by Cynthia Eden
His lips stopped twitching. “Why did you do that?”
“So that I can scream at you in privacy. So that Ella won’t rush in when she hears me yelling…What were you thinking? You don’t just stand there and let someone punch you!”
His gaze swept over her face. “I knew your brother would be pissed.”
“Because I seduced you.”
He shook his head. “That’s not what happened. That’s not—”
“Let’s recap, shall we?” She rubbed her palms over her jeans. Before they’d left his home, she’d thrown on jeans, a black blouse, and her trusty sneakers. “I was the one who went to your bedroom. I was the one who kissed you. I was the one—”
“I was the one who went down on you because I’ve spent too many years wondering how you’d taste.”
Okay. When he said things like that, he made her whole body heat. “How did I taste?” She almost slapped her hand over her mouth after that question burst out.
He stepped toward her. “Delicious.”
The elevator sure was small. Tight.
Or maybe he was just big.
“I’m not fucking bored.”
She side-eyed him. “Don’t remember saying you were.”
“I don’t toss away things that matter.”
“That’s good to know, but, again, I don’t remember saying that you did.”
His lips thinned. “I’m not tossing you away.”
“Great. Because I’m not a thing to be tossed away. Look, I think you and Antony have the wrong idea here.”
He came even closer.
She didn’t back up. Was the elevator shrinking? “I’m staying with you because you saved my life. I trust you to keep me safe.”
“Your brother can keep you safe, too,” he said. He sure sounded grudging with that admission.
Did she have to spell it out for him? “I’m sure the cops can keep me safe, too. I’m sure Winston has a great safe house.”
His lips parted—
“I’m even sure that Dex could set me up with protection. Or I could hire my own bodyguards. I have lots of options.” Had he gotten that last part? “I,” she emphasized, “have plenty of choices, but I want to stay with you.” She forced a shrug. “Antony can deal with it.”
“Why?”
Her head tilted back. He was right over her. Their mouths were only inches apart. They’d made love less than two hours before. Her body was still hypersensitive and too tuned to him. The pleasure had blasted through her. Everything with him had been so much stronger and more intense than it had ever been with anyone else.
“Alyssa, you’re not answering me.”
No, she wasn’t. She leaned onto her toes. Her hand reached toward his side—
His eyes blazed.
She touched the emergency button and got the elevator moving again. Still on her toes, she brought her mouth even closer to his. So close that she knew her breath would whisper over his lips as she said, “You’re a smart guy.” Maybe she let her tongue lick over his sensual lower lip. “I’m sure you can figure out the reason why.”
His hands flew up and locked around her upper arms. “Don’t play with me.” A hard warning.
“I’m not playing.” Again, she let her tongue lick over his lip.
Then his mouth took hers. Her lips were parted and ready, and she met him eagerly. In the back of her mind, she was thinking…Maybe this kiss won’t be as good. Maybe we’ve been together once and now we have that whole wild lust situation out of our system, maybe…
Desire ignited within her. Her tongue stroked his. Need churned through her. The kiss was hot and frantic and passionate. Her nails bit through his shirt as she angled to get closer and closer. She moaned and her body rubbed against his.
The man’s mouth…
The way he used his mouth…
His tongue…
He backed her up. Her shoulders hit the wall of the elevator. Sebastian’s hand slid down to her—
Ding. The doors opened.
“If I were a bad guy, I could shoot you right now. You’d hardly be able to put up much of a fight.”
In a flash, Sebastian had lunged away from her, and he’d pulled out a gun. He had it aimed right at the man who stood just beyond the open elevator doors.
Dex.
“If you were a bad guy,” Sebastian threw right back, “you’d be dead right now so a fight wouldn’t be necessary.”
Her breath heaved in and out.
Dex laughed. “I’m not bad, so why don’t you lower the gun?”
“I’m supposed to have guards down here. Why the hell are they not meeting me?”
