by S. M. Butler
The thing was… he wanted to protect her from him as well as any outside dangers, and that meant he couldn’t tell her what he had her brother looking into, or what he was going to demand of him. Not until he knew who was behind this organization Lewis talked about.
She was thinking about their fight though. He could see it in her uneasy steps, the way her eyes dipped away from his. He stood up and walked around his desk to meet her instead of making her walk to him. He pulled at his tie, feeling the tightness around his neck.
Fuck he hated suits. He much preferred his jeans and flannel shirts. But the meeting he had today required the billionaire persona. He took the tablet from her and signed where she’d highlighted and handed it back to her.
When she didn’t leave immediately, he frowned. “Was there something else, Miss Muldoon?”
“No… I mean…” she sighed, putting the tablet down on the desk. “Your tie is crooked.”
In a move that surprised him, she reached up and pulled at it, but when it didn’t fix itself, she untied it and started retying it. He held the breath as the scent of her wafted up to him and watched her silently as her round hazel eyes completely focused on her task. Normally, she never touched him.
What had changed in her recently?
First, she picked a fight with him over her brother. Now, she was putting hands on him. And she did it all with the same conviction as she did her job for him.
She wasn’t much different from his Reapers, when he thought about it. She was real, flesh and blood, though the world thought her dead. She was just as dedicated as they were. As her delicate fingers straightened his lapels, he grasped her hands in his and held tight. She was warm and alive in that moment. He could feel her blood pumping through her body from his hold on her wrists.
She gazed up at him, but she didn’t try to break his hold.
“That’s enough, Miss Muldoon.”
“As you wish, Mr. Hawk.”
They were back to last names again. Had he really damaged their relationship that much last night?
“Nathan,” he corrected.
“You won’t call me Bridget. I won’t call you Nathan.”
“If I call you… Bridget, it will change things,” he said softly.
“Things are already changing,” she replied. “You just haven’t seen it yet.”
What did that mean?
He let go of one of her wrists to run his thumb along her jaw. He concentrated his gaze on the smooth line of her jaw and followed his thumb as he ran it down the side of her throat to her clavicle. Her body shuddered.
He glanced up to her eyes, their hazel coloring tinged with fire he’d never seen before. Before last night, he’d never seen Bridget in any sort of sexual way. She was his aide. His lifeline, really. But now he allowed himself to trace the smooth lines of her face and neck with his thumb, and she didn’t stop him.
“Mr. Hawk…” she swallowed. “Please.”
“Bridget… would you have sex with me?”
She blinked. “What?”
“I would like to have sex with you.”
She broke his hold on her wrist and stepped back, almost stumbling, but with more grace than he’d ever seen a woman step. “You’re joking.”
“Have you ever known me to joke, Miss Muldoon?” His cock pushed to life inside his trousers. He knew what needed to be done. They needed this. They’d lasted four years without any sexual relations, but it was inevitable with men and women. The attraction between them had always been there, but it was surfacing now. He just couldn’t allow it to happen. It needed to be controlled and dealt with before it became a problem.
“You’re out of your mind!” She grabbed her tablet from the desk and started to march toward the door. She stopped and turned toward him. “What in the ever-loving fuck makes you think I would sleep with you?”
“It’s sex, Bridget. That’s all. There’s this… thing that keeps surfacing between us. I just… I wanted…”
“I am not one of your little prostitutes. You can’t just scratch your itch with me and throw me back.”
“That’s not it. I’m simply suggesting a change in our working relationship.”
She made a sound that was a bit like a cross between disbelief and anger. “You want me to fuck you as part of my job description.”
“Women always want something from me. I can’t give it. But you… you want nothing from me. It’s perfect, really.”
“Except you’re my boss.”
“Well, I suppose I could order you then? If that’s what you’d prefer.”
She made another choked noise and her cheeks turned rosy. “You’re a fucking asshole, you know that?” She glanced down at her tablet, her grip on it so tight, her hands had turned white. She marched over to him and slammed it into his chest. “You know what? Go fuck yourself, Nathan.”
As he caught the abandoned tablet, she turned to leave. “Bridget—”
“I’m done, Nathan. Four years and you just tried to turn me into your sex puppet. I deserve more than that. I’ve given you everything I had. I gave up my entire life for you. I’m not just one of your possessions to be played with and tossed aside when you’re done.”
“That’s not at all what—”
“I don’t care, Nathan. Whatever you have to say, I don’t care anymore.” She let out a long breath and turned back to face Nathan straight on. Her eyes met his, determined, scared, and yet so sure of herself. “I quit.”
Air left his lungs as she spun around. He choked and nothing would form from his mouth as she let the door click softly shut behind her. By the time he’d managed to open the door she’d vanished from the office.
10
Bridget glanced around at the room. She’d packed up her clothes. She’d packed everything she knew belonged to her. When she looked around, it didn’t look that much different.
What had she been doing the last four years? In her old place, the one she’d had before she died, she’d had two decades worth of stuff crammed into it. It had taken her family a week to clean it out. She’d managed to pack up her entire life in the span of two hours.
