by Mia Downing
Table of Contents
Spy Games: Lethal Limits
Copyright
PRAISE FOR AUTHOR
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
About the Author
Also Available
Prologue
Chapter One
Thank you for purchasing this Wild Rose Press, Inc. publication.
Spy Games: Lethal Limits
by
Mia Downing
Book 2 of the Spy Games series
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
Spy Games: Lethal Limits
COPYRIGHT © 2012 by Mia Downing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Contact Information: [email protected]
Cover Art by Diana Carlile
The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
PO Box 708
Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708
Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com
Publishing History
First Scarlet Rose Edition, November 2012
Print ISBN 978-1-61217-684-0
Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-685-7
Published in the United States of America
PRAISE FOR AUTHOR
Mia Downing
AND HER BOOKS
“Okay, it's official...Mia Downing now holds the spot as my favorite author who writes emotional angst.”
~Christi Snow, Smitten With Reading
SPY GAMES: TRAINED FOR SEDUCTION
“WOW! Ms. Downing has created a world that I didn’t want to leave in TRAINED FOR SEDUCTION. The love, hate, obsession and control that radiates from Chase was written to allow him to come across as likeable even though he demands to be in control at all times. Kate provides a bit of mystery that kept me waiting for the answers to unfold. Through tears, laughter, and sweat this first story in the Spy Games series contains everything you want in an erotic romance.”
~L.T. Blue, Just Erotic Romance Reviews
“I have read some amazing books lately, but this is the first one in a long time that has so completely blown me away. And the thing is, it was an immediate thing...10% into this book, I knew it was going to be an incredible read. This is one of those books where you HATE to see that you are getting close to the end because you don't want it to end. So good!!!”
~Christi Snow, Smitten With Reading
Dedication
Mary F, president of the Team Jake fan club, this book has to be for you.
Chapter One
Jake Anderson swallowed, hard, and stared at the back of his partner, Kate Wells. No, she was Sanders now, since their boss and his best friend, Chase, had finally married her two months ago. It didn’t matter who she was. All he knew was he loved her, and he should be meeting a firing squad for it. He shouldn’t be alone, in a hotel with her, even if it was for work purposes. He should put on his sneakers and run, through Paris, out to the hills, and just beg someone to shoot him. Now.
At this moment, any sane, normal man would want to run from Kate. She was bent over the toilet, catching her breath in between rounds of being ill. A sick woman was worse than a case of the measles in Jake’s book, but when it was his boss’s wife doing the retching, he had no choice other than to stay, love her or not. So he stood in the doorway, hands balled in fists, wanting to run in the worst way.
“Jake, you’re going to be late,” Kate moaned. And retched again.
Jake leaned into the bathroom to hold her blonde hair from her face for her in trembling hands. Damn it, it sucked, loving his best friend, wanting to love his wife. It should never have happened. He fought love. Interrogated it as if it were the worst captured terrorist on the planet, because how did he, with his track record with women, end up feeling this way? He didn’t do love. He didn’t date—just fucked, and the women seemed fine with that. But he always made damned sure a woman didn’t have access to his heart in any capacity. But yet, Kate had wormed her way in.
And it wasn’t the normal definition of love, either. This love confused him. He’d had true love once, the blinding, fool-struck kind where you’d ride a bull just to get her attention. This love didn’t fall in that category, or any other category. He loved Charlotte Smith, a friend and agent, like a sister. He used to love Kate like a second cousin he’d like to fuck, but that changed to…he didn’t know where to put it. This was a sneaky love, one that made him ache for something…more.
And it was still wrong.
“Jake, just go,” Kate snapped. She must have felt a little better because she sat up to glare at him with those lethal blue eyes as he handed her a towel. “You’re going to miss Charlotte’s drop. I’ll learn the ropes in Budapest.”
Jake shoved his hands in his pockets, not wanting to go downstairs to the bar to do his job. Not when she was on the brink of death. But as a secret agent seeking intelligence for the good ole U.S. of A., he had no choice. There were bad guys to catch somewhere, intelligence to collect in a busy Parisian bar, even though his rookie partner was busy worshiping at the porcelain throne.
“Chase is going to kill me for leaving you when you’re this sick.”
“I’m not going to die on you, Anderson. I’m never eating airplane food again.” And then she moaned and laid her cheek on the cold floor, her face whiter than the sheets on the plush beds.
Fear knifed through him. She was his responsibility. She wasn’t dying on his watch. Chase had told him to show her the ropes for this international courier run—three pickups in a weekend. She’d never done anything international, and though Chase had no problem sending agents in blind, they weren’t his wife.
She retched again, and he left the bathroom, panicking. “That’s it. I’m calling Chase. He can get you into a hospital or something. If I don’t tell him, he’ll have my ass. It’s bad enough we’re in Paris. He fucking hates Paris. But when I tell him you’re this sick, he’s going to kill me.”
