Watch Me (Phoenix Book 1)

by Stacey Kennedy

  Elise grinned from ear to ear, her eyes dancing. “Sucks, right? Having someone invade your life and make choices for you.”

  “Nothing about this is funny, Elise,” Archer growled. “I didn’t do anything like this to you.”

  Elise hesitated, scrunching her nose, then shrugged. “Well, it is kind of funny, and yes, you did do the exact same thing. Do I need to remind you that you got your dirty hackers to hack into my personal computer?”

  “My hackers aren’t dirty.”

  Elise gave him a bored look, reaching for another newspaper-covered mug in the box. “They are as dirty as they come. They do bad shit. And they were inside my personal computer!” She looked back up at Archer, her gaze flipping him off. “You don’t like me going into your personal life, stay out of mine.”

  Zoey watched the stare down. She turned to Rhys next to her. “They’re going to kill each other.”

  “It’s likely.” He watched them a moment more and shook his head, laughing. “Or fuck the living shit out of each other. One of the two.”

  Kieran walked through the door, carrying pizzas on top of a big box, a deep frown marring his face. “Yeah, thanks for the help there, Archer.”

  Archer still glared at Elise.

  Always wanting everyone to be happy, Hazel laughed awkwardly. She rushed to Kieran’s side and took the pizza boxes. “Thanks for picking up the pizza,” she said to him.

  “Not a problem.” He winked at her.

  She blushed.

  Kieran grinned at her retreating form. Was Hazel wiggling her hips a little more than necessary?

  Zoey basked in all the happiness. For a long time, it had only been her, Elise, and Hazel. Now their days included these men, and she couldn’t wait to see what would happen for them next. Things really did have a funny way of working themselves out. She slid her arms around Rhys’ middle and said quietly to him, “Archer and Elise are ready to kill each other. Kieran’s making Hazel blush. And Hunt’s about to eat that entire pizza to himself. I guess this is our life now, huh?”

  Rhys chuckled, wrapped his arm around Zoey, bringing her close, and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Yeah, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”

  She glanced out at Hazel, who was still blushing, and Elise ignoring Archer like he wasn’t burning a hole in the back of her head, and she smiled. “Yeah, me neither.”

  Don’t miss the next book in Stacey Kennedy’s Phoenix series:

  From USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy comes an intoxicating romance set in the elite world of the Phoenix club, where one night of pleasure is never enough…

  For private investigator Elise Fanning, hacking into the ultra-exclusive sex club, Phoenix, is a piece of cake. A couple of clicks, and now her best friend can go behind its very locked, very private doors. But she quickly realizes she wasn’t as stealthy as she thought when she comes face to face with the club’s head of security, retired Navy SEALs Archer Westbrook. He’s pure sex in worn jeans and a leather jacket, and talking her way out of this—heck, talking at all—will be no easy task.

  Archer Westbrook loves a smart, sexy woman. So when Elise hacks into a system he thought unhackable, he’s impressed—and intrigued. As their stubborn standoff leads to steamy banter, Archer knows he’s met his match. Each intoxicating look, each sizzling touch only makes him want her more, but Elise is guarded. He’ll have to show her that this raw desire between them is worth the risk.

  When Archer offers Elise one night to indulge in her wildest fantasy at Phoenix, she knows she should walk away. She’s already in too deep. But ignoring the delicious pleasure Archer makes her feel is impossible. She’ll agree to one night then she’ll leave Archer’s seductive world…for good.

  Click here to learn more.

  About the Author

  Stacey Kennedy is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romances full of heat, heart, and happily ever afters. With over 50 titles published, her books have hit Amazon, B&N, and Apple Books bestseller lists.

  Stacey lives with her husband and two children in southwestern Ontario—in a city that’s just as charming as any of the small towns she creates. Most days, you’ll find her enjoying the outdoors with her family or venturing into the forest with her horse, Priya. Stacey’s just as happy curled up indoors, where she writes surrounded by her lazy dogs. She believes that sexy books about hot cowboys or alpha heroes can fix any bad day. But wine and chocolate help too.

