Killer Colton Christmas

by Regan Black

  Edith shrugged. “In my experience, the direct approach is usually the most effective. And from what I know of you, I think it’s probably your best option. You could invite him to a private holiday dinner or plan some other date. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him saying no.”

  Felicity nodded, her mind whirring with possible activities. “Should I tell him right away that I just want to keep things casual?” Based on what he’d said to her before, she didn’t think Dario was interested in anything serious or long-term. But would it kill the mood if she made it clear she felt the same way?

  “It probably wouldn’t hurt,” Edith said. “But I wouldn’t dwell on that. Kinda puts a damper on things, you know?” She winked mischievously, and Felicity had to laugh.

  “Fair enough. Now I just have to work up my courage for the big ask.”

  Edith leaned forward. “That shouldn’t be a problem. You’re a marine. You have courage coming out your ears.” She stood and gathered up her bags. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I just want to say that I’m here for you if you ever want to talk. I know you and River have a connection, but if there’s ever any girl stuff you don’t want to say to him, I’ve got your back.”

  “Thank you.” Felicity blinked against the sudden sting of tears. She stood and quickly rounded her desk, pulling Edith into a hug. “I really appreciate that. And I’m going to take you up on your offer.”

  “I hope so,” Edith replied. “You’ve got to let me know how it goes with Dario. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the two of you!”

  Felicity smiled. “I think I’ll have an update for you soon,” she promised.

  Edith left with a wave, and Felicity stayed in the middle of her office, considering her options. She glanced back at her computer, but she had no desire to finish composing her reply to Zane Colton at the moment. With her thoughts so centered on Dario, it was probably better for her to duck out and get his gift now. Once that was taken care of, she’d be able to focus on the case again.

  Or so she hoped.

  * * *

  Dario tiptoed down the hall and retreated back into the relative safety of the temporary office Adeline had set up in the storage room just off the lobby. He’d accidentally overheard Felicity’s conversation with Edith, and now his head was spinning. He needed quiet and privacy to think, and he didn’t want Felicity to find him and think he’d been deliberately eavesdropping.

  She liked him.

  He’d suspected as much all along, but the confirmation made him smile. It was always gratifying to know a beautiful woman was interested in him, especially one as appealing as Felicity.

  And he had to admit, he was pleased to know she also wanted to keep things casual. He’d done a lot of thinking after the Coltons’ holiday gathering yesterday, and while he was no longer quite so against the idea of marriage and children, he knew those were milestones for a future time in his life.

  From what he’d overheard, it sounded like Felicity was looking to ease back into the dating world. She must have had a bad experience, and for a brief second his heart ached for her. Her former boyfriend must have been a real jerk to turn her off of dating like that. Dario always took pains to make sure his relationships ended well, and he felt a spurt of disgust toward Felicity’s unknown ex for not being as considerate.

  Depending on how badly her former lover had hurt her, it might be quite a challenge to show Felicity that relationships didn’t always mean emotional pain and regret. But Dario knew he was equal to the task. In fact, he relished the thought of being the man to show her how much fun dating could be.

  He’d have to take things slow; that much was certain. Felicity was skittish, and he felt responsible for making sure they had a good time together. So as much as he wanted to walk into her office, gather her into his arms and kiss her soundly, he knew it was important to wait. To let her come to him.

  And a little more than an hour later, she did.

  “Have you got a minute?”

  Dario glanced up and nodded. “Sure. Come on in.”

  Felicity stepped inside and sat down. She was still wearing her coat and scarf, and her cheeks were pink from the cold. “What’s on your mind?” he asked.

  “I was wondering if you’d made any progress on your half of the list of names the Coltons gave us.” She began to unwind her scarf as she spoke, revealing the pale, slender column of her neck. Dario swallowed hard, his mind suddenly flooded with questions: Was the skin of her throat as soft as it looked? How would she respond if he kissed her just under the corner of her jaw?

  She shrugged off her coat and his blood warmed. Even though there was nothing suggestive about her actions, Dario couldn’t help but imagine her continuing to strip. He pictured her unbuttoning her jeans and peeling the fabric down those long legs. Lifting the hem of her sweater, exposing the skin of her belly, the curve of her ribs and the cups of her bra. And just what color was her bra? he wondered. A sensible white, or something more exciting, like red lace or black satin?

  “Dario?” Her voice cut through his fantasy and he blinked, tuning back in to the conversation.

  “Yes?”

  She tilted her head to the side, her expression amused. “Are you okay? You seem a bit distracted.”

  There was a knowing glint in her eyes, and Dario realized his thoughts must have been more transparent than he’d realized. He felt his face heat and cleared his throat. “I’m fine. What was it you were saying?”

  “I was asking if you’d made progress with your half of the names. I haven’t been able to turn up much of anything. A couple of the people are dead, several have moved out of state and appear to have forgotten about the Coltons, and the rest don’t seem to have the type of knowledge required to coordinate such a sophisticated cyberattack.”

  “They could always hire someone,” he pointed out.