She growled softly to herself. What the hell had Nathan been thinking, making that proposition to her? But even as she thought the question, she knew. She wasn’t anything more than another cardboard cutout employee. Like his Ghosts. Easily replaceable.
The thing was… she wasn’t as angry at him as she was at herself.
Somehow, she’d let this situation come about. She’d agreed to work for Nathan. She knew exactly what kind of a man he was. He was manipulative and intelligent. She’d watched him a hundred times. She just had never realized he’d done it to her, too.
She jolted out of her thoughts as someone banged on the door. Steeling herself, because who else would it be, she walked calmly to the door and opened it.
Nathan stood on the other side, his expression furious. But for the first time, she didn’t feel any fear or worry. She’d framed her entire life around this man, and here he was, standing before her like she’d mortally injured him.
He pushed past her, striding into the room like he owned it. Which, she supposed, he did. Everything in there, besides what was in those two small bags, were his. He glanced at the bags and then back at her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m leaving.”
“You can’t leave.”
“That what it means when someone quits, Nathan. I realize that this is hard subject for you to comprehend. It’s what people do when they don’t want to work for you anymore.” Renewed anger burned inside her chest.
“What will you do? I mean, where will you go?”
“I don’t know,” she replied softly. She chuckled lightly. “I hadn’t thought about it yet.”
Honestly, she had no clue. She had no identity anymore. The fake paperwork she had were from Nathan. If she wanted a clean break, she couldn’t use that, could she?
“I need you to stay,” he s
aid firmly.
“I can’t.”
“If it’s about what I offered, I’ll take it back.”
“It’s not that, exactly. I mean, it is, but it’s more than that.” She swallowed. “Nathan, you need a puppet to play with. I can’t be that puppet. I’ve spent the last four years being a little more than your Ghosts. I have nothing of my own. My entire life has been you and your mission.” She swept her hand around the empty room. “Look at this place. There’s nothing here. It’s empty.”
He sighed and started toward her, but stopped, like he rethought that particular move. “You could have left before. You didn’t have to stay. You chose to stay.”
“Where was I going to go, Nathan?” She shook her head. “I woke up days after I supposedly died in the hospital in some strange place. I went to my own funeral, for fuck’s sake. I was lost in my own head. And I let you convince me that… staying with you was the right thing.”
“Why can’t it be right?” He shot back at her. “Where is this coming from? Four years, and you’ve never said anything.”
“You never asked. But that’s typical Nathan, isn’t it?” She let out a long breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “It’s always been about you. I stayed for you. I worked for you.” She glanced at her bags. “That is all I have to show for it. Two bags of clothes.”
“I need you with me,” he said, his voice rumbling so low she almost didn’t hear it.
“I know,” Bridget replied. “But I need to leave. Figure out exactly what I am now.”
“Can’t you do that here?” He asked. “I mean, you don’t have to work for me, but I do have a responsibility to you. Your death was my fault.”
She shook her head. “I absolve you of any responsibility to me.”
“And what of your brother? Would you leave him too?”
“He thinks I’m dead. There’s no reason to change that at this point.” She stepped closer to Nathan, so he had no recourse but to meet her in the eyes. As she stood in front of him, she could smell the scent of his cologne and it made her ache in the chest. “I can’t stay here, Nathan. I need a clean break. I’m asking that you let me have it.”
“The apartment is yours. I’m asking you to at least stay here so I know you’re safe.”
She shook her head. “Then what? I sit here every night, waiting up, wondering if you’re there, or if you’re still at the office working entirely too late? You just… don’t get it, Nathan.”
His hand snaked up to her chin, his thumb gliding along her jawline until he cupped the back of her head. “I never wanted to hurt you, Bridget. Don’t go. Please.”
His head tilted and before she realized what was happening, his lips were on hers, softly caressing. Heated pressure built up inside her body, in every cell. His powerful arms held her still even as her legs threatened to buckle underneath her. Even his kiss was powerful, and it nearly knocked her to her knees.
But as quickly as it started, she choked back the sting of tears, breaking contact with him, and stepped out of his reach. Twin ebony orbs stared at her as she shook her head. Her vision blurred as the tears welled up against her lower lids.
“That is exactly why I can’t stay here.”
She snatched up her bags and ran out of the apartment. The sound of the door shutting behind her settled in her stomach like a block of lead as she walked out of her life and into the abyss of the unknown world.
~*~*~
Bea couldn’t help but smile as Axel all but bounced around her all day. She’d been nervous about the festival, seeing as she really didn’t hang out that much in town. Most of the folks didn’t really know her, and she preferred it that way. The uncomfortable way that Joann Gardner had stared at her at the ticket booth had nearly had her turning to leave.
But as the day had gone on, she’d relaxed, and had actually started to have fun with Axel. He’d lost that cocky attitude he always put forth around her and acted more like a boy than a grown man. She kind of liked the change. He was more outgoing, freer with his movements. The stress of being a target had weighed on him more than she’d realized. He really started to bloom at the festival. They had to find out who was trying to kill him, because she really did like this Axel.