“He doesn’t hate Paris. He just likes to say that.”
Jake peeked back in.
Kate lay back on the floor and closed her eyes. “I feel better, I think.”
“You’re a horrible spy. You can’t lie for shit.”
“I lie just fine to the bad guys.” She opened one blue eye and sighed. “You look so handsome in that suit, cowboy. Why don’t you go down, do the pickup and then find some entertainment for the evening? I’m not going to be much fun.”
“You want me to go get laid when all I can think of is how sick you are? I’m cold, Kate, but not that cold.”
“I have food poisoning. Not some rare European disease. I don’t care if you get laid. You can go dance with a beautiful woman, maybe have a drink. Maybe Charlotte doesn’t have anything going on—you haven’t seen her in ages. Go walk the streets and see the sights. If you want to get laid, fine.
But just don’t come back here and stare at me like I’m going to shatter.” She sat up and offered a hand. “Help me to the bed.”
He bent and scooped her protesting form in his arms, kissing her forehead as she trembled against his chest. “You smell horrible,” he said, unable to keep from poking fun at her.
He didn’t care what she smelled like or looked like at this point. He just wished she could have loved him, instead of Chase, and suddenly he was very afraid to stay alone in the room with her. Sick or not. He should get whatever from Charlotte and run like hell. Twenty miles should do it.
Jake deposited Kate on the bed then went to her suitcase, which looked like it had exploded all on its own. He grabbed a fresh T-shirt, turned, and chucked it to her. “Why don’t you change?”
“Turn around.” She twirled her finger in the air, the shirt clutched to her chest. Even sick she was stunning, the paleness setting off the blue of her eyes.
“Kate. It’s not like you have anything I haven’t seen before.” That’s what he got for being Chase’s third for sex with Kate. He’d had her twice. It never was an issue before. He’d fucked tons of women with Chase. But this last time…
“Chase isn’t here to supervise. Turn.”
He turned. Her shirt, and then her bra, hit him in the back of the head. “All set?”
“Yes.”
Jake turned back, kicking her clothes to the side. She was snuggled under the covers, eyes closed. He went to the bathroom, grabbed some trial-sized mouthwash and a cup, and took it to her. “Here.”
She sat up, rinsed and spit into the cup he offered, and he set them on the bedside table. Then he sat on the edge of the bed, brushing the hair from her clammy forehead. “How you feeling now?”
“Better, I think. I don’t have anything left to come up, so this will have to do.” She fluffed the pillow and settled down. “Aren’t you late?”
“Maybe a little. Charlotte will wait. I’ll order you some room service, and then go.” Jake bent and kissed her on the lips, softly, so careful not to let his lips linger too long. He often kissed her. She was his work wife. He had to play married to her often in the field, which didn’t help the whole love situation. Lately, it was so painful, he didn’t tempt himself. Today, he couldn’t resist her, even sick.
But Kate stiffened under his lips and when he pulled away, she grabbed his jaw and held his face. He couldn’t hide what he felt for her fast enough. Even sick, Kate was quick on the draw. Too quick for him.
Her eyes widened and she shook her head slowly. “Oh, oh no. Jacob. No. You can’t be feeling that. When did this happen?”
“Last month.” Why deny it? She’d find out sooner or later. “My birthday.”
She let go of his face and made that strangling noise in the back of her throat that made him cringe.
He had celebrated the event at the BDSM club he frequented, spending the evening with Chase and Kate. Chase didn’t mind adding him as a third in their relationship. He and Jake had been through hell and back together, and had shared countless women before Chase met Kate. Jake knew Kate loved him, second cousin style. Which is why she had said yes to a threesome with him in the first place.
Only this last time, Jake felt something change when he held Kate, as he made love to her. The time before she rode Chase while Jake took her ass from behind, but they had changed it up for Jake’s birthday. Kate had ridden him, and it was a gift he’d never forget. He’d always been attracted to her, but as she slid her arms around him as he thrust into her, it was like fireworks for his birthday. It was magical to have her kiss him, hold him, and he’d never come so hard before in his life.
But after she came on Chase’s command, she had slid from Jake and turned to Chase for approval. As she should have. But it hurt, and he was having a hell of a time moving on. If this kept up, he’d have to ask Chase to give him a new partner. He had no idea how to broach that topic, but maybe, now that Kate knew, she’d ally-up with him.
Kate made that strangling noise again. He flinched as she struggled to sit up, the fire in her eyes returning. “See, that’s why I set the rules the first time. I told you where you could and could not be. No front action, anal only. But no. My generous husband has to go and offer what should be his, to you. And then you go and fall in love with me.” She smacked his chest. “Bastard.”