  Acknowledgments

  To my husband, my children, family, friends, and bestie, it’s easy to write about love when there is so much love around me. Big thanks to my readers for your friendship and your support; my editor, Lexi, for making my stories shine; my agent, Jessica, for always having my back; my cover artist, Regina, who never ceases to amaze me with her beautiful work; my PR company, Social Butterfly, I’d be lost without you; the kick-ass authors in my sprint group for their endless advice and support; and to Christa, who helped me brainstorm the idea for this series. Thank you.

  Want more sexy reads? Check out the first book in Stacey Kennedy’s Dirty Hacker duet:

  Chapter 1

  On the crisp autumn night in the heart of Manhattan, Rowan had a new assignment: secure his target—former lover, Alex McCoy—to help catch New York City’s latest serial killer, recently coined by the media the Casanova Sadist. Of all the assignments he’d taken since the last time he saw her, this one filled him with the most dread.

  When he arrived at the Cool Cat’s Piano Bar in New York City’s Theater District a little after nine o’clock at night, he noted how the jet-black walls, the cushy booths, and crystal chandeliers set the mood to older, classier times. Alex sat at the bar, drinking a martini. Her long dark hair flowed down her back over her black leather jacket, and her tight ass in her blue jeans drew his attention. He remembered that body, every spectacular inch of her.

  He’d never expected to see her again. Let alone work with her again.

  Five years had gone by since they had spent that week together in Paris. Five years since he’d smelled the captivating spring-like scent that belonged only to her. An aroma that had a slight similarity to when the sun came out after it rained. Five years since she’d set those gorgeous, intelligent amber eyes of hers on him. Five years since the unexplainable passion burning between them made him hard in a single breath. And five years since he’d told himself not to go to San Francisco to apologize for running out on her when he very well knew she’d begun to care for him. Alex had been his biggest regret. The only woman he thought about after he’d left her. Maybe because she had a hold on him too.

  He moved closer, the chatter from the busy bar brushing over him. While Alex still worked for Blackwood Security in San Francisco, she’d come to New York City for a vacation, which put her on his radar. He’d learned through the CIA’s undercover New York location where he was earlier today that she’d landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Alex was one of the best hackers out there. When she moved, the CIA kept a close eye on her, and her arrival in New York City set off alarms throughout the agency. But the second he heard she was in town, he knew she could help him crack this case.

  Only problem?

  He’d run out on her without a word.

  The man at the piano on stage played a soft, sensual song, setting the right mood for exactly what Rowan needed to do. He could manipulate easily. That was his job, and he needed to get her back on his side before asking for her help. Alex was smart. He knew he needed to tread lightly when he slid on the stool next to her. “Whiskey on the rocks,” he said to the bartender.

  He noted the hitch of Alex’s breath before he caught the surprise in her wide eyes, which she controlled in an instant. Her gaze lingered on his mouth long enough to let him know she hadn’t forgotten him—or the sensual pull they shared—either. A bonus for him, making this seduction easier.

  “You know I don’t believe in coincidences,” she finally said.

&n
bsp; Rowan didn’t either. He also didn’t believe in lasting love. He trusted no one, and most times, people around him got killed, which didn’t lend itself well to long-term relationships. But lust was real, and that red-hot sexual energy still pulsed between him and Alex, almost so tangible he could taste it in the air. “Yes, I do know that about you.”

  She didn’t even miss a beat, glancing down at the drink in her hands. “How did you know I was here?”

  “Your arrival at JFK raised alarms.”

  Alex snorted. “Are you here to check up on me, then?”

  The bartender placed his drink down in front of him. He nodded his thanks and left a ten-dollar bill on the bar then lifted his glass to Alex. “I can certainly think of better things to do than check up on you, can’t you?”

