Lies (Phoenix Undercover #1)

by C. A. Harms

  I kissed her forehead and rocked her from side to side.

  “I’m happy you were able to spend the evening with my family. We have to look at the bright side, right?” she said.

  “How did I get so lucky?’ I asked, grinning down at her. She truly was the most beautiful woman I had ever met. Both inside and out, Gabby was breathtaking.

  “I am pretty great, aren’t I?” She winked.

  ***

  Leaving her on the doorstep of her apartment building wasn’t easy. I wanted nothing more than to go upstairs and spend the evening making love to the woman who had stolen my heart.

  But I had a job to do. And I had to get my head on straight.

  “We don’t think Roman will show up, but we have to prepare for that scenario,” Trevor said as he tested the microphones hidden on me and the rest of the team. “Leo has been in contact with him, but Roman is smart, and the burner phones his crew use have left us at a dead end. So we play along and fish for information. Keep your eyes and ears open.”

  My microphone looked the same as any of the other buttons on my jacket, only it had a tiny implanted device in the center. Each one of the guys had been given their own hidden mic, and not all were disguised as buttons. In fact, Mike’s was hidden in his earring, and Greyson had his in the center of his belt buckle.

  I was on edge with adrenaline pumping through me at the thought of how tonight would unfold. Still, I had a newfound confidence. Before meeting Gabby, I had wanted nothing more than to bring Leo and Roman down and make them pay for the lives they’d stolen and futures they’d destroyed. Now my need for that to happen had grown even more intense. The fact we hadn’t caught them yet was the one thing holding me back from going full throttle with Gabby, because I still feared hurting her, whether because of how consumed I was by my job or the fear of her getting pulled into the darkness of Leo’s world. I couldn’t allow either to happen.

  An hour passed, then the commotion outside indicated it was go time.

  The large garage door of the warehouse lifted, and two large box trucks drove inside before the door immediately closed again. They pulled to a stop, and men hurried out. Chaos reigned as they quickly unloaded the crates and placed them off to the sides. When everything was unloaded, the garage door opened, and just as quickly as they arrived, the trucks were gone.

  We stood in place, knowing Leo was about to arrive. And just as we suspected, he, Pavel, and Nicolay entered, followed by the Kuznetsov brothers. It was a full house tonight, and the party was now in full swing.

  Leo looked at the merchandise eagerly as he stepped forward and lifted the tarp. “Oh, I can smell the money already,” he said enthusiastically. “I do believe this has been a successful delivery, and you men have proven your loyalty to us. For this, we’ll celebrate.” He snapped his fingers, and Pavel stepped forward, holding a metal container out to the three of us. Inside were cigars, Davidoff Millennium Robusto to be exact.

  Mike, Greyson, and I accepted one as Pavel offered us his lighter. The steel door behind them opened, and my gaze shifted immediately to the entrance as the three girls from our initial meeting entered. The one known as Zara smiled shyly at me, and my stomach dropped. The idea of touching her made me feel as if I had been punched in the nuts.

  Chapter 18

  Gabriella

  No, Josh showing up after midnight to crawl in bed next to me smelling like cigars was not what I had hoped for, but his presence alone made up for the stench. I was too tired to complain as I slowly dozed off, tucked snugly against his bare chest.

  A gentle kiss to my forehead followed by his soft whisper made my stomach flutter. “I just want to hold you. You’re my peace, Gabby, my calm.”

  When I woke up, I fully expected to find Josh in bed next to me. But I was disappointed when I reached out and felt the cool sheets beside me. He was in and out so fast, I wondered if I had dreamed it. I picked up my phone from the nightstand and typed out a quick message to him.

  Me: I miss you.

  I didn’t expect to receive a response, but I wanted him to know I was thinking of him. So I was surprised when a text came through before I could even lay my phone back down.

  Josh: Damn baby, I miss you too.

  I sat on the edge of my bed, staring down at his message. It was surprising how just that little response brightened my sour mood.

  Seconds later, another message followed.

  Josh: Come see me.

  Excitement rushed through me. Apparently I waited too long to respond, because moments later, my phone rang and Josh’s name appeared on the screen.

  “Hello,” I answered.

  “So when you gonna be here?”

  I could almost picture him smirking. “Where are you?”

  “At the office. I’ve got paperwork until later tonight, so I’m not going to be able to get away, but I want to see you.” Something crackled on his end of the line like he was covering the phone, and his voice sounded muffled. I figured he was talking to someone else, so I waited patiently.

  “Sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “So about that visit.” He chuckled. “You think you can be a little late for work?”

  “I think that’ll be okay. My first showing isn’t until this afternoon.” I was already heading toward my closet with the perfect outfit in mind.

  He rambled off the address as I jotted it down. “Give me thirty minutes,” I told him.

  “Not a minute longer, or I’ll be forced to come after you myself.” His dominating tone was such a turn-on. My body heated as I imagined the possibilities.

