by Regan Black
Felicity glanced at her own laptop but Dario was already checking it. He carefully withdrew an identical chip from the port on her computer and placed it on the table. “I’m willing to bet these chips contain the malware that deleted all our files.”
The pieces clicked into place. “That’s why she broke into the office,” Felicity said. “She had to plant the chips so she could sabotage our computers.”
Dario nodded. “Exactly. Far easier than trying to hack through Adeline’s security features.”
Felicity’s heartbeat picked up. “Does that mean the network is still intact?”
“Probably. We’ll need to check to be sure, but I imagine only our computers were affected.” He noticed her growing smile and tilted his head to the side. “I take it from your reaction this is good news?”
“Oh yes,” Felicity said. “I backed up my laptop yesterday to our cloud-based storage system. If Livia’s malware didn’t affect that, then most of my files are still intact!”
“Excellent,” he replied. “I did the same as well.”
“Sounds like Livia’s attempt to derail our investigation wasn’t as successful as she’d hoped.” The realization filled Felicity with a smug satisfaction. Livia thought she was in charge, but she had miscalculated.
There was a shout from the lobby, and she and Dario moved down the hall to find Knox Colton headed toward them, Emiliano hot on his heels. They must have arrived at the same time, and they both appeared eager to know what had happened. Felicity led them back to her office, her nerves quieting as she and Dario explained everything. Livia might have the element of surprise on her side, but Felicity had a team of dedicated people helping her. Together, they would bring Livia down.
* * *
Dario reached for a French fry and dipped it into the puddle of ketchup on his plate. “Feeling better?”
Felicity nodded. “Much. This was a good idea.”
Dario smiled and took another bite. It had taken several hours for Knox Colton and the FBI to finish asking questions about what they had seen during the hack, and Emiliano and his team had taken their laptops and the chips he’d found for additional testing. By that time, Dario’s stomach had been audibly growling, and given Felicity’s increasingly short responses, he’d figured she was hungry, as well. So he’d suggested dinner at the burger joint down the street from the office, and to his surprise, she’d accepted.
“We need to come up with a plan,” she continued. “We can’t afford to let this setback derail the investigation. And the sooner we stop Livia Colton, the better I’ll feel.”
“I agree,” he said. “Tomorrow morning, I’ll connect my personal laptop to Adeline’s network and make sure the hack didn’t compromise the firm’s digital storage. If everything looks good, you can download all your files to a new computer and we can move on.”
She nodded, chewing thoughtfully. “I’ve got my fingers crossed. And hopefully by tomorrow the Realtor’s boss will have decided to let us check their systems, as well. The more evidence we can hand over to your brother’s team, the faster they can catch Livia.”
“I have to say, I’ll be glad to put this case behind me.” He shook his head. “I’ve never worked on a project that went sideways so quickly.”
A shadow crossed Felicity’s face, but her expression cleared quickly. “No kidding,” she said. Her voice sounded a little forced, but before he could ask if everything was okay, the waiter returned with the check.
Felicity wiped her mouth and reached for her purse. “It’s been a long day,” she said, pulling a few bills from her wallet.
Dario felt a surge of disappointment at the impending end of their dinner. He’d hoped to use this as an opportunity to reconnect with Felicity, to bring back some of the magic he’d felt when they’d shared that kiss. But Livia Colton had gotten in the way, and now he wondered if he’d get another chance. Felicity seemed pretty confident they would be able to wrap up the investigation soon, and once that happened, he wouldn’t have a legitimate excuse to spend so much time with her.
“When this is over,” he began, fumbling for the words, “maybe we can go to a real restaurant and have a celebratory dinner.”
Felicity smiled, and he caught a spark of attraction in her eyes. “I’d like that.”
They fell into step as they walked back to their cars. His shoulder brushed against hers and he decided to take a chance. Dario slung his arm around her shoulders, and he was rewarded by Felicity snuggling closer. She was warm and soft, and the floral scent of her shampoo filled his nose.
They drew to a stop in front of her car, and she turned to face him. The streetlight cast her face in a soft glow and her eyes shone, dark and liquid, as she stared up at him.
“I really appreciate all your help,” she said softly. “I don’t know how I would have made it through today alone.”
He reached up to trace his fingertip down the curve of her cheekbone. “I’m glad I was here with you.” He hated the thought of Felicity facing Livia’s threats alone—he knew she could take care of herself, but he had a chivalrous streak that demanded he protect her from danger.
She sighed softly, her breath ghosting across his lips. His heart flip-flopped and he couldn’t stop staring at her mouth. Would their second kiss be as good as the first? Was that even possible?
He couldn’t wait any longer to find out. He dropped his head and pressed his mouth to hers, raising his hands to cup her face as he kissed her.
Felicity responded instantly, coming alive in his arms. She threaded her hands through his hair and stretched, pressing herself against his chest. The thin fabric of his shirt was no barrier to the warmth of her body, and a flash of heat burned through his limbs.
