by Jade Dean
It was a tense journey and Abby half expected Montoya’s men to surround them right up until they reached the airfield. The jet was ready to go and they carried Ryan inside and gingerly strapped him into a seat. He was still weak from blood loss, but his stitches had held during the long drive.
Only when they were in the air did Abby finally allow herself to believe that they had accomplished their mission. The man she loved was safe and he would have a full recovery. Her heart lurched as she finally acknowledged the depth of her feelings for Ryan. Right from the start, she’d known he was a man of morals. Even when he’d pretended to hold her captive, she’d sensed that they were kindred spirits. They were both trained to kill, but now they used their training on their own terms rather than blindly following the orders of their so called superiors.
Watching Ryan succumb to sleep, her expression hardened. Diego Montoya was a menace that had to be destroyed. If she didn’t go after him, he would undoubtedly hunt them down again. Sooner or later, she would have to return to Rio to finish the job. It galled her that she already owed Trevor Watts a favor, but his team would come in handy when she returned to Brazil. She wondered what it would cost her to borrow them again and knew she’d pay whatever price she had to when it came to keeping Ryan alive.
₪₪₪
Chapter Seventeen
Scratching the fresh scar on the back of his neck, Ryan was glad to have the microchip out. It was disconcerting to know that one had been implanted without his knowledge. He’d felt the stitches when he’d woken up from surgery on his shoulder two years ago. Swift had told him he’d been hit by a piece of shrapnel during the botched operation to capture Montoya. He’d been so torn by grief and guilt that he’d swallowed the lie without question.
Now that he knew Swift had been responsible for so many deaths, Ryan wished he could kill him all over again. Abby hadn’t gone into much detail about what she’d done to the agent. She’d only said that he’d confessed to being the mole and had told her about the chip. It had been a surprise to learn that Trevor had ended Swift’s life. Abby had probably tortured Aaron for the information and for his confession, but at least she didn’t have his death on her conscience.
Three weeks had passed since she’d travelled to Rio to rescue him. They were staying in her apartment, which was almost devoid of anything that made it a home. Abby hadn’t decorated it with paintings or knickknacks at all. She’d bought furniture that was utilitarian and simple that would have been at home in a hotel room. He had no complaints about her bed. It was both comfortable and spacious.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Abby sauntered into the room. Fresh out of the shower, she combed her still wet hair with her fingers. A fluffy white towel was tucked around her and showed only the tops of her delectable cleavage.
Eyeing his erection that was causing a tent beneath the sheet, Abby smiled. “I see you’re feeling better.”
“I’ve felt fine for the past week,” he reminded her almost grumpily. She’d fended off his advances so far, citing her wish for him to be fully healed before they engaged in any sexual activities.
Stripping her towel off, Abby let it drop to the floor. Ryan’s gaze sharpened and travelled from her face to her toes and back up again. Her body bore a few battle scars, including the graze on her left side. They didn’t detract from her beauty at all.
Abby shivered in anticipation of having Ryan’s hands and mouth on her again. His touch was more addictive than any drug. It had been just as hard on her abstaining from sex for the past three weeks.
Crooking his finger, Ryan swallowed hard when Abby knelt on the bed at his feet and drew the sheet down. He wasn’t wearing underwear and her eyes went to his throbbing shaft. She moved forward on her hands and knees, stalking him like the lioness pendant that hung between her breasts. Reaching him, she lowered her head and took him into her mouth.
Abby worked her mouth down Ryan’s shaft then slid back up slowly. She hoped to erase the memory of Tatiana’s near rape of him and it seemed to be working. He was watching her with a smile and a sexy gleam in his eye. His eyes closed and he let out a gasp as she took him in as deeply as she could.
Forcing his eyes open, Ryan watched Abby’s head bob up and down as she used her lips, tongue and teeth to bring him to the edge. “Stop,” he said in a strangled tone. “Unless you want me to come right now.”
“You can last a bit longer than that, Agent Sheldon,” she teased as she reached inside the bedside table and pulled out a condom. She tore it open, rolled it on him then straddled his legs.
Steadying his shaft with one hand, she eased herself down until she took his full length inside her. Reveling in the sensation of Ryan piercing her to her core, Abby rode him slowly and sensuously. His hands cupped her ass, urging her on and his hips rose to meet her as he set a faster pace that had her heart racing.
Pulling Abby down until they were chest to chest, Ryan rolled until he was on top and her legs came around him as he plunged inside her. Her breasts skimmed his chest and he lowered his face and tongued her nipple. Moaning, she began to shudder and he pounded himself into her even faster. Speed was more important than finesse right now. They’d been apart for far too long due to his injuries and he needed to see ecstasy sweep across her face again. Her lips parted and she moaned his name as her orgasm burst through her.
Ryan loved hearing his name on Abby’s mouth. It was a turn on every time. With a few more strokes, he succumbed to his own pleasure.
Abby stroked a fingertip across the scar on Ryan’s neck when he drew her to his side. The blonde psycho had almost killed him and she wished she’d aimed for her throat rather than for her shoulder. Unfortunately, Tatiana had been too well shielded by Ryan for her to have taken a kill shot. “Do you feel any pain?”
