by Raven Scott
As much as she wanted to explore, Alex hesitated to go farther into the property, suddenly concerned that she was alone and exposed. She looked behind her, relieved to see both men approaching from the steps.
“Come inside and get settled,” Lucas instructed as he walked past her carrying her suitcase and his smaller bag. “Then we’ll look around a bit.”
She let out a deep breath and followed his path. As they reached the house, Alex immediately noticed the extensive network of tiny mounted security cameras that moved to track their approach to a side door. Lucas entered a code into a security pad and the door unlocked. He pushed it open farther to allow her entry first into a wide mudroom with coat hooks, storage cupboards, and laundry machines. From there, she walked into the crisp, white kitchen with big windows. It opened to a great room with high vaulted ceilings and a wall of glass to showcase the wonderful backyard and lake view. There was a sitting area in front of a fireplace and a wall-mounted television to one side, then a long harvest table surrounded by eight deep upholstered chairs on the other.
It was a very cozy home.
“The bedrooms are through here,” Lucas told her as he continued toward a small hallway on the opposite side of the kitchen and off the living area. “There are four. Ned and I will take the first two rooms. You can have the one at the back. There’s a second bathroom there for you.”
They passed a few doors until he pushed into the last one at the end. It was a good-sized room with a queen bed, dresser, and night tables. Lucas put down her suitcase near the closet.
“Let’s meet in about half an hour or so. I’d like to go over the security protocols as soon as possible.”
Alex nodded, and he left the room. She let out a deep breath and looked around again. If she ignored the surreal events of the last week, this place could feel like a relaxing vacation rental. It made her want to lie back on the bed and dream of long spa visits and leisurely shopping excursions. Or at least that’s what Noelle and Aunt Nadine would suggest. Alex’s dream would have her sitting on a comfy chair in a coffee shop reading through articles on automotive design and new technology. But hardly worthy of a getaway to a decked out lakefront cottage.
And she wasn’t here to relax.
With another sigh, Alex unpacked her things, starting in the bathroom connected to her bedroom. About forty minutes later, she returned to the living area to find Lucas and have that talk. He was sitting at the dining table where he had set up a laptop and several other pieces of network equipment.
“Would you like some coffee? Anything to eat?” he asked, sensing her presence while still focused on his task. “There’s a fresh pot brewed.”
“Yeah, sure,” Alex replied, walking over to the kitchen.
A quick look around revealed mugs and sugar in the cupboard, and a new box of cream in the fridge. There was a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter as well. She made a cup of coffee, and grabbed a small bunch of grapes.
“Ned has gone into Syracuse to pick up some of the things we’ve ordered for you,” Lucas explained when she was seated at the end of the table. “Another large shipment will be delivered here tomorrow.”
“That’s great. I need to get started right away if I have any chance of meeting our timelines,” she replied, sipping at the hot, rich drink.
“Like I said, just let us know what you need and we’ll get it delivered. But, I need you to follow my instructions to the letter,” he stipulated with his gaze now fixed steadily on her. “We’ve already discussed the communication protocols. And I’ve configured your work e-mails to be routed through an IP address in France. You’re supposed to be on an overseas flight right now, so I’ve also made sure that any network activity on your devices will be delayed until you would have landed in France. But I’ll need your cell phone to complete the adjustments.
“Will anyone be expecting you to post pictures or status updates on social media? Your online profiles are pretty sparse.”
“No, not really. I haven’t had time to be very active over the last couple of years,” she admitted.
“Good, that makes it easier. But we will keep a file of photos that you can access if anyone expects one and would be suspicious otherwise,” he explained. “Now, let’s discuss your security while here. You will have free use of the property, but do not go onto the street or down to the docks without either Ned or me with you. Always make sure the door is closed behind you when you leave or enter the house or the shed. I will provide you with the entrance codes for both.”
Alex nodded. It sounded a little constricting but she understood the rationale.
“Do not use or answer the land line phone. It’s strictly for outgoing emergency calls. Do not answer any of the doors, ever. And keep your cell phone with you at all times, even in the bathroom. If there is a situation that requires lockdown, we will send you a text message with only the word ‘red.’ Wherever you are, lock yourself in and do not leave until we call you or send a text message with the word ‘blue.’ Do you understand?”
“Yes,” she replied automatically, her appetite for coffee and fruit having completely disappeared.
“This is just a precaution, Alex,” he added in a much softer tone. “This house and the grounds are very well wired to ensure no one comes close without advanced warning. So, it’s very unlikely that we’ll need to use any of those tactics. But in the unlikely event that something does happen, it’s incredibly important that you follow my instruction to the letter.”
“Okay, I get it,” she whispered back, remembering the force of his displeasure after she had left the shop on Thursday without telling him. “What if I want to go for a walk, or if I need something at the store?”
“Just tell us and one of us will go with you.”
That all didn’t sound so bad, Alex thought to herself. Chances are, she’d be too busy for excursions. And taking one with Ned didn’t seem very appealing. One with Lucas was even less so, for very different reasons.
“There’s one more thing that we need to address.”
