her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
“Promises, promises,” Vivian teased.
“Not a promise.” He lowered her onto the bed. Carefully unbuttoned the white shirt that she wore and opened it to expose her bra. “A guarantee.” His mouth pressed to the swell of her breast. She arched toward him. His fingers slid under the fabric of her bra, and he teased her nipple. His touch was so careful. Tender. He stroked. Kissed. Licked. He took off her bra and she barely even felt the material slide away. He was taking such good care of her.
Loving her.
Her heart raced, and her hips squirmed against him. “You’re being slow.”
“That’s because I’m savoring you.” His hand slid down her body. Unhooked her pants. He eased away long enough to remove her pants and her panties. She hadn’t been wearing shoes or socks, so she was naked now, and she waited for him to—
He parted her legs. “Savor,” Chase breathed.
His mouth pressed to her sex. He licked and sucked. Took his time as he savored. She was grabbing for the covers and chanting his name and loving every single thing that he was doing to her. Her climax built and built, and Vivian knew there would be no holding back. It was too strong. Too powerful.
He licked her clit. Pushed two fingers deep into her.
Vivian surged toward his hungry mouth as her release poured through her whole body. Pleasure blasted her. The aftershocks of release hummed through her, driving the pleasure higher as her sex clenched around his fingers.
But she wanted more than his fingers inside of her.
She wanted him.
She wanted his control gone.
Vivian’s eyes opened. She met his stare. The gold was so bright.
“You are beautiful,” he told her. “And mine.” He rose over her.
But she put her hands on his chest. “You’re mine, too.” She slid to the side and pushed him down on the bed. “Every bit of you.” She straddled him. He was still wearing his clothes. Jeans and a t-shirt. They needed to go. Her hand trailed down his chest. Her touch was careful because she knew his healing wounds were tender. Yes, the stitches were gone, but she still wanted to be gentle with him. I never want to hurt him.
Her fingers eased down and paused at the snap of his jeans. “Body and soul, right?”
“Body, soul, and heart. Sweetheart, you own every piece of me.”
Her gaze flew to his.
She could see the love shining in his eyes.
He loved her. No lie. No pretense.
Just as she loved him.
She unsnapped his jeans. Pulled down the zipper. He wasn’t wearing underwear, so his cock sprang toward her. Fully erect, long and thick, with moisture already wetting the head.
Vivian had to lean down for a lick.
“Viv!”
One lick wasn’t enough. She tried another. And if she wanted a full taste, she needed to part her lips, so she did. Her mouth closed around him, and she sucked his cock into her mouth. Her fingers tightened around the base of his shaft as she worked him. She took more and more. Became greedy for him. Always him.
“Vivian!” His hands locked around her shoulders. “Don’t play. I want in you.”
If that was what he wanted…
She moved up. Went back to her position straddling his hips. His cock shoved at the entrance to her body. Their fingers twined together.
She sank down on him.
He filled her completely, perfectly, and for a moment, she didn’t want to move at all. She just wanted to remember this instant. To freeze it in her mind and never forget.
“Baby, I’m about to go crazy,” he warned.
She smiled down at him. “Good. Take me with you. Let’s be crazy together.”
His control shredded. So did hers. His hips shoved against her, and she rode him. She jerked up and down, and each glide had her moaning. A second orgasm built for her, and it came at her so fast she didn’t even have time to do anything but—“Chase!”
Enjoy the ride. That was all she could do. Enjoy.
He tumbled her back onto the mattress. He caught her legs and lifted them high around his hips. He thrust into her, drove deep and strong, plunging into her as her orgasm swept through her. He kissed her, and she felt him come.
His body jerked as he pumped into her, and she held him as tightly as she could.
A wild thunder filled her ears, and Vivian smiled as her heart raced. Sex with Chase was always incredible. No, it wasn’t just sex. It was making love. Making love with him would never get old.
He’d been right about that. Once for them would never be enough. She wasn’t even sure that a million times would be enough. Good thing they had plenty of days—and nights—ahead of them. Forever.
But…her eyes flew open. “Did I hurt you?”
He’d been staring down at her. She caught the faint smile on his face. He looks so happy.
At her question, Chase frowned.
“Your wounds,” Vivian quickly reminded him. “Oh, God, did I hurt them? Did I hurt you?”
“No, baby. You know the doc said I was all clear. The stitches are gone. I’m fine.”
He was better than fine.
Perfect.
Chase slowly withdrew from her. They righted themselves on the wrecked bed, then snuggled together against the pillows.
“I’m so good.” He winked at her. “We should totally go for round two.”
She was up for that.
“Though I think I should actually manage to get my jeans all of the way off. And maybe take off my shirt. You know, do that stuff.”
A soft laugh sli
pped from her.
“I love your laugh.” His expression turned serious. “I want to make you laugh and smile every day of your life. I want you to be happy,” he continued in his deep rumble of a voice. “Because that’s how you make me feel. Happy. Free. Whole. Like there is something good in my world. Something I would do anything to protect.” He pressed a soft kiss to her throat. “You’re my something good, sweetheart. Always will be.” He swallowed. “I…didn’t think people stayed.”
Tension snaked through her.
“When things get hard, I thought people left.”
She knew he was talking about his mother.
“But you didn’t leave. You were willing to trade your life for me. You came for me, Vivian.”
What else would she have done? “I plan to stay,” she promised him softly. “Always.” Because I love you.
“So do I.” His fingers drifted over her cheek. “Always.”
She leaned toward him. He slid his head a few inches toward her.
They kissed once more.
But perhaps she should tell him one thing. “I have another secret,” Vivian murmured against his mouth.
“Tell me anything.”
“I…grew up as an only child.”
“Me, too, sweetheart.” Another kiss.
“I always hoped to have a big family.”
“You’re my family now.”
Just as he was hers. “How do you feel about kids?”
His eyes opened. He stared at her, then slowly smiled. “How many do you want?”
“Three…”
He nodded.
“Is a good start,” she finished.
Chase laughed. It was a happy, wonderful laugh that warmed her heart. His mouth brushed over hers again, and he revealed, “I have a secret.”
She waited.
“I always wanted a big family, too. A family where there is love and promises kept and a whole freaking lot of vanilla ice cream.” He gazed into her eyes. “Wanna know what else I think would be great at that home?”
“What?”
“A field of sunflowers. We can plant them every spring.”
Her mom would have liked that. She liked that. And… “I love you.”
“You can say that as many times as you like. Makes me feel good every time I hear it.”