Dirty Little Secrets

by Julie Leto

  Elise recoiled and only for a split second did she allow pain to mar her expression. Seconds later, she recovered, twirled on her expensive heels and marched out of the room.

  Marisela was there to catch Jessica the minute the door slammed behind Elise. The girl crumbled into her arms and sobbed. Marisela could think of nothing more to say, except to whisper, “Mija, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” until Jessica recovered enough to accept a handkerchief from Ian.

  “I’ll arrange for you to be returned to your father immediately.”

  He turned to Max, who was already halfway out the door to make the arrangements, then faced Jessica again. Ian stood there, so cold, so stoic and waited for…what? A thank-you?

  “What do you want from her, Blake?”

  He looked askance. “Nothing, of course. Why don’t you escort her into the adjoining suite. She can freshen up before we return her to her father.”

  Marisela seethed, but she did as Ian asked, then told Jessica to stay put until she came to fetch her. Which she would do, once she cleared up a few things with her so-called boss.

  Ian was pouring himself a brandy when Marisela slipped back into the room.

  “You drink too much.”

  Ian sniffed the fine liqueur, then took a worshipful sip. “Care to join me?”

  “I don’t drink with double-crossing pendejos.

  “You use that word quite a bit. It must be incredibly insulting.”

  “Try Berlitz. You have a lot to learn.”

  He crossed the room, slowing momentarily as he broke into her personal space. She was angry enough, finally, to have erected a wall against the powerful pull of attraction that had plagued her until now. He was still undeniably the most suave, sophisticated, and seductive man she’d ever met—but she said no with her eyes in a way that caused him to back away.

  “You’re angry.”

  “You bargained with Frankie’s life. You think I’m just going to forget?”

  He shrugged. “I did what I had to do after one of my agents allowed her emotions to interfere in a mission. You can’t blame me for using those same emotions to achieve my objective.”

  “You think I can’t? Watch me. I warned you not to manipulate me.”

  He stepped closer and challenged her eye-to-eye. “And I warned you to do as you were told. I run Titan, Ms. Morales. My agents do as I say. I could fire you right here on the spot.”

  She narrowed her gaze. “I dare you.”

  He tilted his head back and laughed. “Fine then. I needed you for this case and this case only. You have outlived your usefulness. You’re fired.”

  “No, she’s not.”

  The door had swung open and in walked the leggiest redhead Marisela had ever seen. She wore a slim, pencil skirt, roach-killer pumps, and a silk blouse that draped lovingly over a bustline even Marisela envied for a few seconds before reminding herself that her own girls were nothing to sneeze at. With pure warmth in her cool, emerald gaze—one that matched Ian’s with utter exactness except for the color—the woman extended her hand in greeting.

  “Brynn Blake,” she greeted. “I’m honored to meet you, Marisela.”

  Ian had stepped forward, seething. “This is not your operation, Brynn. You have no right to be here.”

  Marisela accepted the woman’s hand and wasn’t surprised to find a firm grip underneath her silky skin.

  Ian was so screwed.

  “No right? That’s exactly the kind of misconception I came to clear up, brother, dear. Let’s start with the idea that you run Titan. Technically, you are in charge of North American operations, but I don’t need to remind you about who runs the rest, now do I?”

  “You assured me you wouldn’t interfere.”

  “So long as you had a firm grip, yes. But I received a call from Ms. Morales earlier today that made me doubt your leadership abilities. Seems I’ve arrived just in time to keep you from dismissing our most promising new agent.”

  Marisela had taken a risk in contacting Ian’s twin shortly after Frankie had gone into the operating room for a six-hour surgery, but she’d been so furious at the way Ian had toyed with Frankie’s life, she’d decided to deliver one parting shot before she quit or he fired her. Either way, she knew that her days at Titan had been numbered. She’d never imagined the woman would travel halfway around the world to save her job.

  Things hadn’t worked out as planned in any way, shape, or form. Marisela figured that on the surface, she’d actually failed in her first case. The objective had not been met, but the truth had come to light. Wasn’t what she’d been paid to do, but hey, she’d take it.

  “You can’t interfere, Brynn. You have no idea how contrary Marisela is.”

  Brynn dramatically placed her hands onto her slim hips and sighed with exasperation. “I know! A woman with her own mind! How dare she think for herself.”

  He jabbed a finger at her. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “Isn’t it?”

  Brynn turned her benevolent gaze toward Marisela, strode forward, and took her hand again, this time giving her a gentle pat. “My dear, you’re probably a damned gorgeous babe when you’ve gotten some sleep, but right now you look like hell.”

  Marisela shook her head wearily. “I’m too tired to take that as an insult.”

  “Good, because when I want you to be insulted,” Brynn replied, “I’ll be entirely more clever. Take Jessica home. Go see Frank. Once Ian and I have settled our business, we’ll get more acquainted, yes?”