Alex felt her stomach drop a little. His tone, and the fact that he had walked away from her to stare out at the back windows at the view, told her it was going to be something awkward.
“What happened yesterday should not happen again,” he stated.
Her stomach dropped further. Hearing him say the words felt worse than Alex expected, even though she had already told herself the same thing.
But, why did he get to decide to draw the line after being the one to pursue her first? Sure, he didn’t know who she was at the time, but that didn’t change the physical attraction that was between them. It was a little insulting for him to make that decision now.
“What exactly are you referring to?” she asked, as her stubborn streak refused to let him off that easy. “The wedding? The fire? It was a busy day.”
She tossed a plump grape into her mouth, though it tasted sour on her tongue.
There was a heavy pause. Usually, Alex took guilty pleasure in moments like these. When she needed to show someone that she was a force to be reckoned with, that she wouldn’t take the polite way out by avoiding a confrontation like all the other sweet, likeable girls often did. Alexandria Cotts had never developed that particular feminine characteristic. In a houseful of testosterone-flooded men, a sweet girl would have been eaten alive.
But now, while she sat straight and waited for Lucas’s response, Alex wished she knew how to back down a little. Her assertiveness was about as endearing to men as her superior knowledge of car mechanics. Lucas turned to face her in a more relaxed stance than she expected.
“I’m referring to you, lying back on the dresser in my hotel room wearing underwear and pretty sandals. Does that jog your memory?”
Alex felt the heat rise in her body until her cheeks felt flushed. It should have been with embarrassment or shame, but it wasn’t. It was the warm flutter of growing desire. She plucked another grape and slowly placed it her mouth. This one was a l
ittle sweeter.
“It sounds familiar. But I’m sure it will happen again,” she murmured after swallowing. “I think it’s my favorite position.”
“Alex,” he muttered, and it sounded like a warning.
“Don’t worry, Lucas. It won’t be with you.”
Feeling victorious, she stood up, intending to turn sharply on her heel and make a regal exit. But he stopped her in her tracks, blocking her path by moving with lithe speed that shouldn’t have been possible for a man his size. Alex stepped back, bumping the table with her hip and wondering how she was again trapped by the mere presence of this man.
“That was clever,” he said softly, looking down at her with sparkling eyes.
“I thought so,” she quipped back, never knowing when to quit.
They stood like that for several seconds, and she didn’t dare move. The soft warmth that had ignited in her body was now intensified by the masculine scent of his aftershave. And suddenly, all they could think about was being laid back on the wooden credenza and feeling the hard thrust of his thick penetration.
“Stop doing that,” he growled.
She licked her lips, enjoying this duel immensely.
“Stop what?”
His nose flared and he leaned a little closer.
“Let me give you a little advice, Alex. Don’t ever play poker,” whispered Lucas, his warm breath brushing her cheek. “Everything you’re thinking is written clearly in your eyes.”
Then his lips were on hers, hot and intense, stroking deep. Jesus, it felt good. Alex knew she should remember his words, the feel of his rejection, more than once. She had made her point, proved that he felt the same attraction she did, despite his arrogant suggestions otherwise. Now was the perfect time to feed him some of his own medicine.
Alex meant to push him away, step out of his reach. But then his hands fell onto her hips and brought her up against the long, lean length of his body. Whatever she intended to do was overpowered by delicious sensual pleasure.
It was just a kiss, yet Alex was quickly drowning in it. His lips sucked and stroked over hers, his tongue probing in her depths and entwining hers. Everything about his touch suggested aggressive and tightly managed control, over himself, her, and the situation. It was intoxicating, beguiling her into surrendering herself over to him, letting him do whatever he wanted to with her body with the promise of a heart-stopping sexual high as the reward. Like yesterday. In that moment, while one of his hands swept up her back and the other grasped the back of her head, Alex was ready to give in to it.
Lucas kissed her harder, wetter. She reciprocated, entangling her tongue with his, then sweeping it over his bottom lip. He groaned deep and low, but pulled back slowly until only their lips hovered close, and their breaths mingled in between. The seconds stretched long, their heavy breathing echoed loudly within the spacious room.
Alex felt so hot, so primed waiting for what was to come next, until she opened her eyes and looked up into his face. His eyes were still closed, but his jaw was clenched hard and his lips twisted into a scornful sneer. It hit her like a bucket of ice water.
“Maybe,” she silkily whispered while rising onto the balls of her feet to bring her lips closer to his ear, “you should be more concerned with keeping your hands off me and your dick in your pants.”
She shoved at his chest, then finally walked away as gracefully as possible.
CHAPTER 17
Lucas stood looking out at the water long after Alex had walked out and his blood had cooled. What the hell was wrong with him? Why was he letting this woman goad him into behaving like a total jackass? What was it about her that had him constantly on the edge? Irresistibly drawn to her fiery energy and delicious taste, even while knowing it could lead to disaster.
Was he just horny? It had been some time since he’d been in a steady relationship with regular intimacy. Over seven months, with only a handful of onetime hookups since. But that wasn’t unusual for him. The last few years of his life had been dominated by his career and getting Fortis off the ground. Relationships had not been a priority. Which was why he usually had fairly casual ones without the promise or expectation of something long-term.