  Felicity acknowledged his point with a nod. “True. I’m looking into what records I can, but so far I haven’t found a smoking gun. Please tell me you’ve had more success.”

  “Maybe.” Her expression brightened and he hastily amended, “I don’t know for sure yet, but I’ve been hanging out on this forum that a lot of hackers frequent.”

  “Like an online coffee shop?”

  “Something like that.”

  Felicity snorted. “I can’t believe they’d be so brazen about discussing their actions. Sounds like a good way to get caught.”

  “Not exactly. The forum isn’t on the regular web. It’s part of the dark web, so most people don’t even know it exists.”

  “The dark web?” Felicity sounded thoughtful. “Those sites are all heavily encrypted, right? And everyone uses throwaway names, so it’s nearly impossible to connect a poster with a real person.”

  “Basically, yeah,” Dario said, impressed at her knowledge. “That’s why these guys aren’t afraid to talk about what they’ve done. They feel protected by all the different layers of security set up, so they’re a bit freer with their words.”

  “That makes sense. Do you think any of them are Principes?” she asked, referring to the term used for Cohort members.

  “Almost certainly, but no one has admitted it yet.”

  “Have any of them bragged about participating in the Colton hack?” She sounded hopeful, and Dario wished he could say yes.

  “No. At least, no one that I’ve found. I’ve been poking around a bit, asking the community if they know who was involved.”

  “Do you really think they’d tell you?” She wrinkled her nose. “These people are hyperparanoid about protecting their identities. I’d think they’d be suspicious of anyone asking questions like that.”

  “You’d be surprised,” Dario replied. “Like you said, the users are very concerned with privacy. But mostly their own privacy. Most of them have no problem outing a
nother user. It’s a bit like the Wild West. And you’re right—questions do tend to raise suspicions. But I’m a regular poster, and these people know me. I told them I’m interested in the details of the hack because I might have some work for whoever was responsible.”

  “Smart.”

  He smiled. “I’m glad you think so. Anyway, no one has responded to me on the message boards. But not too long ago, I received an email.” He turned back to his computer monitor and, with a few quick keystrokes, pulled up the relevant message.

  Felicity rose and moved to stand by his desk. She bent down to get a better look at the screen, and her breasts grazed the top of his shoulder. Dario caught his breath at the contact, wondering if she’d noticed. He risked a glance at her face, but she was so absorbed in reading his email she didn’t seem to register the quick brush of her curves against him. Even though they weren’t touching, he felt the warmth from her body and her scent filled his nose. She smelled faintly of coffee, and he fought the urge to lean over and bury his nose in her hair.

  “Hmm.” The sound she made was almost a purr, and he closed his eyes, letting it wash over him. It was exactly the kind of noise he enjoyed coaxing from women, and he wanted to hear it again under slightly different circumstances.

  “What do you make of this?” Felicity straightened, putting distance between their bodies. Dario tried not to let his disappointment show. He glanced at the message, which was short and to the point: Look for ColtonQueen.

  “To be honest, I think ColtonQueen is Livia Colton.”

  Felicity nodded slowly, her eyebrows drawn together. “Could be. Everyone knows she survived that accident. She’s probably holed up somewhere, plotting revenge.”

  “If that’s really the case, it makes sense she’d target Colton, Incorporated. What better way to get back at her family than to harm the company that bears their name?”

  “Have you been able to find ColtonQueen user on your hacker forums?”

  He shook his head. “Not yet. That’s going to take a little more digging. Not everyone who is a member of the forum posts publicly.”

  “So it’s possible ColtonQueen has seen your posts, and now she knows you’re trying to find out more about her.” Felicity looked down at him, her eyes bright with worry. “Have you just made yourself a target?”

  “I don’t think so.” Dario stood and touched her arm in reassurance. “It’s possible, but if Livia really is ColtonQueen, I’m betting she’ll be flattered by my interest rather than angry. People like her have huge egos, and if she thinks I’m impressed by what she’s done, she might contact me so she can brag about it.”

  “I hope you’re right.” Felicity still looked worried, and her concern set off a warm tingle in the center of his chest.

  “Let’s say it really is Livia Colton hiding behind a computer screen, or maybe someone working for her. What’s the worst she could do to me?” He tried to sound casual, but he could tell by the look in Felicity’s eyes she wasn’t buying it.

  “Lots,” she said grimly. “You might want to do a quick search and get up to speed on her list of crimes. That woman is a true sociopath, and she won’t hesitate to act if she feels threatened by you.”

  Dario studied her for a moment, surprised by the note of fear in her voice. Felicity didn’t seem like the type of person to let her emotions rule her actions. “What are you saying? Do you think we should stop investigating this lead because of what Livia Colton might do? She might not even be aware of my inquiries in the first place.”

  “Of course I don’t want you to stop,” Felicity said, straightening her spine.

  There she is, he thought with a mental smile. The Felicity he knew was back.

  “I just want you to be aware of the potential dangers that you might face. Don’t be careless, okay?”