“Not now that we’ve finally had sex,” he said with a grin. “My balls were beginning to turn blue.” He’d had to exercise self-restraint while lying beside her for the past three weeks and not being able to touch her.
“That round was just a test to see how well you’ve recovered,” she teased. “I expect you to come up with something even hotter the next time we get physical.”
With a wink, she rolled off the bed and picked up her towel. Knowing how quickly Ryan could recharge, she didn’t bother to don underwear and just pulled on a plain white T-shirt that barely covered her ass.
Pausing in the door, she was aware of his eyes on her legs even before she turned. “I was just about to cook breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving,” he muttered, not referring to his hunger for food.
Ryan paused to snatch a pair of red boxer shorts out of a drawer then followed her into the kitchen. It was sweet torture to catch glimpses of her bare ass as she reached up into a cupboard to grab some plates.
Abby took great enjoyment out of being a tease and made sure to flash Ryan as often as possible as she bustled about. He groaned out loud when she bent over to take a frying pan out of a low cupboard.
Rock hard again, Ryan had to clench his hands to stop himself from leaping over the counter and tackling Abby to the floor when she bent over and exposed herself to his view. The coy glance she sent over her shoulder was almost his undoing, but he mastered himself. He was a trained operative and he wasn’t about to revert to the antics of a horny teen.
Breaking eggs into a bowl, Abby mixed in some more ingredients and cooked them both an omelet. Ryan assisted her by making toast. This wasn’t the first time they’d cooked breakfast together, but the sexual tension was much higher than normal.
Ryan’s gaze was already hot when they took a seat at her tiny dining table, but it turned scorching when she spread her knees apart. She sat beside him rather than opposite him and he had an unobstructed view of the crevice between her legs.
Missing his mouth the first time he tried to steer his eggs inside, Ryan had to force himself to concentrate on eating. The creamy invitation between Abby’s thighs was far more compelling t
han eating was.
Just having Ryan’s eyes on her was a turn on for Abby. They’d latched onto the junction between her legs and hadn’t shifted since. Opening her knees further, she brought one leg up and tucked her foot beneath her thigh.
Ryan almost forgot about the fork in his hand as Abby’s vaginal lips parted, beckoning him to delve their depths. His interest in food abandoned him completely and a far stronger hunger claimed him. Dropping the utensil to his plate, he stood and yanked his boxers down to his feet. Figuring he’d end up here fairly quickly, he’d brought a condom to the table.
Watching Ryan manage to get the rubber on without taking his eyes off her, Abby put her fork down and braced herself when he pulled her up out of the chair. He stripped her shirt off, pushed her plate aside and sat her on the table. She expected him to spear himself into her, but he put his hands on her knees and pushed them wide apart then lowered his face to taste her.
His tongue explored her folds then settled on her clit. He slipped a finger inside her and slowly worked it in and out. A moan escaped from her when he added a second finger and increased his pace. Now it was his turn to work her to the edge.
Ryan was once again amazed that a woman who could so easily kill him had no qualms about submitting to whatever he wanted to do to her in bed. She was equally happy with leading or being led when it came to sex. Writhing on the table, Abby allowed him to lick, suck and stroke his fingers inside her. When her hips began to buck, he knew she was going to come.
Abby groaned in disappointment when Ryan withdrew both his tongue and his fingers. He slid her off the table and to her feet then spun her around. Her head fell back against his shoulder when his hands cupped her breasts and his lips touched her neck.
Waiting for Abby to cool down just a little, Ryan stroked a hand up and down her sculpted abs as the other one toyed with her breast. He nuzzled the sensitive spot behind her ear that he drove her crazy and rubbed his erection against her ass. Widening her feet, she ground herself against him in invitation. He stood it for as long as he could, then wrapped her still damp long brown hair around his fist.
Abby allowed herself to be positioned with her torso lying on the table as Ryan spread her feet apart. He held her firmly by the hair so she couldn’t move then thrust himself deep inside her. She’d never allowed a man to dominate her in bed before, but being held down by Ryan pushed all of her buttons. She began to moan when he slid in and out of her slowly. She managed to turn her head enough to look at him over her shoulder. His expression was a study of concentration as he held himself in check.
Ryan looked up to see Abby’s smoky eyes watching him. Her lips were parted and she was already breathing in short pants. Hooking a hand beneath her right thigh, he lifted her leg up so she was balancing on one foot.
Holding onto to the edge of the table, Abby gave a strangled groan when Ryan pinned her leg up high. Trapped in place, she had no choice but to take it when he pulled almost all the way out before slamming himself back into her. He slowly began to increase his pace, moving faster and faster until their flesh slapped together each time he speared into her. The heat built quickly and she tried to rock back against him, but he held her down too firmly.
Feeling Abby beginning to tighten around him, Ryan released his hold on her long, dark hair and stroked his hand down her back to her ass. Now free to move, she levered herself up onto her elbows and shoved herself back against him. Her gasps of air became moans as she was rocked with an intense orgasm. He allowed himself to join her, wishing he didn’t have to wear a condom so he could feel her smooth, hot passage enveloping him without any boundaries.
