by Elle Kennedy
“Did I?”
“Yes.”
“Well, it was as true back then as it is now.”
“You really want to talk to me about truth?” For a brief second, her blue eyes flared with resentment, but it faded fast.
D, who’d been listening without comment, cleared his throat. “Should I suggest the two of you get a room?”
Neither one of them responded. They both looked thoughtful, as if each one was plotting the other’s demise.
Finally Morgan glanced over at him. “Speaking of rooms, I guess I should reserve one for myself. Maybe right next door to the one you two are sharing?” He arched one dark eyebrow. “You are sharing a room, right?”
D shrugged. “You already know the answer to that.”
“I was hoping you might have wised up by now.” Morgan’s veiled expression revealed nothing. “No matter—you’ll see the light soon.”
Noelle took another sip of wine, watching her nemesis over the rim of her glass. “Now, Jim, are you trying to scare him away from me?”
“Nope. You’re capable of doing that all on your own, baby.”
Their gazes locked again.
D stifled a sigh.
Christ. It was like a never-ending Ping-Pong match—well, if the paddles were guns and the ball was a grenade. He didn’t know how long this war between them had been raging, but he sure as fuck hoped they called a cease-fire for the duration of this job.
Because if the two of them kept this shit up, he’d be the one getting a room.
• • •
“I overreacted.”
The two words lingered in the darkness of the small living room, and although Ethan didn’t answer, Juliet knew he’d heard her.
She moved through the shadows and approached the couch, where he lay motionless on his back beneath a thin wool blanket. It was just past one a.m. and Juliet was supposed to be keeping watch at the back of the farmhouse. She’d been out there for the past four hours in below-zero temperatures, staring out at the silent, snowy woods as one unsettling emotion after another passed through her.
It didn’t bother her that Ethan knew about Billy hanging her out to dry; she’d experienced far more traumatic events in her life, before and after Billy’s betrayal. No, what had annoyed her was that he’d stolen those details without her consent. She didn’t share her past with just anyone. People had to earn that privilege.
Except Ethan had earned it. She’d realized that when she’d been sitting out in the cold. The man had flown to Belarus without a second’s thought after he’d intercepted her SOS. He’d nursed her back to health. He’d watched her back during the meeting with Mironov.
For that alone, he didn’t deserve the way she’d snapped at him earlier, and so she’d left her post, knowing she’d never be able to concentrate unless she apologized to him. She wasn’t worried about anyone sneaking up on them—the motion detectors she’d set up would alert them if that happened, and if an intruder did manage to disarm the sensors, the small receiver in her pocket would immediately notify her that the system had been breached.
“You’re supposed to be manning your post.” Ethan’s eyes remained shut.
The cushions shifted as she sat at the very edge of the sofa, right near his head.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be away from it for long. I just needed to apologize to you first.”
He opened his eyes in surprise. “You don’t owe me any apology,” he said gruffly. “I’m the one who violated your privacy.”
The regret she glimpsed in those hazel depths made her sigh. “It really wasn’t a big deal. I guess I’m just a little sensitive when it comes to my ex.”
“I don’t blame you. He sounds like a real dick.”
Juliet smiled. “Yeah, well, he was.”
“What ended up happening to him?”
“He got busted a few years after I left juvie. He was sentenced to a dime in the joint, and I heard that he pissed off the wrong people and took a shiv to the eye. He survived the assault, but the doctors couldn’t save the eye.” She paused. “Am I a bad person for being happy about that?”
“Nah. The bastard had it coming.”
They spoke in hushed tones so as not to wake up the others. Anastacia and Alisa had gone to sleep hours ago, and Liam, for some reason, had decided to crash in the bathtub, which Juliet had discovered when she’d popped into the washroom to pee a while ago. The dark-haired man hadn’t stirred while she’d done her business, but she knew he’d been aware of her presence. Clearly there was no such thing as privacy in this damn house.
“Anyway, I’m sorry I stormed off like that,” she said awkwardly.
“I’m sorry I eavesdropped.”
Their gazes collided for one long moment.
Juliet swallowed, wishing she didn’t crave this man so damn much. Wishing she could just get up and walk away and pretend he didn’t affect her the way he did.
But she couldn’t.
Without a word, she stood up and removed her leather jacket, then bent over to unzip her boots. Ethan’s breathing quickened, and even in the shadows she could see the smoky desire in his eyes.
“What are you doing?”
She didn’t answer. Instead she kicked off her boots and reached for the scratchy green blanket that covered his body.
Trying not to second-guess herself, she lifted the blanket, climbed underneath, and covered them both up again, her lips seeking Ethan’s as she nestled beside him. Their mouths found each other, latching in a rough kiss that made her moan.
He pulled back, his breath heating her cold cheek. “We can’t do this. Sully’s right outside the front door.”
“I don’t care,” she murmured. “We’ll just have to be quiet.”
They kissed again, deeper this time. Passion filled the air as they lay there tangled together, their mouths locked and their hands beginning a desperate exploration.
When Juliet slid her hands beneath his sweater to stroke his rippled chest, he shivered and offered a husky laugh. “Your hands are freezing, sweetheart.”
She nipped at his neck, licking his warm male flesh. “Does that mean you don’t want me to touch your cock?”