  ***

  After I entered the building, I had to walk through metal detectors and place my purse and keys onto a conveyor belt. Two officers then inspected them, eyeing me suspiciously. Once everything passed inspection, I walked toward the front desk and was just about to ask where the elevators were located when chills broke out over my body at the raspy whisper from just over my left shoulder.

  “With three minutes to spare.”

  I turned around and looked up into Josh’s gorgeous hazel eyes, and he grinned. Stepping back, he looked me over as his jaw began to tense. Without speaking another word, he gripped my hand and led me past the front desk.

  The fast pace of his long legs made keeping up difficult. We reached the elevators, and he began tapping at the Up button impatiently. When he looked back over his shoulder and raked his gaze over me once more, I understood the rush.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, pretending to be completely oblivious to his turned-on expression.

  “No,” he whispered hoarsely, and I almost laughed at him, but I continued to keep my cool.

  “Do you feel sick?”

  His gaze left my legs that were fully exposed beneath the tight miniskirt that hit me midthigh, and eventually his eyes met mine. He cocked an eyebrow and gave me that panty-dropping smirk of his.

  “Sick? Nah, I’m just seconds away from slamming you against the wall, hiking up that skirt of yours, and burying myself inside you. I figured doing that out here in the open may create an unwanted audience. So I need to get you to my office as quickly as possible.”

  The ding of the elevator brought me out of my lust-filled haze, and I stepped to the side as a few men in suits exited the car.

  “We’re going out for a coffee run. The machine upstairs is fucked again,” the blond man said to Josh. “You need us to grab you something?” They clearly hadn’t noticed me standing there.

  “Nope,” Josh said as he stepped around them and took my hand. When he pulled me into the elevator, both men noticed me. “I’ll be busy for the next hour.”

  My cheeks reddened as the door slid closed and the faint chuckles of the two men faded away. “That comment didn’t make your intentions obvious or anything,” I said without turning to look up at him. He chuckled and stepped up behind me, and I tried to maintain my composure as he slid his palm appraisingly over my ass. He grazed my ear with his l
ips, and I closed my eyes and fell back against his body when he moved them to suck on my earlobe.

  “I don’t give a shit what they think. All I know is for the next hour, they all better leave me the fuck alone. If they even attempt to interrupt us, I’ll kick their asses.”

  When the elevator arrived on his floor, he dragged me along without stopping to greet anyone. I didn’t miss the confused looks of those we passed and the knowing smiles of a few handsome men in suits that resembled the one Josh wore.

  Before I could speak, Josh hurried me into an office and shut the door behind us. The clicking of the lock sent chills throughout my body. I stood with my back to him and was hyperaware of him closing the distance between us until his front molded against my back. His fingertips skimmed my shoulder as he moved my hair aside and placed his lips against my neck. I let my head fall to the side, giving him better access.

  “You look edible and so fucking sexy,” he whispered as he kissed up my neck to my ear. “And for the next hour, I plan to completely enjoy every touch, taste, and moan you give me.”

  I melted into a puddle at the feet of Agent Sexy as he worked his hands up my legs and beneath my skirt.

  Chapter 19

  Josh

  Gabby arched her spine, pressing her ass back against me. As I pushed my hips forward, she whimpered as she felt just how worked up I was. She was addicting, and my control slipped with every second that passed. The moment I rounded the corner downstairs to find her standing at the front desk, I moaned. Her long, tan legs looked even longer thanks to her electric-blue heels, and I grew hard as I allowed my eyes to roam upward. Her short skirt and tight shirt made my ability to control my desire go right out the fucking window.

  I had to have her.

  In my office now, I nudged her forward by bumping the backs of her legs with my own. “You see that desk?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m going to lay you out before me and fuck you nice and slow. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be screaming my name until it echoes through the halls. No one will have to question what I’m doing to you. They’ll know.”

  I turned her in my arms, and before she could argue, I knelt before her, gripped her legs, and lifted her to sit upright on the desk.

  “You have anything to add?” I asked as I began to unbutton my pants. Her gaze fell to my hands, and she licked her lower lip. I knew in that moment, she was so lost in the excitement of the unfolding events, she would agree to just about anything. I lower my zipper, reached inside my boxers, and gripped my cock in my fist. “Gabby,” I whispered. She looked up at me, and her eyes were hazy with hunger. “I asked if there was anything you wanted to add, anything you object to?”

  She shook her head and parted her legs farther, turning me on even more.

  I hooked her panties with a finger and pulled them carefully down her legs, then tossed them over my shoulder, making her giggle. Her amusement quickly faded when I pressed my palm against her lower stomach while guiding my cock to her center. “Is this okay?”

  We had never gone without a condom, so I wasn’t sure how she would feel about it. When she nodded, I pressed in farther, and her warmth began to engulf me. With each inch, she whimpered and arched her back off the desk.

  Our movements were so in sync, it was almost surreal. “That’s my girl,” I encouraged as she began rocking against me. We were both so worked up, I knew it would only be a matter of time before we would be screaming our releases.

