Silver Shield Security Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

  The meeting was set for nine p.m. At exactly eight thirty-five, he headed to the living room to wait for Sierra. He got a message from Rusty on the Silver Shield app that the operatives used to communicate. They were already at The Den.

  “Sierra, we need to leave now.” He raised his voice so she could hear him from her room.

  His beeped again. It was Rusty wanting to know where they were.

  He tapped out a reply. Leaving soon. ETA in 10 minutes.

  He waited for a reply. Crazy. Everything under control.

  Just then Sierra walked into the living room and Ace’s fingers froze on the phone. He became still as she walked towards him, her hips swaying in a way that made his heartbeat speed up. She stopped a few feet from him and waited. Ace stared at the outfit she had on and made a choking sound.

  He took the remaining steps until he was standing right in front of her. He examined her attire, a black cat suit made from skin-tight leather that hugged her curves like a second skin. The front was generously cut, leaving her creamy skin bare. He could see the gentle swell of her cleavage and watching the rise and fall of her chest made him want to reach out and feel if her skin was actually as silky as it looked.

  He clenched his fists in an effort to rein in his wayward thoughts.

  Sierra made a sound and that’s when he realized he’d been staring at her cleavage. He raised his gaze to hers and noticed the hint of nervousness behind her sultry eyes. Her lips were painted a deep red and they seemed to call out to him. Ace wanted nothing more than to back her up against the wall and kiss her until they both couldn’t think.

  He dragged in a ragged breath and tried to control the fire that was coursing through his veins. He needed his A-game with him tonight and he could not afford to get distracted, but he couldn’t help noticing the way her hair fell in gentle waves past her shoulders. Without really thinking about it, he reached out and caught a few strands of her hair between his fingers. They were so soft, and he imagined what it would be like to bury his face in her hair. Unbidden, an image of a naked Sierra straddling him with her hair flying wild, entered his mind. He banished the image with sheer strength of will.

  She sucked in a breath then inched back a bit. His hand fell to his side.

  “You look…” He stopped, at a loss for words. He tried again, “You look ravishing.”

  “Thanks,” she said, catching her lower lip between her teeth.

  Ace felt the effect right between his legs and he choked. She looked startled for a moment then he saw awareness and an answering heat in her gaze. She glanced at his mouth, the passion in her eyes unmistakable. They stayed that way, lost in each other. He wasn’t sure who made the first move, but suddenly there was less than an inch separating them. He leaned closer and her lashes swept down, but not before he saw that her eyes had already glazed over. Her breathing was harsh and he could feel her breath on his skin. Then she stilled and then slowly pulled back. When she looked up again, the mask was in place.

  “Ah, I think we should go,” she said coolly.

  Ace nodded curtly. He could not believe how she seemed to be in control while the bulge in front of his pants told an entirely different story about his state. He stepped back and gave another cursory glance at her outfit.

  “You need to change into something different.”

  She went rigid and a frown appeared on her face. “Whatever for?”

  “I don’t want you calling attention to yourself and in this getup…” He let his words trail.

  She ignored him and walked to the door. The effect of the attire was even more potent from behind and he found himself mesmerized by the firm roundness of her backside. She paused by the door and turned back to him. “Coming?”

  Chapter Nine

  Putting on her seatbelt, Sierra’s hands trembled. She couldn’t believe how badly she’d wanted that kiss, how much she craved it. And she also couldn’t believe that she’d pulled back like that. But she had her pride and she did not like the idea of a man forcing himself to want her. She knew he wanted her, but if he was not willing to break his stupid rules for her, then so be it. As Ace pulled out of her driveway, an inner voice told her that there was no harm in helping him realize how much he wanted her, after all she didn’t have to make it easy for him to keep his rules. She knew that, but he’d stung her pride.

  “You’re going to stand out in this stuff you’re wearing.” His voice broke the silence.

  She sighed impatiently. “We are going to The Den. If I dress any less risqué it will draw attention to us,” she pointed out.

  “Didn’t know it was a favorite hangout of yours.”

  “It isn’t. I’ve never been before, but I have a friend who’s a hostess there and she told me.”

  “Really? Dammit, Sierra, if I’m to keep you safe I need to know about everyone you know!”

  She turned to face him as he concentrated on the highway. From the side profile of his face, she could tell he was not happy. “Look, I’m not trying to make your work difficult, but I know so many people you really can’t expect me to remember everyone I know at the drop of a hat.”

  He glared at her before turning his gaze back on the road, “You don’t bloody well have to tell me about everyone you’ve met, but this friend is connected to The Den!”

  “I don’t see what the problem is.”

  “No, you won’t. The only thing you can see is your personal vendetta against a politician,” he snapped out. “And don’t tell me this is about journalism because you are so damn personally invested.”

  Ace knew that it was his frustration speaking, but hell, he was frustrated, and it was not just sexual frustration either. Sierra was so intensely private that getting anything from her was like pulling a tooth out.

