Touched by a Thief

by Jana Mercy

  Electricity zinged through her at his touch and she cursed her traitorous body. “No? Watch me.”

  “I won’t let you go, Monty,” he whispered low.

  For a moment her heart stalled in anticipation that he wanted her to stay, that he’d keep her with him, but then she remembered he was only working for Gerard and probably had orders to keep her there. She was as imprisoned here as she’d been in the penitentiary.

  Fire lit within her. “Oh really? What are you going to do, Ian? Tie me to the bed?”

  Perhaps it was the wrong analogy to use, because his gaze dropped to the king-sized bed she’d just left. His hold on her arm loosened ever-so-perceptibly. She jerked free, elbowed him hard in the gut and bee-lined toward the closet. Not even she was going to break free from her new prison naked.

  As expected he closed in on her almost immediately but she was ready for him, landing another jab the moment he grabbed her, eliciting a muffled grunt but no loosening of his fingers.

  “Feisty as ever,” he mumbled, more amused than anything.

  All the fury she’d held in for the past few months culminated in that moment and she punched his face with all her might. She wasn’t sure if the satisfying crunch was her or him. She didn’t care. His grip loosened and she landed another blow, another. Then she flew into him, hitting him, kicking him. Oddly enough, he let her. Not allowing her to make contact with his face again or other vital parts, he accepted her blows to his chest with minimal resistance. Not once did he offer to retaliate, which only served to infuriate her all the more.

  “Fight me back, you bastard.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Monty.”

  Didn’t he know just seeing him hurt?

  “Besides, Kincaid wouldn’t like it if I left his bought and paid for mistress banged up.” He grinned. “Well, you know what I mean.”

  “Go to hell.” Surprising both herself and him, her palm made contact with his cheek, the sound echoing around the room.

  His eyes glittered. “You’re going to pay for that.”

  In that moment, she knew she’d pushed him too far, that he no longer cared if he hurt her or not. She struggled to free herself, but he was too strong and not even years of defensive training could set her free. When his mouth covered hers, she had to ask herself just how whole-heartedly she’d tried. Had she known if she pushed him far enough that he’d kiss her?

  Still, she struggled, twisting and turning but he held her to him, imprisoning her in the strength of his arms.

  “Keep it up, baby,” he whispered against her lips. “I’m enjoying your efforts.”

  Yes, he was. Her squirming naked body had his jeans ready to pop open from the strain of the long, hard cock digging into her belly.

  Sexual need shimmied up her spine, leaving her legs wobbly, making her lean into him, powerless to resist.

  Sensing the change, Ian’s grip relaxed, his palms now caressing over her wrists, her arms, her shoulders.

  His lips covered her mouth, her face, her throat, trailing kisses in its path. “You taste so unbelievably good.”

  “Mmmm,” she mumbled, latching onto the muscular cord at his neck, nipping into the flesh for a taste of her own.

  His hands found her breasts, palmed them as if they were the most amazing things he’d ever felt, as if they were made for his hands.

  “Yes,” she cried when he bent, took her nipple between his teeth and sucked like a starving babe.

  She was starving. Starving for this man, for his touch.

  For months she’d been telling herself she’d pushed him from her heart, but with one touch she was under his spell just as much as she’d ever been.

  He gave equal attention to her other breast, down her belly, lower, gliding his tongue over her heavy labia, flicking between them and gyrating over the nub of her existence.

  “Ian.” Her fingers laced into his hair, gripping the thick strands between her fingers as she bucked against his mouth.

  “Tell me,” he encouraged, plunging a finger into her moist folds while his tongue continued its magic. “Tell me what you want, Monty, and I’ll give it to you.”

  You, she wanted to cry. She wanted him.

  She bit her lower lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing she still needed him. That despite everything he held so much power over her. That she was mere putty in his clever hands.

  He slipped a second finger into her, moved his hand in a rhythm meant to steal a woman’s inhibitions and leave her a wanton puppet at her master’s will. “Tell me.”

  Could his hoarsely whispered words be more seductive?

  Her tongue bore the brunt of her pride, and she tasted the metallic twang of her own blood. Which amazed her as she’d swear every drop pooled between her legs, heating, building in intensity and would boil any second.

  Then the heated waves came, in rapid succession, steaming her senses, melting her insides, erupting from her very core and shooting out in pleasurable waves. Her body jerked against his fingers, gyrating in need to extend the moment, but there was no need. Ian never had been a quitter. His fingers moved just right, his tongue lapped just so, and Monty forgot to breathe, forgot to move, forgot to do anything other than feel the magic.

  Just as she was ready to collapse against him in a languorous heap, he freed himself, covered himself in a condom and pushed inside her.

  Hard. Powerful. So deep she gasped for breath.

  A thrust meant to brand her, to stretch her to where no other man could ever satisfy.

  She clung to his shoulders to stay upright, clung to his strength as his hips pistoned and he thrust into her time and again.

  Over and over in purposeful thrusts, thrusts meant to forge their bodies together indefinitely.