  Instant heat flared in her eyes in the same way it had five years ago. Rowan wanted desperately to drink it in. And that had nothing to do with the reasons that brought him there tonight.

  But that heat also made his job easier. He’d play on that desire, getting her to reconnect and forget that he’d left her once. She had no reason to help him. Christ, she had no reason to talk to him. He had to give her one. So he’d come up with a plan: seduce her, earn her forgiveness, find the killer.

  Rowan lifted his glass. “To old times.”

  She clinked his glass with a sexy smile. “To old times.”

  They didn’t stay for a second drink.

  An Uber ride later and with heat burning in the air between them, Rowan followed Alex through the hallway of Langdon Bridge, the swankiest hotel in New York City, where Alex had checked into. “Nice place,” he said, entering the room after her.

  She shut the door behind him and locked it. “I’m supposed to be pampering myself on vacation.”

  He couldn’t help himself, and a grin tugged on his mouth. “I promise you’ll be pampered tonight, McCoy.”

  She returned the grin, though her smile dripped with lust. “Classy, Hawke.”

  “Always.” He took in the lavish modern suite, finding they stood in a small living room, while she strode by him and dropped the key card on the table by the door. The bedroom was in the next room, behind double doors and displaying a large king-size bed with a white duvet. Obviously, her boss paid her well, as he should. Good—honest—hackers were hard to find. Rowan began to glance over at her, when he caught sight of her laptop sitting on the coffee table near the large row of windows by the wing-back chairs. A laptop that he knew she could do things with that nearly no one else could do. There was no place Alex could not get into. No person she could not find.

  That’s why he needed her. He sought answers about the Casanova Sadist that no one had been able to give him. A killer he’d been hunting for weeks now. A killer that had taken the lives of five women, leaving their naked bodies bound and displayed like they were a disturbing piece of art. A killer that still had three more women in his grips.

  But first, he needed Alex on his side. He needed her to want to help him, instead of flipping him off and telling him to find someone else. Which was exactly what he deserved.

  Determined to reconnect and put his plan into action, he yanked her lithe body up against his and ravished her with his mouth, pleased when she kissed him back with equal fervor.

  But soon that wasn’t enough. He needed…more.

  With every bit of clothing he removed from her body, he was getting himself deeper in this. Touching her reminded him of the exact reasons he’d run. She felt too good…too real…too dangerous. But there was no turning back now, not with lives on the line.

  He lived his life in the shadows. He’d spent so much time pretending to be other people to catch criminals, he couldn’t even remember the man he was meant to be. Until Alex. And that rich sensation of home that she pulled out of him would not wait. He wanted her. Every goddamn perfect inch of her.

  With each kiss, her mouth molded to his. Her body bent to his will, reacting to every one of his touches, urging him on like a drug he couldn’t get enough of. He wanted her like he hadn’t wanted anything for a long time. She tasted sweet yet sinful, and he ached to drink her in. Every brush of her lips, swirl of her tongue, only made him thirstier. She held his T-shirt tightly, yanking him closer, until she removed his shirt and pushed him away a moment with a gasp.

  He met her lust-filled eyes, and his cock pressed painfully against the zipper of his jeans. “Still so dangerously sexy, I see,” he told her huskily.

  She licked her lips. “Likewise, Hawke.”

  His muscles felt rigid beneath his skin as he scanned over her creamy flesh to her black-lace bra covering a perfect handful of breasts.

  “Don’t get any ideas about this,” she said, drawing his focus back to her face. She kicked off her red high heels. “We’ve got tonight, then you forget me again.”

  That seemed to be their thing. When someone saw the darkness that lurked beneath people’s skin, that’s all they saw. Trust came hard after that. “I’ll take tonight.” He stalked toward her. His target. “But you won’t get any agreement from me that I won’t want more or that I’ll forget you.”