He tasted salt and a lingering sweetness from her soda. Her tongue stroked his, and the blood drained from his head and began to pool in his groin.
His response did not go unnoticed. Felicity made a satisfied sound in her throat that only heightened his arousal.
Suddenly, she pulled away. Dario struggled to catch his breath. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she said, her voice husky. “I just remembered we’re in public.”
“We don’t have to be,” he said. He mentally winced. Smooth, Ortega. Real smooth.
“My apartment isn’t far from here.”
He did a mental fist pump and nodded. “Okay. I’ll follow you there.” Only the knowledge that he would soon be holding her in private allowed him to let go of her and take a step back. “My car’s a few spots over.” He jerked his head to the left. “Just give me a minute.”
She nodded and turned to her own vehicle. He made it a few steps away before her voice stopped him in his tracks. “Dario!”
Her fear was almost palpable, and his arousal died suddenly, quenched by a swell of concern. “What’s wrong?”
“My car.”
He was by her side in a matter of seconds, instinctively stepping between her and the car. She grabbed his arm, leaning against him as they stared at the driver’s-side door.
A crown was scrawled on the window in garish pink lipstick, the shape immediately recognizable even in the shadows of the parking lot. But it was the list of names written on the door in white paint that made Dario’s blood freeze.
“My parents,” she whispered. “Adeline.”
“Livia,” he said hoarsely. “She’s got to be close.” The realization made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, and Dario could practically feel eyes on him. He grabbed Felicity’s arm and pulled her toward his car, glancing around as he guided her into the passenger seat. He didn’t see anyone lurking nearby, but that didn’t mean they were safe. Livia or one of her goons could be yards away, watching them through the scope of a sniper rifle.
Would he even hear the crack of the gun before he felt the bullet
slam into his chest? He kept his head low as he darted around the hood and jumped into the driver’s seat.
“What are we doing?” Felicity said incredulously. “We can’t just leave. We have to call the sheriff’s department. My car is evidence.”
Dario grabbed his phone and tossed it into her lap as he cranked the engine. “Call them if you want. But we’re not staying here.” He slammed the car into gear and stepped on the gas. There was a screech of protest from the tires and the pungent stench of burned rubber filled the air as they shot forward. But Dario was too worried to care about his vehicle right now.
He had to protect Felicity.
Chapter 9
“What happens now?”
Felicity sat on the edge of the hotel bed and rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself. The graffiti on her car door and window had chilled her to the bone, and now she feared she might never feel warm again.
She closed her eyes and was immediately assaulted with the image of her parents’ names scrawled in dripping white paint. The memory made her stomach cramp and she opened her eyes again, looking for a distraction.
Dario pulled the comforter off the second bed and draped it around her, then sat next to her. “We try to get some rest.”
Felicity clutched the slightly scratchy fabric to keep it from sliding off her shoulders and laughed darkly. “Sure. That’s going to happen.”
“I could order room service?” he offered.
“I don’t think I can handle eating anything right now,” she said. She glanced around the hotel room, hoping to find a minibar she could raid for a stiff drink. But the room was disappointingly empty of alcohol.
“We could go down to the hotel bar,” he suggested, as if he’d read her mind. “Maybe a drink will help take the edge off.”
Felicity considered it for a second, but shook her head. She didn’t want to be around people right now. She felt too brittle, as if the noise of the after-work crowd and the smooth jazz piped over the speakers might cause her to break.
“I don’t think I’m up for that.” She shivered and pulled the comforter tighter around her body.
Dario had driven them there while she’d spoken to Knox Colton. At first, she hadn’t understood why he’d brought them to a hotel in nearby Austin, but he’d explained his worry about taking her home. “My name was on your door, too,” he’d pointed out. “So I can’t exactly take you back to my place.” He was staying in one of the guest rooms at his parents’ ranch, and Knox had assured Felicity he was sending officers to watch the Ortegas’ home, along with her parents’ house.
“Everyone on the list will get extra attention from my men,” Knox had said. His declaration had made her feel a little better, but she was still a nervous wreck inside.
Dario’s hand trailed down her back, a solid weight that pulled her out of her head. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. His voice was deep and calm, and Felicity wanted to wrap the sound around herself like a suit of armor. “Livia is just trying to frighten you.”
“It’s working,” Felicity said.
“Try not to play into her hands,” Dario said. “This is how she operates—she uses threats and intimidation to make people do what she wants. But she’s not all-powerful. She won’t be able to hurt the people you love. Especially now that Knox and his department are on high alert. And maybe we’ll get lucky—it’s possible she left behind some evidence that will help the deputies find her. They’re checking over your car now, and hopefully they’ll discover something useful.”
Felicity shook her head. She wanted to believe Dario; she hoped with every fiber of her being he was right. But she couldn’t turn off her worry like a spigot, not where her family and friends were concerned.
“I can’t get the image of the car door out of my mind,” she said. “Every time I close my eyes, I see it.”