And man, he knew a lot of people. She supposed it was because he’d been here for so long in Jubilee, but she hadn’t realized just how social Axel was. He asked people about their children, their grandchildren, their cars, their gardens… anything that he deemed was important in their lives. It was crazy to watch, seeing as Bea had always stuck close to herself.
His hand snaked into hers as he stopped walking and pulled her to him. He didn’t let go of her hand as he slid his other hand around her waist. “You owe me a kiss. A real one.”
“You never specified what kind of kiss,” she replied, smirking.
He tilted his head and leaned down, so his face was centimeters from hers. “You know what kind of kiss I want.” Then he completed the movement he’d started. His lips touched hers, soft and gentle, but there was no mistaking he was taking exactly what he wanted.
She moaned as his hand splayed open at the small of her back. His mouth was delicious, a mix of him, cotton candy, and whatever sweet drink he’d had. His tongue coaxed her mouth open and she surrendered to the feel of his body against hers. His tongue swirled around hers, sliding against hers, and a soft moan escaped the deep rumble of his throat. She was panting hard when he pulled back.
“That’s the kiss I wanted,” he replied. Without releasing her hand, he started walking down the darkened street toward his apartment.
~*~*~
The walk back toward Axel’s apartment was quiet, but he didn’t mind that. The whole day had been amazing. He’d managed to forget for a minute or two that someone tried to kill him two days ago. And Bea was letting him touch her, even if it was just him holding her hand.
That kiss, though. Of all the things he’d ever known, he’d never felt any kind of kiss like that. Her lips had been so soft and warm. Her body was pliant in his arms. He could have stood there and kissed her for hours and never tired of it.
But he wanted so much more, which was why he was walking her back to his place. His goal today was to get her to loosen up, to have some fun, and he thought she had managed a little bit of fun in the time they’d been together. He didn’t even care if they didn’t have sex tonight. He just wanted her to be with him, to spend as much time with her as he could.
Maybe getting shot at and attacked had done something to his head. He’d never pursued a woman this way, never went in with the idea that sex wasn’t the end goal. But there wasn’t any other woman quite like Beatrice Li.
“You’re frowning,” Bea said beside him. He paused, realizing they’d reached the bottom of the stairs leading up to his apartment.
“I just realized something is all.”
“What’s that?”
He pulled her to him, cupping her face so he could kiss her again. God, her sweet taste. He couldn’t get enough of her. “I don’t want you to go home.”
She smiled up at him and whispered, “Wherever will I go if I can’t go home, then?”
He grinned. “Upstairs with me.”
“Lead the way, cowboy,” she replied.
They started to climb the steps together, but he released her hand so he could get up the steps and pull his keys out at the same time. The place had been cleaned up from the attack the day before, but he still felt trepidation as he unlocked the door.
He pushed open the door, the scent of Lysol wafting toward him. Apparently, Nathan’s cleaning crew had come and gone. He turned as he heard Bea’s soft grunt. He whirled around to find her, only to see her face down on the balcony a few feet away, and a two-by-four heading for his face.
He raised his hand to try to block his attacker, but he was too late to stop the blow. The force from the wood impacting with his face sent him careening to the side, slamming against the metal railing and crumbling to the concrete floo
r.
He glanced up, because lying flat on your back, up was about the only direction you could look. The man’s face was marred by burn scars from the cheekbone down to his jawline. Dark eyes glittered in the moonlight. Dressed in all black, even gloves that covered his massive hands as they closed around the two-by-four he’d just used. Which was on the downswing already.
Axel rolled just as the wood hit the concrete beneath him, rattling the entire floor. The wood exploded into splinters. His attacker threw the thing away and turned toward Axel.
Axel jumped up, his head already spinning, but he forced his focus to return and slammed his shoulder right into the man’s gut. The two went over the rail as he heard Bea cry out behind him.
11
Blood pounded through Bea’s head as she struggled to get back to her feet. Her world was spinning, and blood was already dripping down the side of her face. She couldn’t believe she’d let someone get the drop on her like that.
As she looked up, Axel slammed his body into the assailant and the two of them flew right over the rail, crashing to the bushes below.
“Axel!” She cried out. She pushed to her feet, ignoring the rattle of her head and the spin of her vision. Her arms shook as she braced herself on the railing and looked down.
Please don’t be dead, she prayed.
Axel was moving already, his face pinched into an intense concentration. He didn’t look like he was hurt at all, except for that gash on his cheek.
Thank goodness, she said to herself.
She ran down the steps, trying to keep an eye on the two as she headed for the altercation. She pulled her weapon out from her back, holding it out as she bent her knees and smoothed out her stride. She’d have one shot, and she had to make sure Axel didn’t get hurt in the process.
She fought back the pain and the dizziness, focusing on her target. The target punched Axel, then slammed his knee into Axel’s side. Axel grunted hard as the man flipped them, so Axel was on his back. He wrapped his gloved hands around Axel’s throat and began to squeeze.