by E. L. Todd
Every thought was wiped from my brain the instant he said those words. Time didn’t seem to exist, and I was moving forward in space without any clear direction. My fingers slackened on his ass, and I nearly forgot to breathe.
When he said he wanted to be with me, I assumed he understood he couldn’t live without me. But I didn’t realize that how deep his feelings went. I didn’t understand the depth of his emotion, that I meant so much to him. “I love you too.” I knew how I felt the moment his lips touched mine. I knew how I felt every time I got jealous over other women. I knew how I felt when I told him I wanted to be with him and he coldly rejected me.
But I didn’t know he felt the same way.
Wilder kissed me again, his lips moving slowly while his hips still worked hard to thrust deep inside me. His cock nearly hit my cervix every time he pumped. He moaned quietly against me, his muscles tightening as he prepared to release. “Gray…” He shoved himself completely inside me and moaned against my lips. His cock twitched as he released, pouring his seed deep inside me.
I loved how wonderful it felt. “Wilder…”
He locked his eyes with mine as he finished, his eyes darkening noticeably. The satisfaction was in his gaze, but he looked hungry for more of me. I hoped he wanted me for the rest of the night, to take me as many times as possible until the sun comes up.
When he finished, he remained buried inside me along with his heavy come. “You make me so hard, sweetheart.”
I ran my hands up his chest and felt his powerful body. “I can tell.”
“You’re mine for the rest of the night.”
“I hope I’m yours every night.”
***
I had a skip in my step the next morning, a sway in my hips that seemed to be permanent. Not only did I finally sink my claws into Wilder, but he shared the most tender words with me. I suspected I was the only woman he ever admitted that to.
I suspected I was the only woman he ever felt that way about.
It made me forget the wound in my arm, the fact my father was being held captive, and that this nightmare wasn’t over.
Wilder was gone in the morning because he was usually the first one to get to work. He’d already worked out and showered, judging the sweaty shorts and t-shirt that sat in his hamper. There was a note on my nightstand.
I wish I was there to see you wake up.
Wilder
I folded the note and stuffed it into my pocket, planning on keeping it forever. The smile that stretched across my lips hurt my cheeks. It was the first real one I felt in a long time. Being in this foreign place felt more like home than Cambridge ever did. I was a terrible student who had no idea what she was doing with her life. At least I had a purpose here.
I got ready then headed downstairs for breakfast. Ben stood at the counter with a large bowl of cereal. It contained nearly the entire box because he stuffed as much as he could and slathered it in milk. On closer inspection, I realized it wasn’t a cereal bowl at all. “Is that a salad bowl?”
He looked up while he chewed the large bite he just stuffed into his mouth. After the crunching subsided, he answered. “I don’t know. I was hungry.”
“I’ll say,” I said with a chuckle. I raided the fridge and threw together a quick sandwich. It wasn’t necessarily breakfast food but I didn’t want to use the pans. I’d have to wash them afterward, and I was the type of girl who always took the path of least resistance.
He took another bite while his eyes stayed on me. “You’re in a good mood.”
“I’m just happy to get some food.”
“No.” He grinned from ear to ear. “You got that D, huh?”
My cheeks immediately flushed bright pink.
He chuckled and turned his attention back to his bowl. “I hope Wilder met your expectations. After being with me, I thought you’d be disappointed.”
I chuckled because I knew he was just teasing me. “You’re both excellent. It’s a tie.”
“Sure…make Wilder feel better.” He winked then took another bite. “Where’s that idiot anyway?”
“I woke up and he was gone.”
“That guy never takes a break.” He shook his head as he kept eating. “He takes workaholic to a new level.”
“He’s just passionate about what he does.”
“Like I’m not.” He shoveled more bites into his mouth and demolished half the bowl. “So I met this babe last night.”
“You did? Where?”
“I went into town and met some friends. We went out to a few bars and I spotted her across the room. She’s got the full package, if you know what I mean.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I was happy we could have these kinds of conversations, two friends talking about their sexual conquests. It felt like it did before, minus the sex. “She got a name?”
“Laura.”
“You like her?”
“Oh yeah. A little too much.”
“That’s good. I’m happy for you.”
“I hooked up with her last night. Kinda wish I hadn’t moved so quickly…but whatever.”
“Is she here now?” I glanced at the hallway like she would appear from nowhere.
“We went to her place. Can’t bring her here.”
“What does she think you do for a living?”
“A banker. I travel a lot…blah blah.”
I was glad I didn’t have to lie to Wilder. Living a fake life just to have a relationship with a man would suck. How would you keep all your lies straight? “So, you just lie to her?”
He shrugged. “I can’t tell her the truth right on the spot. She’d probably think I was just feeding her a line or something.”
“Will you tell her eventually?”
“If things get serious I’ll have to. But I try to avoid that because it’s dangerous for her. I suspect I’ll be leaving RB12 in the next few years.”
The idea of him leaving made me sad. He’d become such a good friend, a great comfort. “Why?”
“I want a family, you know? And I’ve done my time. I worked with the military before I joined RB12. I’ve put my life on the line every day for others. It’s time I had some of the regular stuff, like mowing the lawn and making my wife breakfast in bed.”