“I don’t think being in the wrong place made a difference,” he said, as if it would help the situation. “I’ve had plenty of women vaginally, and I don’t love any them.”
Shit, no, not the strangling noise. Not again. But she made it and he wished for a chalkboard instead, for her to run her nails down. How did Chase stand her when she was pissed like this?
At the thought of his best friend, he groaned. “Chase is going to kill me.”
“Chase isn’t going to know.” She grabbed the lapels of his suit and pulled him closer, his face inches from eyes that spit blue fire. “You’re not going to tell him, and neither am I. God help me for lying to my husband two months into my marriage, but I’m not going to let you destroy him.”
She pushed him away and slumped back on the pillow, pissed. “He fought being jealous of you the first time around so he could finally admit he loved me. I’m not losing him because you’ve gone and broken the unspoken rule.”
“I’m not going to destroy him.” Chase was his best friend, and Jake loved him more than a brother. He wasn’t out to make Chase’s life a living hell, which was why he wanted to run instead of meet Charlotte, to pound out the miles. Jake just wanted…to be happy.
“Oh, yes. You will,” she said.
It pissed him off that Kate would think he wanted to hurt Chase. “Is that what you think? I’m out to ruin his life? I don’t want to feel this way, damn it. I don’t want to love you a drop more than second cousin status. I don’t want to hurt him, either. Give me some credit.”
Kate shook her head, ignoring him. “He will kill you if he finds out. From a mile away.”
“Crowded room, busy street,” Jake whispered. Chase had been a sniper in the military, and it was a standing joke when Chase was pissed at Jake. He’d never worried about it before, until now.
“Yes, and when he’s done with you, he’ll kill me, too. So you need to get out there and find yourself a woman of your own to love.”
“No!”
“Yes. You want to love someone so bad, we’ll find you someone.” Kate thought for a moment. “What about Elaina?”
“I don’t know.” He shifted. Blonde, maybe one of the secretaries? No… “I don’t think about women once I’ve fucked them.”
A flash of black hair, chocolate brown eyes and long, long legs came into his memory. Tia. He’d met her last fall, and until he had realized he loved Kate, she had been more than enough woman for him to be exclusive. Jake didn’t do excusive, so that was a first.
“Mouth, Jacob.” Kate glared. “It is going to be almost impossible to find anyone in D.C. you haven’t slept with. That’s the problem with being a man whore.”
She shot him a holier-than-thou look as she adjusted the blankets and folded her hands on her lap. She had every right to look that way. She’d been a virgin for Chase, and Jake was her number two. Always second.
She sniffed. “When was the last time you had a woman, besides sharing me?”
“Last? A month ago. Right before my birthday.”
“And after that?”
“I haven’t slept with anyone since my birthday.”
“My God. That’s almost celibacy for you.” Her eyes were wide, and she shook her head, staring like he was a pariah.
Well, it wasn’t celibacy. He’d been longer. Though maybe that’s why he wanted to slip under the covers with her so badly. But he wanted just to hold her, which was odd. Yeah, he’d fuck her if she’d let him. But he wanted his arms around her more.
“You don’t love me, Anderson.” Kate was so pretty, even when she frowned, which wasn’t often. “What you feel for me isn’t love.
It’s love for what Chase and I have. What I give Chase.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“No. Look, Chase was a basket case workaholic with a control complex before we started in. Now he’s sane, satisfied, and has only minor workaholic tendencies. He’s still got a hell of a control complex, but I’m only human.” She smoothed his jacket with her palm. “What I’m trying to say is that you don’t love me. You love how happy Chase is, and you want that for yourself.”
Could that be true? He didn’t love her? He loved what she gave his buddy? Sounded wrong, but Kate was rarely wrong.
“What if—” Jake didn’t even want to say it. He was an ass for even thinking what if, to wish his best friend out of the picture. He wasn’t sane.
“Don’t go there, Jake. If Chase were to die or not want me any longer, then maybe. Maybe I’d love you, but it wouldn’t be what you’re looking for. And frankly, I like that Chase micromanages every second of my life. Are you going to do that? Because I’m not learning to cook and this room is a pigsty.”
She gestured to the open suit cases, the clothes everywhere, the tray of dirty dishes, the little bottle of booze he’d drunk from the bar stash at dinner and then left on top of the TV. “Chase would have already ordered me room service and would have cleaned up and then would have gone to his courier drop. And I’m not going to tell you what he’d do when he returned, because I don’t want to give you ideas. He’s the boss, he makes the plans, and I love him for that. And you and I have a better chance of dying than he does, so just get over it.”
“Room service.” He groaned and picked up the phone. He dialed out and ordered Kate some toast, ginger ale, and a few other things he thought might settle well. “There.”