  Sierra sucked in a breath as his words hit her like a slap in the face. He was right, she was personally invested, but it wasn’t anyone’s business. And this was not a personal vendetta, it was far from it. Senator Coleman was responsible for so many disasters, people had lost their lives and he kept getting away with the havoc he was wreaking, coming across as a man of integrity, it just made her sick. She was determined to put an end to it; to expose him for the fraud and criminal that he was. She thought of her brother and fought against the familiar pain and despair that threatened to wash over her.

  “My motives are not your business. I hired you to keep me safe and yelling at me is not part of the job description.” She sat back in her seat and looked out the window. She could feel the frustration radiating off him and it caused a tense atmosphere in the air.

  After a beat, Ace let out a string of curses. “And don’t swear at me either,” she said sharply.

  They were driving through a red light district. Sierra looked out her window at the women standing around. Some were leaning against the wall, while others were chatting around smoke rings. Gazing at them, she wondered what their stories were. Were they also running?

  Running from abusive husbands. From hungry kids? Everyone seemed to be running from something.

  She cast a sideways glance at the man beside her. His hands on the wheel looked so strong and capable, yet he was also running. Sierra knew she was also as guilty. She was running from the loneliness of being the only surviving member of her family.

  She craved the security of having people she belonged to; people who were her family.

  When her mother died, she’d taken over responsibility for her dad and her brother, cooking for them and making sure that they had food to eat and clean clothes to wear. Her dad had been a war correspondent and was often immersed in his work. She had made sure the bills were paid on time and had taken over the running of the house before her sixteenth birthday.

  When they’d gotten the call about her brother’s remains, her dad had gone to pieces. Between mourning her brother and caring for her dad, she’d been left with handling everything. Being responsible was who she was. She had never once craved the freedom to live for just herself. Y
et when she’d lost her father a year ago, that freedom had been thrust on her. She’d been battling with that pain when Ray, her ex-fiancé, had called off the wedding on top of everything. It was the worst possible time of her life and Ray should have known that.

  Her mind went back to that night when he’d moved out of her apartment and out of her life. You’re stifling me, he had said, running a hand through his hair. If I stay, I’ll die slowly of love. I can’t stand it! She didn’t understand him then, and she still didn’t. How did one die from too much love? She’d never asked anything of him, never made demands; how could she have stifled him then?

  “Sierra?”

  Ace’s voice brought her out of her reverie. She slowly realized that the car had stopped moving. Looking around, she noticed the dimly-lit park in front of what looked like a row of warehouses. There were cars parked all around and lots of activity. She observed quite some traffic in and out of what appeared to be an alley. The Den. Suddenly, there were flutters in her stomach and she pressed down on that part of her anatomy, struggling to tame her unexpected nerves.

  “We’re here,” she said inanely.

  “Yeah,” Ace was staring at her intently and even though she could not read his expression, she could feel the intensity coming off him. “This might go wrong, but the chances of that happening are real slim. If shit hits the roof, I want you to know that we’ve got this. Emily and Rusty are here as well as three other operatives.”

  She knew what he was saying. In his own way, he was trying to assure her that she had no need to be nervous. She shot him a half smile and nodded. She reached for him just as he took off his seatbelt and was reaching for the door. Her hand on his thigh made him freeze.

  “Ace.” She waited till he turned his gaze towards her. “Thank you.”

  **

  They walked through the parking area, across the road and headed for the alley. A single lamp lit that part of the street. They had taken a few steps into the alley when they discovered a door on the right with light streaming out of it.

  “We’re here. You ready for this?” Ace asked.

  “Sure,” Sierra said.

  There were some muscular-looking bouncers at the door and they looked mean and tough.

  “We’re for Vicky,” Sierra said at the unspoken question and was waved through.

  Ace placed his hand at the small of Sierra’s back as they walked in, making her shiver in reaction. The subtle sign of possession was totally unexpected and though she wasn’t sure what to make of it, her body was way ahead of her as her nipples turned into hard pebbles beneath the leather fabric of her attire.

  As they walked into the dimly-lit interior of the club, the first thing she noticed was the noise level of the music as it blasted through the speakers, it was almost impossible to hear herself think. She paused and looked around hesitantly, it was taking a while for her eyes to adjust. She relaxed a little when she noticed the petite woman walking towards them in a skintight red cocktail dress, which had the sides cut out to give a tantalizing view of her skin. Her raven black hair was left down and went all the way to her waist. She got to them and gave Sierra a warm hug.

  “Come,” she mouthed and led them to another part of the club where the sound from the music was muted. She showed them to a private booth. “It’s so good to see you, Sie!” she said with a bright smile. “I reserved this booth in the VIP section for you, see?”

  Sierra glanced around, noting the plush red sofa and the intimate setting of the booth. “It’s really nice, thanks, Vi.” She turned to Ace, “Ace, this is Victoria Chen, she’s a hostess here. Vi, this is Ace.”

  Vi let her gaze trail over Ace as she sidled up to him. “Ooh, he’s so hot, Sie. Is he your boyfriend?”

  Sierra felt her face heat up, her reaction taking her by surprise. “No, he’s not, but we’re together.”