  “Monty,” he breathed against her hair, bending to kiss a sensitive spot behind her ear, an erogenous zone he’d discovered one lazy afternoon. “You’re mine.”

  She didn’t speak. Not to deny his claim, nor to admit to the truth of his words. Instead she wrapped her legs around his waist and cradled him deep inside her.

  His fingers dug into her buttocks, lifting her, guiding her onto his cock, using his strength to set their pleasurable rhythm.

  Over and over. Deeper. Deeper.

  Monty’s fingernails dug into his back, clinging to him, urging him onward, letting wave after wave of pleasure rock through her.

  Then his own waves of pleasure hit and she felt his body tensing, felt him battling his need to drive himself into her. She couldn’t stand his control, wanted him as lost in what they shared as what she was.

  She clenched her vaginal muscles, gripping his cock tightly within her, and squeezed in rapid succession, milking his cock as he thrust.

  “Monty,” he groaned, pushing her back onto the bed, her legs still around his waist, he pressed her back into the mattress and pummeled her with his need. Again and again until his entire body tensed, his back arched, and he thrust uncontrollably into her over and over.

  Sweet Jesus alive. Was that how it had always been between them? No wonder he haunted her every thought. No wonder she dreamed about him, fantasized that it was Ian showering her with attention rather than Gerard.

  Gerard.

  Oh hell. She’d just made love to Ian in Gerard’s bed. Had sex, not made love. Ian hadn’t even undressed. His pants hung low on his narrow hips, just hastily pushed out of the way enough to free himself.

  Embarrassment at just how wanton she was hit her. She’d had sex, good sex with Gerard mere hours ago. And now Ian. Oh Lord what she’d had with Ian was so much more than just good sex.

  Yet, truth was, that’s all it was and she’d be wise to remember that. To remember that she needed to steal a diamond, and now had two men who wanted her and thought nothing of using her to assuage that want.

  Ultimately, vengeance would be hers.

  Pulling her pride around her as a shield to the pain in her heart, Monty met Ian’s dark eyes.

  “
Guess you go for sloppy seconds after all.” She hardened to the momentary surprise in his eyes, watched the darkness go from soft, warm to cold and empty. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking I feel anything for you, Ian, because second best is all you’ve ever been.”

  Chapter Five

  Ian straightened his pants. He was playing a dangerous game. Gerard trusted him, but like all men with power, trust was a fluid thing. Screwing Monty was a surefire way to lose his boss’s trust.

  Gerard hadn’t asked any questions on how Ian had set her up, on how he’d gained her trust, how he’d accomplished the assignment Gerard had given him. Ian hadn’t volunteered any details.

  But to sleep with the boss man’s woman in the boss man’s bed? Career suicide. Suicide period if Kincaid ever found out. He’d worked too damned hard to let the need to wet his cock in Monty’s pussy ruin this for him.

  And hell if the spiteful look in her eyes didn’t get to him.

  Had she just set him up?

  When he’d entered the room, she’d been surprised. No matter how much she tried to hide it, the chemistry still sparked. No woman had ever messed with his head so much. Either one of his heads.

  No wonder Kincaid was willing to go to such insane lengths to have Monty in his life.

  Ian wasn’t complaining. Gerard’s obsession with Monty was the man’s weakness, was the weak link that would allow Ian to make him pay.

  But at the moment, Gerard wanted Monty hidden away. Something big was going to take place, something that had sent Gerard to London, curtailing his sexual interlude with Monty.

  Gut instinct told Ian whatever was going on involved the Degassi. Which was why he resented being assigned Monty’s watch guard.

  Then again, being Monty’s watch guard came with perks.

  He watched her saunter naked as a jaybird to the walk-in closet and grab some clothing. Skintight black leather pants and a tank. Monty wasn’t dressing for Gerard. She was dressing for action.

  And not the kind she’d already gotten at least twice today.

  “Grab whatever you need for a couple of days. We’re out of here,” he told her when she finished zipping up her black boots.

  “Where’s Gerard? We’re meeting him?”

  “Yes.” He left it at that. Knowledge was on a need to know basis and the less Monty knew the better.

  He laced his fingers with hers and tugged her toward the doorway.

  “Wait,” she demanded, digging into the plush carpet with her boots. “I need to get something.”

  “There’s no time.”

  “There was time to fuck me.”

  “Which completely obliterated all our extra time.”

  She rolled her eyes, pulled lose and marched past him. He followed her to Gerard’s office.

  After less than thirty seconds of watching her examine the room, he leaned against the doorjamb. “It’s not in here, you know.”

  Her gaze shot to his. “What?”

  “The Degassi.”

  She gave him a blank look. “What are you talking about?”

  He laughed at her feigned ignorance. “If there’s a valuable jewel anywhere near, you’re looking for it.”

  She paused, looked thoughtful. “So it’s real then. After seeing you, I’d wondered.”

  “How did you learn of the Degassi?” He’d keep his cool, see how much she’d tell him.

  She sized him up, bore her teeth in a fake smile. “Like you said, if there’s a valuable jewel…”

  He laughed. “Well, it’s not in here so save yourself the trouble.”

  “No trouble,” she assured, resuming her search.