Dario draped his arm around her and pulled her close. She leaned against him, pressing her ear to his chest. His heart thumped reassuringly in a comforting rhythm, and she felt her muscles relax a bit.
“I’m sorry for what she did to your car,” he said.
Felicity huffed in a poor excuse for a laugh. In truth, she hadn’t even thought about the damage to her vehicle. “I’m glad you were there,” she said quietly. If Dario hadn’t been with her, she didn’t know how she would have responded. She certainly wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to go to a hotel instead of her apartment. Without Dario, she’d probably be sitting at home, an easy mark for Livia Colton.
She snuggled closer against him, seeking solace from his strength. The change in position left her half-draped across his lap, and Dario emitted a small, strangled sound.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said quickly. He shifted a bit, and she felt the bulge in his pants brush across her breasts as he sought to reposition himself.
His physical reaction struck a chord inside her, and Felicity was suddenly very aware of Dario’s body. Warmth spread from every point of contact between them, suffusing her body until she felt like she must be glowing from within. She glanced at the skin of her arm, a little disappointed to find it looked normal. How was that possible, when she felt so alive inside?
“Dario,” she said softly. She sat up slowly, deliberately grazing her breasts across the flat expanse of his chest as she moved. He sucked in a breath, and her nipples hardened, sending small zings of sensation to her core.
“Yes?” His voice was tight, and she could tell by the way he ground his jaw he was trying to rein in his arousal. In another time, she might have laughed at the idea of Dario the playboy trying to resist a seduction attempt. But right now, she simply wanted Dario the man, the one she’d gotten to know over the past few days. The one she trusted.
The one who made her feel safe.
“Kiss me.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea right now,” he said.
Felicity used her hand to gently turn his head until he faced her again. “I know what I’m asking you,” she said.
His eyes popped open, the hazel depths bright with need. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded for extra measure. “I’m sure if you are.”
The world spun suddenly, and she gasped as she found herself flat on her back. Dario rose over her, his deft fingers making quick work of the buttons on her shirt.
Cool air kissed her skin as he pulled the edges of her blouse apart. She shivered, but the chill didn’t last long. Dario covered her with his hands, then lowered his head as he worked his way down her torso.
His breath was warm as it ghosted across her goose bumps, and she lifted her hips instinctively. Dario’s large hands settled on her hips, and he pressed her down onto the mattress in silent instruction.
She was content to follow his lead, and her ready surrender surprised her a little. Felicity had always been take-charge in every aspect of her life, and the bedroom was no exception. But there was something about Dario that made her relax, made her want to cede a degree of control. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe with a man.
Her thoughts brushed against the memory of her last relationship. She and Ross had been high school sweethearts. Their fire had burned hot and bright, and every time Ross had looked at her she’d felt like the center of the universe. She’d thought they would last forever, but Ross hadn’t been able to cope with her decision to join the Marines. His older brother had been a soldier in the army and had died in Iraq. When Felicity had told him about her enlistment, he’d been so afraid for her he’d actually cried. She’d tried to talk to him about it, but he hadn’t listened. Unable to cope with her decision, he’d ended their relationship. He’d broken her heart, and while time had dulled the pain, she still had moments when she wondered what might have been if she had
n’t put her country ahead of Ross’s feelings.
“Hey.” Dario’s voice cut through her thoughts and brought her back to the present. “Where’d you go?”
She shook her head, feeling a little guilty at having drifted away from him. “Nowhere important. I’m sorry.”
He ran his hand lightly down the side of her torso. “Don’t apologize. There’s a lot going on right now. We can put this on hold.”
“No. I don’t want to wait.” She’d spent the last twelve years of her life putting her job before her personal desires. And while she didn’t regret those choices, she was tired of being alone. Besides, she knew better than most that tomorrow was not guaranteed to anyone. With Livia Colton gunning for them both, Felicity wasn’t going to take anything for granted.
She reached for Dario and pulled him down, capturing his mouth once more. His kiss was warm and sensual, and Felicity emptied her mind of all thoughts and distractions, focusing only on Dario and the way he made her feel in this moment. She opened her heart and her body to this man, reveling in the intensity of their connection. Some faint voice in her brain insisted she was feeling too much, too soon, but she dismissed the warning. Right now, she didn’t want to think. She had surrendered to her baser instincts, and she craved the sensations that only Dario could provide.
He didn’t disappoint.
* * *
He’d never experienced anything like this before.
Dario had slept with other women, sure. And he enjoyed sex. Who didn’t? But this experience with Felicity was like nothing he’d ever imagined. For the first time, Dario knew what it was to fully open his heart to a woman.
It was a revelation. Never before had Dario felt simultaneously vulnerable and protected. He was used to keeping a small part of himself reserved, locked safely away behind an impenetrable wall. He enjoyed relationships, and because he kept that piece of his soul protected, he never had to worry about feeling the kind of heartache and loss that affected other people. It was self-preservation, pure and simple, and until now, he’d never questioned his strategy.