Abby’s legs were unstable when Ryan drew her to her feet and pulled her back against him. He put his arms around her and rested his face against hers until she could walk again. “What is it about you that is so damn irresistible?” she asked him.
“My good looks and charm?” he said with a smile.
Turning, she tilted her head back to look him in the eye. “Now that you’ve recovered your health and your stamina, we have a job to do.”
Running his hands up and down her back, he nodded. “We need to find Montoya before he tracks us down again.”
“I might have a way to locate him, but I don’t have the necessary equipment.” She hated to admit it, but she needed help.
Ryan could tell she’d already worked out a plan and that she was less than pleased about it. “I take it we’re going to visit Trevor Watts soon?”
“No time like the present,” she verified. “He wants Montoya dead just as much as we do. Hopefully, he’ll help us or at least look the other way while I work my magic.”
Ryan wasn’t exactly ecstatic himself to have to ask his old boss for a favor. Since the man had already loaned Abby a team to rescue him, maybe he wouldn’t mind adding to the tally that they already owed him.
₪₪₪
Chapter Eighteen
While Ryan took a shower, Abby blow dried her hair into a semblance of neatness. Their sexual antics had given her a ‘just been laid’ look that wasn’t appropriate for their upcoming meeting. She tried to ignore the sight of a very naked Ryan in the shower behind her as she used the bathroom mirror to don her makeup. Although she wanted to step beneath the water with him, she had to focus on the task ahead.
They hadn’t been back to their lake house hideaway since Agent Swift had informed Montoya of their whereabouts. It was too risky to chance retrieving their gear and she’d instead returned to her storage unit to procure more weapons for them both. She’d also shopped for more clothing for Ryan. Buying clothes for her boyfriend was a task that she’d never imagined herself performing before and it had been a strange experience. She’d bought him T-shirts, cargo pants and a couple of light jackets that he could hide his weapons beneath.
Ryan emerged from the bathroom wearing only a towel. His expression was as focused as hers as he dressed. Both opted for casual, loose outfits where they could stash their guns and knives and have easy access to them. Trevor might insist on them being disarmed before he allowed them to enter his presence, but neither wanted to leave the apartment without weapons.
Abby had taken the precaution of setting up several cameras near her building to monitor the doors and fire escape. A quick check of her computer gave her the all clear. No one was lurking around as far as she could tell, so they headed for the exit.
She’d retrieved her jeep soon after returning to Washington and it was parked on the street outside. Abby pulled a small monitor out of her purse and held it towards her vehicle. A green light came on to indicate that no bombs had been attached to it during the night.
Unsurprised by Abby’s caution, Ryan held out his hand for the keys. She handed them over without protest, which he took as a sign of her affection for him. He very much doubted that she’d take that kind of highhandedness from any other male.
They drove in tense silence to his old headquarters. Instead of parking on the street, he turned into the underground parking entrance. A camera recorded his face and they only had a short wait until the metal bar rose and allowed them to enter.
“It looks like Trevor is expecting us,” Ryan said.
Dale Jackson stepped out of the elevator while Ryan was nudging the jeep into an empty slot next to a large black SUV. Abby watched on as the two former co-workers grinned and gave each other a one armed man-hug. “We were wondering when you two would show up,” Dale said.
“We?” Abby asked.
“The whole team has been expecting you to arrive any day now,” Jackson explained as he led the way to the elevator.
“Who won the pool?” Ryan accurately guessed that a bet had been placed on exactly when they’d turn up.
“Matt did,” Jackson replied. “He picked today, the lucky bastard.”
“How much did he win?” Abby asked as the doors closed and the carriage shifted upwards.
“Five hundred bucks,” Dale said with a grin. “Couldn’t you have waited
for one more day? I picked tomorrow,” he complained.
“Better luck next time,” Ryan said with false commiseration.
They disembarked on the same level that Abby had been taken to the last time she’d been here. They took the confusing, winding path to the conference room where Aaron Swift had tried to shoot her. Three men were waiting for them inside. The other two members of her temporary team sat on opposite sides of the oval table. Trevor sat at the head, in the same seat he’d used the last time.
“I trust you’re fully recovered from your injuries?” Trevor said to his ex-agent.
Ryan noted how tired and drawn Trevor was. It had been a shock to learn that their agency had had a mole. He could only imagine how betrayed Watts must be feeling. “I heal fast,” he reminded his old boss.
“I haven’t forgotten about your ability to recover quickly,” Trevor said with a small smile. “I assume you two are here for my help?”
Abby took the lead and nodded. “Montoya will be royally pissed that we killed so many of his men and blew up his mansion.”
Matt didn’t even pretend to look chastened by his actions. “He had it coming,” he said in self-defense.
“No one is disputing that,” Ryan said and nods went around the table.
“He’ll want revenge and he won’t stop until we’re dead.” Meeting the eyes of every man at the table, Abby continued. “Ryan and I plan to go after him before he can come after us.”
“How are we going to find him?” Doran asked.
Lounging in his leather chair, he looked like he was relaxed, but Abby knew better. Like the others, he was a coiled spring ready for action. “We?” she said again and raised an eyebrow.