  When he reached her, he grasped her hip. She gasped when he yanked her against him, her face flushing beautifully. He pinned her arms behind her, dropping his head into her neck, inhaling the sweetness of her flowery perfume. He kissed at her flesh roughly, encouraged by her unleashed moan. Hot and hard and ready to give them both a release, he backed her up against the wall. She draped her leg across his thigh, and he took that as an invitation. He ground his throbbing cock against the junction between her thighs, moving his mouth to hers again. Then he devoured her.

  Every moan, he drank in.

  Each one of her shivers, he owned.

  Desperate to have her, he leaned away to drag his fingers over the curve of her breasts and damn near salivated. “Exquisite,” he murmured.

  “No, Hawke,” she said, and he lifted his gaze up to her smoldering eyes as she took his hand and placed it between her thighs. “In case you forgot, here is where I’m really exquisite.”

  He felt her heat through the denim, and he grinned at the challenge, not minding a little power play between them. He could always give the illusion of control, knowing in the end, he’d always get it back. He flicked the button of her jeans open then yanked them down to below her ass. With his free hand, he slid his fingers into the soft strands of her hair until he held her tightly, right where he wanted her. When he fisted his fingers, her hooded eyes met his. Only then did he slide his other hand into the front of her panties. He met trimmed pubic hair and a soaking wet sex. “I’ve never forgotten, Alex. Not a single thing.” Her taste, her smell, how beautiful she looked when she fell apart, all of it had remained cemented in his mind. He stroked the silkiness of her folds, bringing her arousal to her clit where he circled the bud.

  She moaned, her eyes fluttering as she dropped her head back against the wall. “Don’t stop.”

  He leaned in, bringing his mouth close to hers, tasting the passion in the air between them. “Tell me what you want,” he ordered, nipping at her jawline.

  She opened her rich, seductive eyes. “Make me come, Rowan.”

  His muscles quivered at his name on her tongue. A tongue he wanted back in his mouth and later on his cock. But it was the heady lust in the single word that drove him to give her what she wanted. He easily inserted one finger into her drenched heat then another.

  Her eyes fluttered. “Fuck, yes…”

  Captivated by how sensual and free she was, he tightened his fingers in her hair, seeing the swell of desire rushing across her face. Needing to get his cock where his fingers were, he didn’t drag this out. He settled his fingers in deep, played with a few different moves to learn her tells again, and he quickly found his rhythm. He thrust his fingers fast and hard, working her pleasure until he had full control of her body.

  Then he went even harder.

  It didn’t take long for her to break apart around him af
ter that. Her breath hitched, muscles tightened, and her expression pinched. For a single moment in time, she hung, suspended on the highest peak of pleasure before she screamed his name and shuddered, coming beautifully against his fingers until the only thing helping her stand was his hand in her hair and his fingers deep in her quivering sex.

  Lost in her all the same, he gave her the minute she needed to recover.

  When she finally reopened her eyes, giving him a sexy smile, he withdrew his hand from her panties.

  “Your turn.” She pressed against his chest, sending him walking backward until she had him in the bedroom. When his legs met the bed, he sat, and she pushed harder until he was lying down. “But first, I’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “I don’t need a surprise.” He leaned up on one arm. “I want you.” Her cheeks flushed pink and her mouth parted. He remembered how much he liked that turned-on look on her. “Get over here.”

  Her smile was pure temptation. “You’ll like the surprise. Promise.” She turned away before he could object again.

  He glanced down at his painfully hard erection pressing against the zipper of his jeans while she retreated to the bathroom just off to the right. He anticipated the wet tightness of her sex, hearing those moans she gave get louder.

  When the bathroom door finally clicked open again, he found her looking like a succubus in her black lingerie for all the control she wielded over him. He would have given her anything right then as long as she let him have her. She leaned against the doorframe and gave him a devilish smile. “So, Rowan, I’ve got a question for you.”

  “Anything, luv.”

  She stepped away from the door, and suddenly, he was staring down the barrel of a gun as she said, “What do you want from me?”