  Marisela would have loved to be a fly on the wall of the hotel suite, but she didn’t have the energy. The most she could manage was a private smile as she crossed over the threshold into the hall. All in all, this hadn’t turned out to be such a bad day. Sure, she’d blown the mission all to hell, had likely pissed off one of the most powerful arms dealers in the Western hemisphere, and had no idea what she was going to do about her ex now that she knew he’d live, but she’d kept her job.

  For her, not a bad day at all.

  Epilogue

  THE PAIN IN his gut was searing, but Frankie forced his eyes open, pushed the button on the edge of his hospital bed that released another dose of morphine into his system, and waited for his eyesight to clear. When the shadows and light stopped doing a sickening dance around the room, he focused on the woman sitting in the lounge chair by the window, her attention entirely engaged in a book.

  “You read?”

  Marisela looked up, her bright brown eyes filled with something he’d like to hope was relief. Maybe a little caring, too. He couldn’t ask for her to love him, not now, but damn, having such an intimate showdown with death made him realize that he wanted something more from Marisela than an occasional roll in the hay. Though he wouldn’t turn one down if she made the suggestion.

  But not today.

  “Smart ass,” she quipped, closing the book and sweeping over to his bedside with that sultry, swinging walk that made his body ache in places that luckily hadn’t been blown apart by a bullet or sliced open by a surgeon’s scalpel. “I’ve been waiting for you to return to the world of the living.”

  He inhaled, bracing himself against the pain of forming words in his brain and actually speaking them with his lips, teeth, and tongue.

  “Long wait?”

  “Two days. Not so bad. Gave me a chance to study up on my mythology. I’ve got to pick a code name.”

  The sickening rock in his stomach plummeted another few feet into his sutured intestines. Dios mio, she wanted to work for Titan permanently?

  “You’re staying?”

  “Of course! Okay, so our mission failed and we nearly got killed. Twice. But man,” she said, sitting on the bed so hard and heavy that Frankie had to bite his tongue to keep from cursing, “what a rush! We were good together, too, don’t you think? I mean,” she said slyly, leaning forward and swiping her tongue over his parched lips. “In more ways than one.”

  Frankie cleared his throat. The thought of working f
or Ian Blake again rivaled the pain of moving in the bed after two days flat on his back, but the thought of leaving Marisela to work with Blake and him not around to run interference stung even worse. “He wants us back?”

  Marisela shrugged and glanced aside, obviously withholding information. “Well, let’s just say our jobs are available if we want them.”

  She propped the book back into her lap and flipped through the pages. “I got a list from Max. Unfortunately for you, Adonis and Atlas are already taken. However, I was thinking something dark and mysterious. Hades, maybe. He’s the God of the Dead. Or maybe Hephe…Hepheas…oh, forget it. If I can’t pronounce it, no one can.”

  With all the energy he could muster, Frankie reached out and took the book away from her. “Vidita, you’re making my head hurt.”

  She leaned forward and kissed him on the nose, her gaze dipping downward. “Which one?”

  “Calienta polla.”

  “I killed the last man who called me that,” she pointed out.

  “Maybe, but you saved my life. I’m going to have to pay you back for that, you know?”

  A tiny but wicked smile crossed her lips and she crawled nearer. “You’ve made that promise before, Francisco Vega. This time, I’m going to have to make sure you collect.”

  The scent of her perfume overpowered the medicinal smells of the hospital room. For an instant, he could almost imagine he was somewhere in paradise.

  “Por favor, don’t torture me, Marisela. I’m an injured man.”

  “Yes, but you’re alive—and that’s what matters most.”

  Silence hung there for a moment, a quiet that Frankie knew should be filled with some sort of private words between them, something to help classify what they were to each other. They were more than friends, but even lovers didn’t seem to cut it. But he was too groggy to say more than, “Marisela.”

  The longing in his voice must have given him away, because instantly, she placed her soft fingers over his lips. “Don’t, Frankie.”

  “Don’t what?”

  Tell me how much you care about me? Say that from now on, we should decide our futures together? Admit that being lovers after all we’ve been through is no longer enough?

  She leaned back and popped open the book. “Don’t call me Marisela. I’ve got a new code name, now.”

  Frankie groaned. He wasn’t sure if he had the strength to hear.

  “What is it?”

  “Aphrodite, of course. The Goddess of Love.” She strung out the last syllable, laughing at her own cleverness in a way that made Frankie’s body, for an instant, pain-free.

  “Mighty Aphrodite,” came a voice from the doorway. “The world will never be the same!”

  Marisela snickered, waving Max into the room. He strolled inside, a hint of reluctance in his colorless eyes.

  “Good to see you awake,” he said to Frankie.

  “Good to be awake.” Frankie shifted in the bed and though he’d never admit it, Marisela could see the price he paid for moving around. The skin around his lips had paled and his eyelids drooped heavy over bloodshot eyes. The doctors warned her that he’d be back to his old bad-ass self in no time, but what Marisela didn’t know was if she’d be there to help him through. All depended on Brynn Blake and whatever deal she offered.

  “Marisela, you ready?” Max asked.

  She grabbed the worn paperback Max had lent her and tried to stuff it into her back pocket. Her jeans, of course, were too right. She tossed him back the mythology primer.