  Dario nodded, letting his smile show on his face. “I’ll take every precaution,” he said, stepping closer.

  Felicity’s eyes widened. “Good. That’s, um, good to hear.”

  “It’s sweet of you to worry about me.” He reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

  Felicity swallowed hard, and Dario had the sudden urge to trace the line of her throat with the tip of his tongue. “You’re doing me a huge favor by helping with the investigation,” she stammered. “I’d hate to see you get hurt.”

  “Is that the only reason you care?” he murmured. His gaze zeroed in on her mouth, and he was rewarded by the sight of her tongue darting out to slick across her lips.

  “Well, no,” she admitted. “It’s not the only reason.”

  That was all the invitation he needed. Dario dipped his head and captured her mouth with his own. Felicity gasped, and for a split second, he thought she was going to pull away.

  But she didn’t. She lifted her arms and threaded her hands through his hair, stepping closer to press her body against his. Her breasts flattened against his chest and he choked back a groan as his blood raced south.

  He’d thought this would be a simple kiss, a getting-to-know-you gesture. A way for him to show her how good things could be between them. He’d meant to blow her mind and leave her wanting more.

  But it was his world that got rocked. Felicity kissed him with a raw intensity that sent him reeling and left him aching for more. She burned hot and hungry, and he was only too happy to match her fervor.

  Her hands left his hair, sliding down his back and then lower, anchoring their hips together. He slipped one hand between them, finding her breast. She moaned as he cupped her, her body rocking forward in wordless encouragement.

  Dario’s thoughts began to fragment as the intensity of his arousal grew. Flat surface. He needed to find something flat so they could get horizontal and then—

  The jangle of bells and the slam of a door sliced through the moment, and Dario and Felicity both jumped at the unexpected racket.

  “Adeline must be back from lunch,” Felicity whispered. She began to hastily rearrange her clothes, and Dario didn’t have the heart to tell her not to bother. Her lips were swollen and shiny and her skin flushed. She looked like a woman who had been thoroughly kissed, and no amount of smoothing and tucking was going to change that.

  He ran his hands through his hair, feeling equal parts relieved and sorry that the kiss was over. The interruption had come just in time—a moment later, and they would have been on the floor, past the point of distraction. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

  Felicity glanced over, regret shining in her eyes. “I can’t. My parents are flying out tonight for a Christmas cruise. I’m eating with them before I take them to the airport.”

  “What about tomorrow?” he pressed. He had to see her again, the sooner the better.

  “I don’t think anything will be open tomorrow. It’s Christmas,” she pointed out.

  “Then come over for brunch at the Ortegas’.”

  Felicity shook her head. “Oh no. I can’t possibly crash your family holiday gathering.”

  “I insist,” he said gently. “You wouldn’t be crashing. You’d be saving me from feeling like a fifth wheel.” He grinned. “Besides, you can’t be alone on Christmas.”

  “Do you really think it would be okay with your family?” she said doubtfully. “I don’t want to impose.”

  “They’ll be happy to have you join us.”

  She was quiet a moment, then nodded. “That sounds nice. Thank you.” She turned and gathered up her coat, scarf and bag. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you at the gift exchange later?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Felicity nodded and stepped toward the door. “Hey,” he said. She paused and glanced back. Dario smiled at her. “I’m looking forward to seeing you again.”

  She smiled back, and his heart flipped over in his chest. “Me, too.”

  Chapter
6

  Felicity rang the doorbell and ran her hand over her hair, then licked her lips as she waited for someone to answer the door. Her stomach churned with nervous excitement—she’d dreamed about Dario all night, and now she was going to see him again.

  Yesterday’s kiss had been...well, she was still searching for the words to describe it. Amazing didn’t do it justice. Even now, just the thought of Dario’s lips on hers sent zings of sensation through her limbs. She’d never experienced anything like it before, and the intensity of her reaction scared her a bit.

  She hadn’t expected Dario to kiss her yesterday. And she definitely hadn’t expected her body to light up like a Christmas tree in response. But it was as if he’d unlocked the barrier she’d built to protect her heart, and twelve years of need and frustration had erupted inside her in a torrent that was impossible to ignore.

  Truth be told, parts of yesterday’s encounter were still a little fuzzy in her mind. As soon as Dario’s mouth had met hers, her brain had short-circuited and lust had taken over, hijacking her body and taking control over her actions. She didn’t know how long the kiss had lasted, or what, if anything, they’d said to each other. But she did know that if they hadn’t been interrupted, that simple kiss would have turned into so much more.

  It was a realization that both thrilled and scared her.

  Her outsize response to Dario made it clear she was ready to connect with a man again. But they hadn’t known each other for very long, and she was worried about moving too far, too fast. It had been a long time since she’d slept with anyone, and she worried about her ability to keep her heart protected.

  The door swung open, and Dario himself stood on the threshold. He grinned widely, his hazel eyes glowing with warmth as he ran his gaze up and down her body. Felicity shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold air.

  “Merry Christmas.” He reached out and laid his hand on her arm, tugging her forward and into the house.