  The sound of my desk creaking filled the room and intermixed with our moans, and my movements picked up as she tensed around me. I faintly heard a knock on my office door, but there was no fucking way this was being interrupted. When Gabby looked up at me in alarm, all I did was shake my head.

  ***

  The days were now beginning to run together. Too much time had passed since that afternoon in the office, and I felt like a junkie going through some kind of withdrawal. But instead of drugs, my addiction was to Gabby, and it had been far too long since I’d last seen her.

  After that mind-blowing sex in my office, followed by the embarrassing display of clapping that commenced when we exited, I had walked her downstairs and kissed her good-bye. Then I went back upstairs to face the knowing smirks of each and every agent on the floor. They had all called me God for the rest of the day, which was what Gabby yelled over and over as she came so hard, I thought she would blow out the windows from her screaming. Remembering that moment made Frank’s pissed-off expression and chastising words tolerable. It was easy to tune him out when I could still hear my girl’s moans of pleasure.

  But now those memories were fading. We were moving into day six, and for some reason, Leo was keeping us close. Normally Leo spent only short increments of time at the warehouse, allowing Grey, Mike, and me to escape and hide out until our next scheduled meeting. This time things were different. Instead of leaving, he was lingering around the warehouse, making himself at home. He was also extremely jumpy, and all his men appeared to be on high alert.

  I was lounging back on the couch in my makeshift office on the upper balcony of the warehouse, feeling as if I was going to lose my mind from being caged up when Leo’s voice startled me.

  “There is something I am going to need your assistance with.”

  I sat up and turned to face him. He was alone, which was uncommon. At least one of his men was always following him.

  “What would that be, Leo? We’re already providing you with three storage locations. What more could you need?” I said as I lifted the pack of Marlboros from the table next to the couch. I tapped it against my knee, grabbed the one that popped out, and lifted it to my lips. He remained silent as I lit the cigarette and did my best not to gag. I had given up smoking years ago, but this case made old habits resurface. The taste still got me at first, though.

  “I have a rat,” he said as he sat in the chair across from me.

  My pulse raced, and my heart felt like it was beating in my ears. “Who?” I asked, playing it cool and trying to come off as if I thought he was full of shit.

  “That is what I do not know, but I can assure you I have one.” He leaned in and grabbed for the pack of cigarettes, helping himself. “It would seem someone is reporting my every move back to Roman, and I don’t like feeling like I have to watch my step. I run my show my way. At the end of the day when things are accounted for, that is all that matters. In my opinion, it does not matter how we got there, as long as we do, in fact, get there.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “I need you to find my rat,” he said as he leaned back against the chair before lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. “And when you find him, I need you to dispose of him.”

  I stared at him, really taking the time to evaluate him.

  “This means we must wait him out, watch everyone closely until we find the one person that continues to slip away. That’s when you’ll find my rat.”

  I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but I knew I couldn’t blow this. This was the first time he’d mentioned Roman’s name, and that was finally a step in the right direction.

  It was time to allow myself to get completely lost in the world of illegal drug distribution, trafficked women, and anything else we could pin on Roman and the many men beneath him.

  Chapter 20

  Gabriella

  Three weeks. That’s how long it had been since I’d heard from Josh. Since I left his office sated and completely satisfied.

  I’d like to say missing him got easier with time, but that would be a lie. It would be so much easier if I could just hear his voice, but that wasn’t an option. Instead I only had my memories, and I loved my memories. Josh knew how to make a major impression in the small periods of time we were allowed together.

  Walking into my office to find Conrad sitting in the chair opposite my desk only gave my already sour mood a final push.

  “Good morning, Gabriella.”

  I wanted to knock his gle
aming smile off his face with my briefcase. What the hell was he so fucking happy about this early on a Wednesday? “Morning,” I said, forcing a smile. “Looks like you’re in a good mood. What’s on the agenda for today?”

  He immediately leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and looking directly at me. “I just got word from Margo that you and me are heading to San Diego.” He shifted his brows upward in excitement that only annoyed me. Once again, the strong urge to pummel him flashed through me. “Realtors Conference and Expo,” he said in a singsong tone.

  That was it. He had to leave, like, now. I couldn’t handle his chipper tone and his big, freakish smile. I was feeling violent and knew things could only end badly if he stayed.

  “Great,” I said, trying to fake my interest. “Listen, can we talk about this later? I have paperwork I need to complete and send over to the underwriters at the bank by nine. I am so far behind.”

  “You got it, but remember we will be near the beach, so pack plenty of swimwear,” he hollered over his shoulder before exiting my office.

  “Fucking pervert,” I mumbled in irritation. This day just went from bad to really shitty in ten seconds flat. It was only eight in the morning and I already needed a drink. I picked up the phone that sat on the corner of my desk and punched in Margo’s number.

  The moment she said hello, my attitude kicked in full force. “Why was I not informed first? I think I deserved a little bit of warning prior to you all sticking me in some damn hotel with the office freak.”

  She laughed. Like full-out laughed, and it pissed me off even more. “You are both our top-selling agents, Gabby, so it’s beneficial to send the two of you. You know this.”