Her eyes were huge. Gray-green and fringed with sweeping dark lashes, they regarded me steadily. I could see exactly why she’d been selected for this force known as the Seduction Squad. An exclusive, hand-picked group of women skilled in the art of sexual attraction whose mission was to seduce the most powerful men in the world. I imagined she was very good at what she did. For a second, the tip of her tongue touched the center of her top lip and, despite every warning I’d been given, my eyes were drawn to it. She knew what she was doing with the gesture. A tiny flicker of triumph in her expression told me I’d just failed the first test. Or passed it, I suppose it depended whose point of view we were in.
“Am I allowed to ask your name?” Her voice was husky, making me think of long, lazy days spent in bed. Of crumpled sheets and entangled limbs. Of sultry nights drinking tequila and dancing cheek to cheek in overheated, cigar-hazed nightclubs. I wondered if it was her natural voice or if she had cultivated it. Was it all part of the training for this elite team?
“Jake.”
She tossed back that vivid mane of hair. “Jake.” She rolled the word around her mouth as if she was tasting it. Tasting me. For a long time, she said nothing else, just fixed me with that full-on headlamp gaze.
Then she nodded. “If you know all about me, you know what I do. You know my job is seduction.” She leaned infinitesimally closer, smiling slightly when I eased away a fraction. “While you’re trying to get information from me, I’ll be doing everything in my power to work out what your deepest, darkest fantasies are.” Her voice drew me in, sucked me down, just as he’d said it would. “And, once I know what they are, I’ll do anything I can to make them come true, Jake. Anything.”
I reminded myself of all the reasons why I’d been selected for this assignment. Nerves of steel. That was what the commander had said when he called me in. Unshakable commitment to duty. I got results. My methods were often brutal and not always legitimate. It was one of the reasons my military career had been short-lived. The commander hadn’t needed to add misogynist bastard to my list of credentials for this mission. Everyone in the unit knows I have no time for women.
Even so, Inge’s words were enough to send a sharp thrill, resembling an electric shock, shooting from the back of my neck, down my spine until my balls tightened with something resembling anticipation. It was a good job I’d been warned. Already knew every trick she would try. The week I’d spent learning about their operation had opened my eyes. It had also been the horniest of my life, immersing myself in porn 24/7 while my boss looked on.
“Take yourself off to your favorite whorehouse and fuck this out of your system.” The commander’s words at the end of that week came back to me now. “Get every fantasy you ever had out of your head and into some willing mouth, ass or cunt now, because if there’s any trace of them still in there when you meet one of these bitches, she’ll find it and use it against you.”
A weekend in a brothel had taken care of my dick. My head? Nothing would fix that, but I would resist Inge. Because my darkest imaginings were something that would never see the light of day. No one, not even someone as skilled as the mighty Inge, would ever get close enough to see into the recesses of my mind. I didn’t even allow myself into that secret corner of my brain where I keep those fantasies locked away.
This would be a battle of wills. One I had been looking forward to ever since I’d first heard of the Seduction Squad.
I met her gaze squarely. Unflinchingly. “Bring it on.”
Despite my resolution, I couldn’t help thinking that Inge’s soft, indrawn breath was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. “Do your worst.”
She couldn’t know, of course, that my worst was something neither of us wanted to unleash.
Chapter Three
Inge
Jake was not what I’d expected. For one thing, he was younger. Maybe a few years younger than me. Although I got the impression he had a military background, he wasn’t serving now. Not with those shoulder-length dreadlocks caught up in a man bun. Or those piercings. Four in his left ear, three in his right and a silver ring through his nose. His hair and beard were dark. In contrast, his eyes were lighter, a glorious golden brown. They were deep and curiously sad. At any other time, I might have been interested in exploring that soulful expression further. His skin had a warm mahogany hue that hinted at a combination of races in his heritage.
I had been right about his size. He was huge, dominating the small space with his bulk, his muscles straining his T-shirt tight over his chest. The sleeves were fighting a losing battle with his biceps, so he had pushed them up. My eyes were drawn to his tattoos. His right arm was an intricate full sleeve of color including skulls, angel wings and roses. I suspected it extended across his shoulder and onto his back. On his left arm there was a crest and a motto in a language I didn’t know.
If he intended to torture me, I was in serious trouble.
“Is this where I tell you I can only give my name, rank and serial number?”
There was a flicker of genuine amusement in his eyes as they scanned my face. “You’ll give me anything I want.”
“I already said that.”
The smile vanished. “I don’t want sex from you, Inge.”
“Oh, you do, Jake. You just don’t know what kind yet.”
He huffed out a breath. “We’ll get along better if you drop the sex-siren act.”
I sighed. “How about you tell me what you’re looking for, then I’ll know if I can give it to you?”
He nodded approvingly. “I want everything you have on Ricardo Villacruz.”
I was trained to listen to whatever he had to say without giving anything away. Even so, hearing those words without showing a flicker of emotion took every ounce of my considerable acting ability. My heart gave a thud so loud I thought for a moment Jake might actually have heard it.