  “Don’t trust me?”

  “Not in the slightest. All you’ve done is lie to me. Not to mention that you work for Gerard.”

  She was right. He’d told her one lie after another. All in the name of work. Still, it irked to hear her point out his flaws so nonchalantly.

  “What’s loverboy going to say if he discovers you plan to steal the Degassi?” he asked, watching her give the room a once over without leaving anything looking disturbed. Damn, she was good.

  “You let me worry about Gerard. Besides,” her lips twitched and her eyes held a beguiling light, “perhaps he’ll give it to me as a wedding gift.”

  Ian sucked in a breath. Knowing she was teasing, he still couldn’t contain his gut-wrenching reaction. “You wouldn’t marry him.”

  “I might.” The determined tilt to her chin said she would just to spite him. “What’s it to you?”

  “Probably my job since you can’t keep your legs closed around me and I doubt Kincaid will approve of you screwing the hired help.”

  Her gaze narrowed, shooting sparks of hatred toward him. Good. Because what happened earlier really couldn’t happen again. Gerard would fire him. Or worse.

  “Gerard doesn’t dictate what, or who, I do. Not now, not ever. Got it?”

  The fire in her eyes was worth baiting her more, but they really were running out of time. Gerard’s private jet was waiting. So was the Degassi.

  Monty leaned back against the plush seat of Gerard’s private jet and wondered for the hundredth time why Gerard hadn’t taken her with him, why he’d left Ian in charge of her safety. Wasn’t that like hiring the wolf to watch the sheep?

  Not that she was any sheep. Far from it, but still. Gerard was too smart a man for it to have slipped his notice that while Ian was doing his bidding and setting her up, he’d also been rocking her world one deep thrust at a time.

  No way did Gerard not know about her and Ian. Gerard was intelligent, a business man, always calculating. His leaving her in Ian’s charge made no sense.

  Unless he was testing her.

  And already she’d failed that test. Failed by taking Ian deep inside her body within minutes of him showing back up on the scene.

  Granted she’d already been naked, but still.

  She fingered the cross at her neck. She’d packed only a change of clothes, an evening gown—who knew what Gerard had in store for her, and his gifts. She’d refused to allow Gerard’s crew to take her bag upon boarding the plane, preferring to keep the jewelry close, just in case she needed to make a quick getaway.

  “You look thoughtful.”

  “It surprises me Gerard put you in charge of bringing me to him. Why didn’t he just bring me with him when he left?”

  “He had business to attend to.”

  “What kind of business?”

  “That is none of your business.”

  She couldn’t help but wonder if Ian even knew where Gerard had gone. “Don’t you find it odd that he’d assign you as my personal body guard?”

  “Why? I already know you and know what to watch for where you’re concerned. You’re much less likely to make a run for it with me at your side.”

  “Why would I make a run for it? Gerard has been wonderful to me.”

  “So wonderful you screwed the first man who walked through the door?

  She wanted to argue, but what was the point? The truth was indisputable.

  “Gerard knows it’s only a matter of time before you get bored, before your need for adrenaline takes over and you pick out the next steal.”

  “And if he’s anywhere near as intelligent as we’re giving him credit for, he’s going to know what happened this afternoon. Hell, he probably has the room under video surveillance.”

  “Not his bedroom. It’s the only room in the house not under surveillance. His surveillance, at any rate.”

  “And you know this how?”

  “Because I work for Gerard. And I tapped into his security system. Had to set up my own cameras in a few areas of the house.”

  “A few?”

  “His office, bedroom, etc.”

  “You’ve been watching while Gerard and I have sex?”

  “It was either that or a rerun on Animal Planet,” he said flippantly. “Either way a whole lot of nasty rutting going on.”

  “How long?”

&nbs
p; “From the moment you arrived.”

  A smile lit her face. “Good, then you know I wasn’t wasting any time mooning over you.”

  “No, I never thought you would be, Monty. You’d have to have a heart for that.”

  “You dare accuse me of being heartless when it was you who betrayed me? When I went back for you and you handed me over to the police to save your own skin? And for what? Because Gerard ordered you to? Who’s the heartless bastard in this picture?”

  “You’ve really got to get over that, Monty.”

  “Get over it? Not until I cut your heart out and tear it apart bit by bit.”

  “But you’ve just so eloquently established that I’m a heartless bastard. Make up your mind.”

  “Ohhh.” She wanted to hit him. But hitting him wasn’t enough. She wanted to watch him suffer. Suffer as much as she had. More.

  What she wouldn’t allow herself to consider was why she wanted him to suffer. Why she wanted revenge so desperately. Sure he’d betrayed her, but she’d allowed him to.

  Truth was, Gerard had obviously also betrayed her. He’d hired Ian to set her up. Didn’t that make Gerard the one she should be targeting her hatred towards?

  Logically, it made sense, but all her energy still focused around Ian, around wanting to make him pay for the pain he’d caused. Because even if Gerard had set her up just so he could come to her rescue, he’d never made her feel loved, never made her trust him, never stolen her heart only to trample over it. Only Ian had done that.