  The other woman glanced from Ace to Sierra and back then nodded. “Huh. Alright then, I’ll go get your drinks. And don’t worry, no one will bother you back here.” With an exaggerated wink, she took their orders and left.

  The seating was arranged in such a way that they could only sit next to each other. Sierra entered the booth and Ace sat beside her, their bodies brushing each other. She tried to move in, but then realized that she was trapped between Ace and the wall.

  “So how do you know her?” Ace asked, nodding in the direction in which Vi had just vanished.

  Sierra smiled wryly. “I was investigating a story at Chicago State University a few months back and met Vi there. She’s studying for a master’s in psychology. We’ve kept in touch.”

  Ace was thoughtful and Sierra wondered what he was thinking about. She tried again to create space between their bodies, unsuccessfully. She could feel the heat emanating from him and it was doing funny things to her body. She turned her head to look at him and found him leaning towards her. Her gaze met his and the sheer heat she saw in them made her freeze.

  “So…Sie?”

  She shrugged and the movement brought his gaze to her cleavage. His gaze burned a path on her skin, causing her to tremble slightly.

  “You’re cold?” he asked, meeting her gaze.

  She shook her head. She was so turned on that each movement she made rubbed against her center, making her ache. Why should she be the only one to suffer?

  Sierra dipped her head, which made her hair fall forward, shielding her face, then slowly brought up one leg and placed it over the other, brushing Ace as she crossed her leg. She didn’t miss the sharp intake of breath and hid a satisfied smile.

  “She had lunch with Alicia and me, and started calling me Sie afterwards,” she said, replying to his earlier question.

  “Your friends call you that?”

  She leaned forward deliberately, pressing her breast against his arm and noted the way his biceps bunched up in response. “Yeah, my friends call me that.” She was surprised at how husky her voice sounded.

  They were interrupted by a waiter bearing their drinks. She saw a silent exchange between Ace and the waiter before he left. Ace took a huge drink out of his glass before placing it on the table.

  Sierra didn’t much feel like drinking so she nursed hers. They had been at The Den for a while now and no one had shown up. She was beginning to wonder if coming to The Den had been a huge waste of time. She would wait a few more minutes before giving up hope.

  “Was that one of your guys?” she asked Ace.

  He nodded then turned to her, his gaze hooded. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”

  Sierra cocked her head to one side and eyed him. “What am I doing?” she asked, feigning innocence.

  He was silent for a few seconds, then he reached out and trailed his fingers over her thigh and she shivered in response. “You are trying to drive me crazy, aren’t you?” he asked, his gaze never wavering from hers.

  She lowered her voice barely above a whisper, “Is it working?”

  Ace took her hand and placed it on his member. She could feel the hard length of him through his jeans and without thinking, she rubbed her hand over his stiff manhood.

  Ace choked and grabbed her hand. “What do you think?”

  Sierra’s mouth suddenly felt dry. She moistened her lips as she felt her warm center pool with heat. She was burning up with need, the need to feel his hands all over her, and it was driving her crazy.

  “I don’t want to think, sailor. I’d rather feel.”

  Ace used the back of his hand to gently trace the swell of her breasts that was exposed. His touch was almost tender and the strength of what she was feeling made Sierra shut her eyes.

  “I want to kiss you,” he said.

  “What’s stopping you?”

  She heard him chuckle and then he withdrew his touch and moved away, creating space between them. Her eyes snapped open in surprise.

  “I will, and that’s a promise,” he said. “But not here. Right now, I need all my faculties in complete working order.”
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  She acknowledged the truth of what he said, but that didn’t stop the feeling of intense disappointment. Shaking her head, she said, “Tease.”

  His eyes flared and one side of his mouth tipped up in amusement. “I’ll remind you of that.”

  Chapter Ten

  Ace didn’t know what had come over him, he just knew that he needed to get a taste of Sierra at least once. Maybe if he kissed her once or twice, the fever raging inside him would subside. Even as he thought it, he knew it probably wasn’t going to be that easy. Nothing about the woman was easy.

  Whatever the case, he could not afford to let her get beneath his skin or she would stick. She looked like the sticking kind. He had made up his mind that sex was absolutely out of the equation. Regardless of how badly he wanted to bury himself so deep into her that he completely forgot everything and everyone else.

  He would look elsewhere to assuage the burning need. And as much as the thought held little appeal to him, he decided then that once this assignment was over, he would call up one of his regular companions and ease the lust that was slowly beginning to consume him.

  That decision made, Ace glanced at his watch and discovered that they’d been there for almost forty-five minutes already. It was time to get out. His earpiece beeped just then.

  “Ace, this is Emily. You need to get out. There’s an exit to the left of you. You’ve got six minutes.”

  “Roger that.”

  Ace turned to Sierra, “We need to leave now, there’s trouble heading our way.”

  Sierra got up without a word and followed him out of the booth. He turned left and spoke into the earpiece, “Heading left. Where to next?”

  “Towards the restrooms, there’s a fire exit. Hurry, Ace, they’re gaining in on you.”

  Ace held Sierra’s hand and they half-ran through the winding corridors till they got to the restrooms. One of the doors opened and Vi stepped out.