I smiled. “Being married to you doesn’t sound half bad.”
“The position is still open if you want it. I’m sure Wilder would understand.”
Like hell he would. “Wilder isn’t really the kind of man to make me breakfast in bed, I’ll give you that. But I’m sure being his wife comes with other perks.”
“Like his mood swings and his dirty laundry?” he teased.
Wilder was a complicated man, I knew that. But there was a lot of good to counter his darkness. I finished my sandwich and tossed my paper plate in the garbage. “I should get down to the bunker and see if there’s anything I can help with.”
“Wilder is going to expect you to interrogate your father. So just be prepared.”
I was about to walk out but my feet remained glued to the floor. “Me?”
“Yeah.” He finished his bowl and left it in the sink.
“I’m not an interrogator. I have no skills.”
“But you have a very obvious connection. I’m just giving you a head’s up.”
I did my part when I helped intercept my father. I’d carry a scar for the rest of my life because of it. “Wilder told you this?”
He nodded. “You’ll be fine, Gray. You’re a lot more capable than you think.”
“It’s not about capability. What if that was your father sitting down in a cell?”
He shrugged. “A traitor is a traitor. It wouldn’t matter who he was.”
I found that unlikely. The tie of blood changed everything. “I’m gonna head down.”
“Good luck.”
I took the elevator to the bottom floor and entered the bunker. People were working around the clock like usual. When I headed to Wilder’s office, I crossed paths with someone I knew I�
��d have to face eventually.
Maxine.
In her black leather jacket and tight curls, she looked like she ruled the underground bunker. One of the most talented agents in the organization, she had some serious skill. My experience would never compete with hers.
When her eyes settled on me, a smile didn’t form on her lips. She didn’t look annoyed to see me, but she wasn’t as nice as she usually was. She crossed my path and gave me a slight nod. “Gray.”
“Maxine.”
She continued on her way and didn’t say another word.
But she didn’t need to say anything. She knew Wilder and I were an item, which effectively terminated her relationship with him. I’d be ticked too if someone took him away from me.
I arrived at Wilder’s office and knocked.
“Come in,” his deep voice announced.
I stepped inside in my jeans and a gray t-shirt.
He looked up from his computer with a stoic expression, clearly expecting to see another agent. Once he realized it was me, a soft smile formed on his lips. “You look well rested.”
“I got a great night of sleep.” I slipped into one of the armchairs facing his desk. “I slept with a huge teddy bear. It was great.”
“A teddy bear, huh?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Super comfy.”
“I think I’m a little hard to be a teddy bear, but whatever.” He set his phone down and gave me his full attention, no longer interested in whatever was on his screen.
“I ran into Maxine.”
“Yeah?” he asked, his mood immediately darkening. “She play nice?”
“She didn’t draw her gun, if that’s what you mean.”
“Well, I would hope not,” he said with a chuckle.
“She wasn’t happy when you told her?” I wasn’t sure why I was asking this when I didn’t want to know. It would just make me more jealous than I already was.
“She wasn’t angry. But she wasn’t happy either. She liked our arrangement. It was easy for her, simple. It was the closest thing she’s ever had to a relationship. It was difficult for her to let it go.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end in irritation.
“But when I told her I loved you, she finally let me go.”
All the anger disappeared from my body when I heard what he said. My eyes and lips softened.
“She’ll get over it. A beautiful woman like her has offers everywhere she turns.”
I was so thrilled by what he said that I didn’t care about that last comment. “I’m glad everything is out in the open now. Ben told me he met a nice girl last night.”
“Ben has never had a problem getting laid. He’s better at that than finishing missions.” He wasn’t as grouchy as he was yesterday. His jealousy toward Ben seemed to fade away now that he knew I was his—and that I loved him.
I stared at him for a few more minutes, wishing we were back in his bedroom with the sheets surrounding us. Better yet, I wish we were back in Switzerland with that huge house to ourselves. We’d make love all day and eat melted cheese and hot cocoa. Sounded perfect to me. “I’m ready to pick up a new assignment.” I shouldn’t waste all of his time on personal matters.
He eyed my arm. “I don’t think so. You need at least four weeks.”
“Ben is back in the game.”
“Ben is different. He’s been doing this for a long time.”
“Which means he needs to rest more.” I was getting special treatment because I was a woman. We both knew it.
“I still think you need to take some time before you move onto something else. Besides, I need you here. I’ve tried breaking your father with various devices but he won’t shake. You’re going to have to throw your hat into the ring.”
“Me?” I pointed at my chest like there was any possibility he wasn’t referring to me.
“Yes. You’re the only one who can get what I need out of him.”
“Wilder, I don’t think—”
“I know this is difficult, but I need you to do it.” He adapted his cold exterior, right down to business. “You’re the only one who has any effect. I’ve tried getting details about terrorist activity in America, but he won’t budge. It has something to do with his partners in Hong Kong but he won’t give me names. This is important. Just because he didn’t intercept the pulse doesn’t mean his men don’t have a backup plan. If we don’t succeed, people will die. Do you understand that, Gray?”