“Ricardo Villacruz?” I repeated the words slowly, trying to buy a little time to calm my nerves. “I’m not sure I know that name.”
This time Jake’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s what I thought you’d say. We both know it’s a lie.”
“So what happens next? Waterboarding? Or will you just pull out my fingernails?” As I extended my hand to show him my coral nails—my manicurist would weep if she could see them after three days in here—I was pleased to see it was perfectly steady. At least the trembling going on inside me wasn’t showing on the outside.
Jake laughed. “At this moment in time, Inge, what do you want more than anything in the world?”
I blinked at the unexpected question. Instantly, an image of plump arms locked around my neck and a voice crying “Mama!” in between sticky kisses pressed onto my face rose in my mind. I dismissed it quickly. Hopefully, I managed to do it before Jake caught any glimpse of the sentiment that accompanied it.
“Right now? I need a shower.” I clutched the front of the ugly sweatshirt with a grimace. “It’s been three days and, you know...”
“Tell me about the last time you saw Villacruz and I’ll let you have a shower.” As I parted my lips, Jake held up a hand. “Before you repeat your denial, let me tell you I have photographs of the two of you together.”
I swallowed. Fuck. I knew nothing about Jake...except that I was at his mercy. I did know all about Ricky Villacruz. Knew he was an evil bastard who would not hesitate to kill me if I gave away even the tiniest detail about him. But it wasn’t only myself I had to consider when it came to Ricky. What the hell sort of choice was this? The only one you have.
I cast a speculative glance at Jake. Work with what you’ve got right here, right now. Why were those beautiful eyes so sad?
“Do I get a change of clothes, as well?”
He gave a surprised snort of laughter. “Yes, you get a change of clothes. But you don’t get to shower alone.”
I raised my brows. “You’re joining me? How nice.”
Jake shook his head. “Not joining you. Watching you.”
“Is there anything in particular you would like me to do while you watch?”
“Inge...” His voice was weary.
I laughed. Laughing, smiling, flirting. I knew I was throwing him off balance with my behavior. Something told me Jake wasn’t used to being around women. I suspected he was used to hostage situations. He had a set of expectations about how this would go. Let’s see if we can’t shake those expectations up a little bit.
“The last time I saw Ricky Villacruz was about four months ago. We met at a hotel in Quito. He was pissed off because a major drug consignment had just been intercepted by the DEA. I gave him a blow job. He gave me a black eye. We were together for less than an hour.”
I tried not to hold my breath. It was true. Partly. Was it enough? Jake’s eyes scanned my face thoughtfully. “That fits with what I knew. Not the blow job and the black eye, but the other stuff. You get your shower.”
Rewarding me for something he already knew? I didn’t know what mind games Jake was playing, but I was a fast learner. I’d soon pick up the rules...but that didn’t mean I was going to play by them.
Chapter Four
Jake
I didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved that Inge wasn’t attempting to put on a show for me. She’d asked what I wanted her to do while I watched her, and while my resolve wasn’t going to buckle, I was surprised when she didn’t try to test me at least a little. Seduction Squad. The name said it all. With her qualifications I’d have expected an erotic dance as she undressed. Even the offer of a hand job while she showered. I didn’t feel I was getting my money’s worth from one of the squad’s highest-ranking operatives.
“What is this place?”
If she thought she got to ask questions, Inge clearly didn’t understand her role as a captive. Nevertheless, I decided to ignore her audacity. It couldn’t do any harm to tell her where she was being held. At least she wouldn’t get any ideas about escaping.
“It’s an underground bunker, built during the Cold War by an eccentric billionaire. He planned it so it would withstand a nuclear attack.” I waved an arm. “You’ve seen the bedroom. This is the bathroom. There’s also a kitchen and laundry room. It was designed so that the owner could survive here for months.”
Completely unself-conscious under the gaze of a stranger, Inge was stripping off the sweat suit as she listened. Even with my steadfast determination to resist her allure, I couldn’t help checking out that amazing body. She was taller than average, with long, slim legs that seemed to go on forever. Her skin had the pearly sheen and smattering of freckles of a true redhead. Not that there was any doubt. The soft red-gold curls between her legs were a shade or two lighter than those on her head and her high, pert breasts were tipped with russet nipples. She was stunning and I told myself it was no wonder my cock was responding to her by making a determined effort to break free from the confines of my jeans. I’m a normal guy. Just because looking at her turned me on, it didn’t mean I was going to do anything about it. She was my prisoner. What sort of animal would abuse that power? I turned my thoughts away from that direction immediately. Not going there.
Inge had a way of fastening her eyes on my face, almost as though she was reading my mind. Would it scare her if she knew what I had just been thinking? It should. It should fucking terrify her. I knew she was aware of my arousal. The bulge in my jeans was unmistakable. Inge may have been the instigator of her fair share of erections during her career, but I knew none of them would compare favorably to mine. That wasn’t bragging. It was a fact. A fucking enormous one.