“Because I sent them away. Waved my magical government ID and powers at them, and I overrode your orders. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. The lady, too.” He craned to look around Sebastian at Alyssa. “Hi, there.”
The doors started to slide closed again.
Dex leaned forward and stopped them. “You can’t hide in the elevator all night.”
“Hardly hiding,” Sebastian drawled right back.
“No, you seemed to be busy with, uh, other things. And I think that’s an issue.”
Sebastian hadn’t lowered his gun yet. She touched his shoulder. “Why don’t we listen to what the government handler has to say, hmm?”
Another ding sounded.
“Ah.” Dex leaned back. Glanced to the left. “That’ll probably be Antony. Wonder if he will be making out with someone when the doors open? If so, I am curious about who his partner will be.”
Sebastian’s body tightened.
“Don’t,” Alyssa urged him.
He looked at her. “Fine. For you.” He tucked the gun into the back waistband of his jeans. He pulled his shirt down and covered the gun. His fingers curled with hers, and they walked out of the elevator together.
“Thought you’d beat us down,” Sebastian said as he eyed Antony.
“Especially since they paused for a pit stop.” Dex was all smug. She was becoming convinced that he was always smug.
“Had to stop and check some other files.” Antony’s voice was wooden, but his eyes were dark and turbulent.
They stood in the building’s lobby, and, Sebastian had been right, the guards were gone. Well, one guard remained. A lone security guard hunched behind his desk.
The marble gleamed under their feet as they stood there. A tight, uncomfortable group.
“Are you tailing me, Dex?” Sebastian asked mildly.
“I was looking for Antony. Finding him was a priority, of course. Had to make sure that the agency hadn’t been compromised.”
“I wasn’t compromised,” Antony growled right back. His voice didn’t carry beyond their circle. “That text was a lie. I never asked Sebastian to protect Alyssa and—”
“I know,” Dex said smoothly.
He…knew? Her focus sharpened on him.
Dex turned his attention to her. He put a genial smile on his face as he said, “I’ve come for you.”
Sebastian stiffened. “I don’t think so.”
“I very much think so.” Dex’s stare didn’t leave her. “You’re being taken into protective custody. Your safety will be my priority.”
“I didn’t ask to be taken into protective custody.” What was going on? Her gaze darted to the glass entrance doors and the darkness that waited outside. She could see Sebastian’s limo. The driver stood near the side of the vehicle. Two men in Shark Gaming and Design security uniforms flanked him.
“You didn’t have to ask. Consider it a gift.”
Alyssa shook her head. “Then it’s a gift I don’t want.”
“I’m afraid you don’t get to refuse.” Dex offered his hand to her. “I assure you, when the danger has passed, you can go right back to living your life normally.”
She didn’t take his hand. “I’m good exactly where I am.”
“You mean you’re good with Sebastian. But you’re not. In fact, I think you being with him puts Sebastia
n in considerable danger.”
Her heart squeezed in her chest.
Dex’s expression hardened. “Now you can take my hand or I can cuff you to me and we’ll walk out of here that way. All very prisoner-like. Either way, make no mistake, you will be leaving with me.”
“The hell she is,” Sebastian snapped. “You’re not cuffing her!”
Even Antony was frowning at Dex. “Did you just threaten to cuff my sister?”
“I’ll do whatever must be done.” Dex waited with his hand extended. “Now, shall we go, Alyssa?”
“No.” She was adamant. “We absolutely will not—”
Why was there a red dot on Antony’s chest? But even as that thought ran through her mind, Alyssa was lunging toward her brother because she watched plenty of TV shows. She loved crime shows in particular, and a red dot on someone’s chest always meant trouble.
She screamed and threw her body against his even as she heard the sound of shattering glass.
They hit the floor as shards of glass rained all over the lobby.
“OhmyGod.” Antony stared up at her in shock. “Someone just shot at me.”