I didn’t expect special treatment from him on hard issues. I expected him to treat me like all of his other agents, getting right to the point. When he put it into those terms, I felt selfish for not getting my hands dirty. “I don’t know how to run an interrogation.”
“I’ll be in your ear. I’ll tell you what to say.”
“And you really think this will work?”
He shrugged. “I’ve tried everything else. He’s not like other men. He’s incapable of feeling physical pain, only emotional burden. You’re my only hope.”
Chapter Eight
I sat in the chair in my room and read through the briefing Wilder gave me. The video surveillance showed my father remained absolutely still for hours at a time. He stared straight ahead, hardly breathing. It reminded me of a reptile sitting on a rock, waiting for the right moment to strike before it snatched up its prey.
It was painful to see him that way, locked up in the interrogation room for the entire day before they put him in his cell to sleep. Most days, Wilder didn’t even go in there to interrogate him. It seemed like he put him in there for no reason at all.
Wilder knocked on the door before he stepped inside. “Hey.”
I shut my laptop because I didn’t want to look at my father anymore. “Hey.”
He walked inside and sat on the other couch, looking strong in the tight shirt he wore. He’d been down in the bunker for most of the day. It was past dinnertime, so he put in a sixteen-hour workday, at least.
His ambition didn’t bother me. He was passionate about his work, and I respected that. If I got to see him for just ten minutes I was happy.
“Take a look at everything?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“You think you can handle this?”
I shrugged. “We won’t know until we try, right?”
“You’ll be fine, Gray. He won’t hurt you.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” If he wanted to kill me, he wouldn’t have stopped Wilder from shooting me.
“Then everything will be okay. Just ask him the questions I gave you. Look him in the eye, and don’t be afraid.”
“That’s part of my nature, so we’ll be okay on that front.”
Wilder gave me a sympathetic look, understanding this was hard for me. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“It’s just…it’s hard to accept all of this is real. My father really is a criminal, a murderer. I still see him as my father, but in reality, I really don’t know him at all. He’s a stranger to me. Now we’re enemies. It’s hard to believe…”
“Yeah, I can only imagine.”
“I think I need more time to get ready for this…but I know there will never be enough time.”
He gave a slight nod. “Tomorrow, then?”
Now that a date had been set, a jolt ran through my heart. The imminent event was upon me, and there was nothing else I could do but push through and get it over with. Rip off the bandage. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”
He left the chair then kneeled in front of me, his intent obvious based on his movements. His torso separated my legs, and he yanked me toward him on the chair. My chest was pressed to his, and he brushed his lips past mine in a tantalizing way.
The second Wilder was close to me, I forgot about everything else except the two of us. My hands moved up his hard chest, feeling the powerful muscle underneath the fabric. My hands migrated to the bottom of his shirt before I pulled it over his head. Beautiful skin was revealed, along with a few scars. Somehow the marks
made him more beautiful. I stared at each one before I pressed a gentle kiss to the skin.
Wilder watched me, his sympathetic expression changing to one of desire. He pulled my shirt over my head then pressed his lips into my neck, kissing and sucking the warm skin as his sweet breath filtered across me.
He got my bra off then moved his mouth to mine, kissing me with the kind of softness I loved. When we kissed in Switzerland, it was always with lustful ferocity. All he wanted to do was fuck me like one of the others. But now his kisses were heavy with passion, heavy with promise.
I was glad I stuck to my guns and didn’t cave, as many times as I wanted to. If I slept with him and allowed myself to be just another woman, we wouldn’t be there right now. I knew Wilder didn’t want me just because he couldn’t have me. He wanted me because he realized he couldn’t stop thinking about me, wishing he was with me.
He scooped me into his arms and transferred me to the bed. The sheets and comforter were perfectly made, and my body immediately wrinkled them once my weight dipped into the mattress. He pulled off my jeans and panties before he yanked his off.
He climbed on top of me, his frame heavy and his skin warm. His knees widened my thighs, and he moved his arms behind my knees. I couldn’t wait to have him, so I grabbed his hips and pulled him toward me, feeling his hard cock press right against my folds. I didn’t care about Wilder’s darkness or his rough exterior. I knew the man underneath that cold visage. He was beautiful with a heart of gold.
He moaned quietly as he pressed his lips near mine. He wasn’t inside me yet but he clearly enjoyed the anticipation. He didn’t need to lubricate his cock before he pressed the head inside me, knowing I would be soaked for him just like every other time.
He pushed through my lips then slowly entered my tight channel. He took his time even though I was certain he didn’t want to take it slow. Inch by inch, he entered me until he was completely sheathed, surrounded by my slick arousal. “Jesus Christ…” He pressed his mouth against mine but he didn’t kiss me. He breathed into my mouth as he stretched me apart with his massive size. “Damn, I could live here.”
My hands snaked up his back and felt the muscle ripple underneath this warm skin. My nails pressed gently into his muscle, and I restrained myself from slicing him up. I never felt more aroused as I did when Wilder was inside me. My body craved his, but my heart also needed his desperately.