After one brief look, she didn’t glance at my groin again. Made no reference to the pulse beating wildly in my neck and my heightened color. Probably accepted a hard-on like a steel girder as her fucking right.
Reaching up and running her fingers through her hair, Inge sighed. “Can I get started?”
“Wait.” As she moved toward the shower stall, I gripped her wrist. My voice came out thick and heavy, the contact with her flesh affecting me more than I’d expected. My erection became a throbbing demand for action. “When you saw Villacruz in Ecuador four months ago, what arrangements did you make for your next meeting?”
Her eyes narrowed. “You said I got the shower if I told you about our last meeting.”
“You do. Tell me about the next meeting and you get shower gel, shampoo and towels.”
She started to laugh and I tried not to notice the way the movement made her tits tremble enticingly. “You cheap bastard. You and Ricky Villacruz are two of a kind.”
I waited, maintaining my grip on her wrist. God, this was killing me. How had I ever thought I could do this? Sweat broke out on my brow as I tried to ignore the pulsing demon between my thighs. She was the most tempting woman I had ever seen, she was naked, inches away from me. And she was in my power. That was the killer. That was the problem I should have foreseen. Power. Control. All the things I should never have. Not where a woman was concerned.
Her naked body gleamed white in the gloomy light from the overhead bulb. Her scent was musky, slightly sweaty after three days without washing. Intoxicating. I wanted to draw her closer, feel her resistance as I placed my hand around her throat and tightened my grip. It wouldn’t take much pressure to see her color change, to see those eyes begin to bulge...
“We don’t make plans in advance.” Her voice jerked me out of my trance.
“So what does happen?” Focus. On the job. Not on her.
“He calls me.” There was a slight frown in her eyes. Could she sense it? The coiled tension in me? The need in me?
“Do you ever call him?”
“No.” Oh, she was good. Very good. But I caught the tiny hesitation before she answered. It told me everything I needed to know.
I released her wrist. “Okay, Inge. I’m feeling generous. You get your soap and towels.”
She moved away from me quickly. Too quickly. Good. If she was frightened she would be more likely to give me the information I needed and do it fast. Breaking down that brittle exterior was my goal. I knew my biggest challenge was to be scarier than Villacruz. I drew a deep breath. The problem was I was scared too. Scared of the images that had flashed through my mind as I held her wrist. The possibilities that had occurred to me. Thoughts that tormented my dick into a tight, hot rod while my head cried out in anguish. I needed to keep control, get this job over with and get as far away from here—and from Inge—as I could. Stirring up old memories was never a good idea. Until now, I had believed the past was buried. If I’d known this mission could kindle it, provoke a reminder so vivid, I never would have agreed to it.
I leaned against the tiled wall while Inge stood under the jets of hot water, tilting her face up to the spray. The small room quickly filled with scented steam. Although I had been determined not to watch her, my eyes developed a will of their own, repeatedly seeking her out through the warm mist. I could do this. Test my willpower the way I tested my muscles. It was a feat of endurance, but I could stand it. No twisted fantasies. Just the healthy enjoyment of a man with normal urges.
Inge seemed unaware of my scrutiny. She ran her fingers through her now clean hair, arching her back in near ecstasy. Lathering up the gel, she bent to smooth the foam over those long legs and my throat constricted. The fog gave me a blurred view, but my imagination provided the finer details. The perfect milky globes of her ass cheeks parted as she stooped. I wanted to move closer, to slide my hand up the inside of her thighs, then run the tip of one finger between her buttocks while I probed the neat puckered ring of her anus. My throat and my scrotum both tightened painfully.
She straightened, moving her hands slowly up her body to cup her breasts. I nearly groaned out loud.
Had I really believed she wasn’t putting on a show for me? Just because she wasn’t bumping and grinding and looking me in the eye didn’t mean this whole performance wasn’t aimed at me. As one hand moved lower and she widened her stance so she could lather between her legs, I muttered a curse and shoved my shoulders away from the wall.
“We’re done here.”
Inge swung around to face me. “Let me rinse off.” She stayed under the shower for a few minutes before turning the water off. “Could you pass me a towel?”
How the fuck had I become her lady’s maid instead of her worst nightmare? Scowling, I threw the towel at her. Inge caught it deftly and wrapped it around herself, tucking it in place over her breasts. As soon as she was covered up, I felt a measure of control return.
“What happens now?” Inge asked.
“Now we get serious.”
Chapter Five
Inge
After three days spent inside that hood, dreading each time Jake brought me food and took me to the bathroom, wondering what the hell was going to happen to me, it was almost a relief to know where this was going. Almost.
Sleep deprivation? I bit my lip to stop myself laughing out loud. Was he serious? He said he knew what I did for a living. He should have guessed my nights never involved much sleeping anyway. Relief flooded through me. At least he wasn’t planning to break my fingers or pull out my teeth.
“Are you listening to me, Inge?” Jake frowned.
I nodded. “I don’t get to sleep until I tell you where Ricky’s headquarters are.”
Seduction Squad: Captured Page 2