“And I saved your life,” she told him quickly. “So how about a thank—you!” Her voice rose in alarm as she was grabbed from behind. Grabbed and carried fast only to be basically thrown behind the main check-in counter in the lobby.
Sebastian had been the one grabbing her. He was also the one now glowering at her. “What the hell? Why did you do that?”
“Because there was a red dot on Antony’s chest.” Her arm was hurting. A hot, fast throb in her upper, right arm. “I saw one like that last week on a CSI re-run. Someone on that show was using a scope to get a lock on his target.”
“This isn’t freaking CSI!”
Antony and Dex had crowded behind the counter, too. The security guard who’d been at the counter was taking cover with them and calling for backup on his phone.
Sebastian had his gun in his hand. “I’m going after the bastard.”
She grabbed him and held tight. Pain throbbed in a hard, burning burst in her arm. Damn but that pain was weird. “You just said this wasn’t CSI! You can’t go chasing after bad guys!”
“Yeah, sweetheart, I can, because it’s what I do.” He jerked his head to Antony. “If your sister gets so much as a scratch, I will kick your ass.”
She’d just gotten a good look at her arm. And the blood there. “Little late for that,” she mumbled. Oh, crap. The sight of blood—particularly her own—had always caused her to feel more than a bit…
Like fainting.
Do not faint now. Do not lose your shit now.
“What do you mean it’s too late?” Sebastian rumbled.
“The bad guy is probably escaping,” Dex pointed out. “I’m going after him.” He leapt away.
“I think I’ve already got a scratch.” She angled her body so Sebastian could see her arm. “Or…maybe it’s a…bullet wound?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, God, I think I was shot!”
Chapter Thirteen
“You weren’t shot.” Antony was in the hospital exam room with her. Family only, per the doctor’s order. “That’s a good thing.”
She frowned down at the bandage on her arm. No, she hadn’t been shot. But she did now sport six stitches because when the front door window had shattered, a clunk of glass had flown into her arm.
It had actually still been in her arm when Sebastian had realized that she was injured. When he’d first gotten a good look at her arm, all of the color had left his face, and his gaze had become downright scary. He’d stayed with her. Kept her body protected and covered until the cavalry arrived.
She’d wanted to immediately yank the glass out of her arm, but Sebastian had stopped her. He’d mumbled something about damage and blood loss and told her they had to wait for the EMTs.
She hadn’t passed out.
A win.
She’d sat there, bleeding and shocked, as the minutes ticked by.
They hadn’t caught the bad guy.
Not so much a win.
Dex had returned empty-handed. And pissed.
“Alyssa, are you listening to me?” Antony asked, even though the tone of his voice told her that he already knew the answer, and, no, she wasn’t listening.
“I want to see Sebastian.”
“Of course, you do.” He put his hands on his hips. “I am going to have to fight him.”
“You’re an adult. He’s your best friend. You don’t have to fight anyone.” She frowned down at the white bandage that covered her stitches. The nurse had numbed the area before the stitches had been carefully inserted. The doctor had told Alyssa that she was lucky. The glass hadn’t penetrated deep enough to damage her muscle.
“He’s sleeping with you.”
She twisted her arm a bit to see if the stitches pulled. “We didn’t actually get around to sleeping.”
“Oh, sweet Jesus. Don’t say stuff like that to your brother!”
Her head turned back toward him. “You made an incorrect statement. I was just helping out by correcting you.”
“You were not.”
“I was helping, the same way I helped when I saved your life in the Shark lobby.” She sat on the side of the exam table, and her legs swung before her. The room was icy, and she just wanted to get out and go home.
With Sebastian.
“Never do it again.”
She squinted at him. “Never save you again? Sorry, I can’t promise that. You are my brother, even when you drive me crazy.”
“Never risk your life that way again. You could have easily been shot. What would I have done then?”
“Rush me to a hospital?” she guessed.
“Not funny.”
“I think she’s fucking hilarious.”