  “As I’ll ever be,” she said.

  “Ready for what?” Frankie asked.

  Marisela brushed a quick kiss across Frankie’s lips, and then bounded to the door without looking back. Frankie didn’t ask again and if she wasn’t imagining things, she could have sworn she heard him curse softly when she pulled shut his door. He was alive. She’d deal with him. Later.

  Max gestured toward the elevator.

  She followed, releasing a wide-mouthed yawn she’d been harnessing for hours. “You did good,” she said to Max, realizing she hadn’t had a chance to thank him for coming through with the information on Elise.

  “So did you.”

  She shrugged, leaning her shoulder against the wall. “I broke the rules.”

  Max grinned as he punched the button and the automatic doors slid open. “That seems to be your forte. Might come in handy on your next case, too.”

  She laughed. Yes, it would. And for once in her life, she might have found a profession that not only appreciated her inability to do what she was told, but paid her handsomely for it. For once in her life, Marisela Morales might have found the true path to her future.

  * * * * * * * * *

  Afterword

  Thank you so much for purchasing and reading the first book in my Dirty series. I hope Marisela took you on a rousing adventure…she always does for me! If you have a minute, would you please go back to Amazon and leave an honest review? Word of mouth between readers is such a valuable resource.

  REVIEW DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS

  Happy Reading!

  Other Works by Julie Leto

  If Marisela got your motor running in Dirty Little Secrets, don’t miss her second mission:

  Dirty Little Lies

  by Julie Leto

  Staying alive isn't easy when people with guns tell Dirty Little Lies…

  Praise for DIRTY LITTLE LIES…

  “A must read for anyone enjoying a little female butt-kicking with a little flare.”

  C.J. Yasay

  Bookstove

  “Leto's style is fast, breezy and loaded with tension. She's created a complex plot that's executed with precision. Her characters have no middle ground and are worth a second look.”

  Donna M. Brown

  RT Bookreviews

  “Compelling drama, engaging and vibrant characters, along with a spicy Latin flavor all combine together to make Julie Leto's latest story a must-have for fans of truly well written romantic suspense.”

  Sonya

  Fallen Angel Reviews

  OVERVIEW

  — A disgraced bounty hunter faces down a deadly assassin.

  — A brush with death changes the rules for friends with benefits

  — Should she stop the seasoned killer's quest for vengeance… or join her on the hunt?

  To purchase Dirty Little Lies, click here.

  Dare Me

  by Julie Leto

  Given the choice between great sex and saving the world…why not do both?

  Praise for DARE ME…

  “Dante is uber male, sexy, smart, full of himself yet underneath it all he knows he screwed up and wants to get Macy back. Sigh. This is a hot, fun quick read.”

  Brenda

  Goodreads

  “Moved really fast and full of smart characters.”

  Elizabeth Brown

  Amazon reader

  “Steamy hot…”

  Diana Ketterer

  All About Romance

  OVERVIEW

  —female James Bond submits to seduction to save the world

  —suave super-spy risks everything to win back the woman he betrayed

  To purchase Dare Me, click here.

  Phantom Pleasures

  by Julie Leto

  Like a little paranormal with your romance? Check out the Phantom trilogy…

  Three über-alpha men, trapped by a Gypsy curse…who can only be saved by the love and determination of three equally powerful women

  Praise for Phantom Pleasures…

  “Ms Leto is in top form here as she strikes the perfect balance between moving the story along and filling the reader in on details.”

  Mrs.Giggles

  OVERVIEW

  — a powerful nobleman, trapped in time

  — a modern woman inherits a haunted castle

  — will she submit to the phantom’s dark magic or free him from his prison—and her heart—forever?

  To purchase Phantom Pleasures
, click here.

  Phantom’s Touch

  by Julie Leto

  Praise for Phantom’s Touch…

  “The story is mythical and sexy and as the saga of the Forsyth family continues I am happily along for the ride.”

  Cherise Everhard

  Amazon Top 1000 reviewer

  OVERVIEW

  — a warrior from another time, trapped in a cursed sword

  — a Hollywood heroine on the verge of freedom from her Svengali ex

  — can he protect her from evil forces hell-bent on her destruction…or will he do the job himself?

  To purchase Phantom’s Touch, click here.

  Kiss of the Phantom

  by Julie Leto

  Praise for Kiss of the Phantom…

  “The pace is fast, the action never stops, and there are surprises at every turn. This one is definitely a keeper, and the entire series is unique and fresh.”

  Phyllis Towzey

  Amazon reader

  OVERVIEW

  — a sexy Romani, trapped in time by the blackest magic

  — a female Indiana Jones intent on saving her hide and the mysterious man she’s growing to love

  — an age-old enemy determined to destroy them both

  To purchase Kiss of the Phantom, click here.

  About the Author

  By all reports, New York Times bestselling author Julie Leto was a sweet child once…somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories rather than running around outside with her three brothers. However, being raised in a loud, Italian/Cuban-American household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. She’s sold over forty books to four publishers—all featuring strong, confident women and the super-sexy men they drive to their knees.