But this attraction and crazy lack of control didn’t feel like sexual frustration. Or curiosity. In which case, their very hot, incredibly kinky encounter yesterday would surely cure him of both. Instead, he couldn’t get the image of those moments out of his head. It was annoyingly distracting. And since they were now stuck together in one house for an undetermined amount of time, Lucas kept asking himself if it was a blessing or a curse.
Logical thinking said very clearly that spending more time with Alexandria Cotts was a very cruel curse. Anything or anyone that felt as insanely good as she did could not be good for you.
Eventually, Lucas went back to work reconfiguring the Magnus server. Something Ned had suggested yesterday had sparked a new idea. Whoever Nunez was working for had used thugs in Chicago and Toronto to do the dirty work. But they’d also hired a hacker for the more sophisticated plan. Not Pratt—he was just a front. It was a black hat, skilled enough to use the right tools, and smart enough to stay in the shadows. If the Cicada design was still the target, Lucas wanted see just how skilled that hacker was.
So, he decided to set a trap by creating a virtually undetectable vulnerability deep within the original administrative code of the server box. If there was another attack on the Magnus network, he’d know what level of hacker skills they were dealing with. And if the attack was successful, the information would be useless anyway.
He was still working a couple of hours later, tweaking his code, when Ned returned. Lucas went out to help Ned move the equipment into the workshop. It was a big open space, with lots of light and an impressive collection of tools suitable for maintaining and customizing cars. It was one of the reasons Evan had recommended this location, owned by one of his former colleagues in the CIA.
“I’m going to make us some lunch,” Ned stated once they were finished and were heading back to the house. “Where’s Alex?”
“She’s been in her room for the last few hours,” Lucas replied.
“Why don’t you show her the new stuff while I fire up the grill?”
They stepped into the mudroom.
“Why don’t you do that? I’ll take care of lunch.”
“Really? And why is that?” Ned immediately asked, obviously sensing something in Lucas’s tone.
“Nothing,” Lucas shot back. “I went over the security protocols earlier, and she had some objections.”
“To what exactly? They’re all pretty reasonable, considering the circumstances.”
Lucas let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms.
“It’s my fault. I probably could have handled it better.”
Ned started laughing as he walked toward the living room.
“What’s so funny?” Lucas demanded, throwing up his arms.
“You, that’s what. I’ve just never seen you make a wrong move with a woman. Everything you say and do usually makes them either blush or giggle,” explained Ned, still chuckling.
“Yeah, well. I guess I’m not her type,” Lucas muttered while passing his colleague to enter the large kitchen.
“Yeah, right,” Ned scoffed. “Fine, I’ll go get her. I need to give her back the rechargeable battery anyway.”
“Can you get her cell phone while you’re there? I still need to set it up properly.”
The kitchen was well stocked with a couple of days of fresh meat and vegetables in the fridge. Lucas grilled up some steaks and made a quick salad. While he ate at the table, Alex and Ned took their meals back out to the workshop. Dinner was much the same and created a routine for the next couple of days.
A large crate arrived by transport truck early Monday morning. Ned and Lucas supervised as the driver unpacked all the equipment and supplies. Alex used the time to set everything up the way she needed it. Then the Fortis agents left her there around mid
morning, fully engrossed in the fabrication of automotive components. She only came back to the house to grab her meals and sleep at night.
The air between her and Lucas was noticeably chilly, but cordial. For the most part, she ignored him, seeking out Ned for anything needed. Lucas was fine with that at first. But by Tuesday, her subtle snubs were wearing thin. And it didn’t help that Ned still found the situation very amusing.
Monday evening, Fortis had confirmation that Oleg Petrov had been arrested by the Toronto police as a key suspect in the Magnus arson. Then they got a video call from Michael on Wednesday morning that finally put the mission in the right direction.
“This is Cesar Hernandez,” Michael stated as he presented a photo of a young man on one half of the computer screen while he talked to them through the other. “He’s one of five partners at Red Creek, the venture capital firm that Nunez works at.”
“Looks pretty young,” observed Lucas.
“He is. Twenty-four years old, but his family’s very wealthy. It looks like he bought into Red Creek after dropping out of college three years ago,” Michael explained.
“So what’s the connection between Hernandez and Magnus?”
“This.”
Michael put up one of the pictures that Lucas had captured from the bar on Saturday night, showing some sort of car industry event hosted there.
“Cesar is the sole owner of Optimal Racing,” Michael explained as he put up a few other pictures of cars and drivers at racing events. “Red Creek acquired Optimal as part of a buyout a couple of years back, and Hernandez bought it from the company. About five years ago, they were doing really well in stock car racing, until they had a major crash that seriously injured their driver. Looks like Hernandez has been trying to rebuild them to their former glory. But his tactics are questionable.”
“How so?” Ned asked.
“There’s a lawsuit pending against Optimal for patent infringement. It was filed six months ago by another custom components manufacturer.”