The door had opened. She hadn’t heard it open. But now Sebastian stood in the entranceway. She was pretty sure she saw a blood stain on his jeans. Her blood. Another red smear slid across the side of his shirt.
He’d carried her to the ambulance when it finally arrived.
His pose was relaxed, but his expression—and his eyes—told a whole other story. In fact, Alyssa was pretty sure that she’d never seen his eyes look so enraged before. They seemed to burn with fury.
“I mean, she has to be making a joke,” Sebastian continued in a voice that made her want to shiver. Both because it was so low and sexy and also because there was a dangerous edge to the words. To him. “Because there is no way Alyssa will ever jump in front of a bullet again, am I right?”
Delicately, she cleared her throat. “No, I’m afraid you’re wrong.”
“The fuck I am.” His eyes glittered even more.
She nodded. “The fuck you are.”
He stalked toward her. She knew exactly how prey felt in that moment but she just lifted her chin and kept swinging her legs as she sat on that exam table. “I do have a question, though,” Alyssa announced. “Why do spies keep sneaking into rooms? I’ve noticed it’s happening a lot.”
He stepped between her swinging legs. He put his hands on either side of her hips and flattened them on the white paper thing that hospitals always had on their exam tables. Sebastian leaned in close.
“You are not risking yourself again,” he growled.
“Uh, Sebastian, you need to back up,” Antony told him. He clapped a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. “You’re crowding my sister.”
Her breath was coming in shallow pants. She couldn’t look away from Sebastian’s eyes. This was such a different guy. No flashing dimples. No drawling, mocking words. Just a lethal intensity that had her stomach knotting.
“I’m going to do a whole lot more than crowd her.” His eyes turned to slits, and he didn’t back away. “You don’t ever try to—”
“So, you’re sexy when you’re all intense and dangerous, I have to give you that.” She saw the flash of surprise on his face. A flash that was very quickly masked. “But here’s the thing.” She wet her lips.<
br />
His eyes dropped to her lips.
Wow. That stare of his heated even more.
She swallowed. “There was a red dot on my brother’s chest. I’ve seen enough TV shows to know what that dot meant. There was no way—let me repeat, no way—I was just going to stand there and let Antony get shot.”
“Thanks,” Antony muttered. His hand had fallen from Sebastian’s shoulder. “Appreciate that.”
She didn’t look at him. It was too hard to look away from Sebastian. His gaze had risen from her mouth and locked with hers again. “And if that dot had been on your chest,” she told Sebastian, aware that her voice had gone all husky, “I would have done the same thing. I’m not going to stand there when I can help. I get that I’m not some super spy. It’s not like I’m going to be signing up to go on secret missions with you, but I can still do what’s right. I will protect you both whenever I can.” There. She waited for Sebastian’s response. Would it kill the man to say that she’d done a good job? She had saved Antony, after all.
But Sebastian’s face didn’t exactly show wonderment at her bravery. Nope, his expression was still all hard and dark and stormy.
“You think you’re going to do the same thing again?” he finally rumbled. “You think you’ll risk yourself for him?”
“He’s my brother,” she answered. “What else would I do?”
Antony sidled closer to her. “You know, Sebastian, I don’t like the way you’re glaring at my sister—”
Sebastian’s glare whipped to him.
Antony winced. “And I don’t like the way you’re glaring at me. See? This whole thing you have going on?” He pointed at Sebastian. “The way you turn things off and you run on fury? That’s why you should have always stayed the hell away from Alyssa. I told you before, you’re my best friend, but Alyssa can’t handle the kind of danger that you like—”
“Get the hell out,” Sebastian snarled.
Antony’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”
“I need to talk to Alyssa alone. So get the hell out.”
But Antony’s shoulders straightened. “I don’t think so. Like I said, I don’t like the way you’re glaring. I don’t like this whole looming thing you’re doing with her, and I don’t like—”
“I would damn well cut out my own heart before I hurt her, so just step outside and give us a minute.”