“Oh God, no. You’d better touch it.”
Laughing quietly, she ran her fingertips over his tight six-pack, following the line of hair that arrowed down to his groin. As she undid his pants, he cupped one of her breasts and squeezed, his thumb toying with her nipple over her shirt.
“Fuck, I want to get you naked,” he whispered. “I want to kiss every inch of your body.”
Her pulse sped up. “Next time,” she promised as she dipped her hand below his waistband. “I can’t leave my post for that long.”
“I know.” His voice was thick with frustration. “This isn’t how our first time was supposed to go down.”
“Oh, hush. We’re both going to enjoy this.”
He jerked the second she touched his erection. She rubbed her palm over the drop of moisture pooling at his tip, loving the way he thrust into her hand and the little growl of pleasure that left his throat.
Ethan’s mouth captured hers in a blistering kiss. He tasted like coffee and toothpaste, and he smelled so good she just wanted to drown in his scent. Heat gathered between her legs, a deep, pulsing ache that only this man could soothe.
“I want you in me,” she whispered against his lips.
They both fumbled with their pants and shoved them down their bodies. The fabric tangled at their feet, which elicited an annoyed mumble from Ethan. He reached down and yanked on the discarded garments, whipping them onto the floor.
Juliet gasped when he flipped her over and covered her with his muscular frame. Even though they still had their shirts on, she could feel his heartbeat thudding against her breasts, matching the irregular thumping of her own pulse. His c
ock was heavy against her belly, his mouth greedily devouring hers in a passionate kiss that left her breathless.
But then he wrenched his lips away, rose on his elbows as his features grew strained. “I don’t have a condom.”
“It’s okay. I’m on the pill. And . . .” She swallowed. “I trust you.”
His breath hitched.
“I trust that you don’t have any diseases,” she quickly amended.
Amusement danced in his eyes. “Of course. I’m sure that’s all you meant.”
Juliet refused to let the brief moment of awkwardness distract her from the incredible sensations coursing through her. Ethan’s body was so big and hard and masculine, and she felt utterly fragile crushed beneath all that raw, masculine power.
When he eased the tip of his cock into her, she moaned so loudly that he swiftly clapped his hand over her mouth.
“Quiet, sweetheart,” he said with a soft chuckle. “We don’t want to wake the neighborhood.”
And then he started to move, and Juliet released another muffled moan into his palm.
Sweet mother of God, it felt good. So fucking good. Her sex stretched to accommodate him, and when her inner muscles clasped around his cock to trap him inside, he made the sexiest sound she’d ever heard. Half groan, half growl, thick with unadulterated desire.
He moved with lazy, shallow thrusts, his handsome features taut, his muscles quivering with restraint. She knew he wanted to go faster, to fuck her harder, but the squeaky cushions rendered that impossible.
“Jesus, you’re so tight. I’m losing my fricking mind here.”
He cupped her face as he filled her with his cock, and the raw lust in his eyes robbed her of breath. Her body was on fire. Her clit throbbed in exquisite agony. God, she never wanted this to end.
They were both panting as he kept up the excruciatingly slow and measured pace. Juliet wrapped her legs around his trim hips to deepen the contact, and immediately felt the telltale signs of an impending orgasm. Her sex clenched, every inch of her tingling as the pressure intensified.
“I’m close,” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I don’t think I can hold out for much longer.”
“Then don’t.” He brushed his lips over hers in a light kiss. “Let go, Juliet. I want you to come for me.”
The hoarse command was all it took. She bit down on her bottom lip to stop herself from crying out, her eyelids slamming shut as the orgasm crashed into her like a tidal wave. She clung to him as if he were a life preserver, rocking her hips and losing herself in the sweet rush of pleasure that swept her away.
“Oh fuck, I’m coming,” he muttered before burying his face in the crook of her neck and shuddering against her.
She held him as he trembled in release, her core still pulsing with the aftershocks of her own climax. When he let out a contented sigh and went still, she ran her fingers through his short hair and stroked the silky strands.
“I must be crushing you.”
He tried to move, but she held on even tighter. “Mmmm, I like it. You’re not going anywhere.”
His laughter tickled her ear, and then he planted a tender kiss on her neck, and she was astounded to feel her pussy stirring again. Their bodies were still joined, and even though he’d just come, his cock remained harder than an iron spike.
“You’re still hard,” she murmured.
“Huh. Look at that. I guess there are some benefits to being a twenty-five-year-old kid,” he teased.
Her eyes widened in delight when he started moving again. Holy moly. Maybe she’d been looking at this age thing the wrong way, because sweet Lord, talk about stamina.
He plunged into her over and over again, unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world. It took longer to reach that blissful peak again, and this time the release washed over her in slow, delicious ripples that danced over her flesh and left goose bumps in their wake.
Ethan didn’t come again. He just watched her with smoldering eyes as she gasped with pleasure, his warm hands fondling her covered breasts, drawing out the release.
“I don’t want to go back out there,” she mumbled after he’d slid out of her sated core and tucked her close to his side.
“I can take over your shift if you want.”
“Nah, it’s fine. You were out there all day. You deserve a break.”
Sighing, she disentangled herself from his embrace with a total lack of enthusiasm. As they both slipped their pants back on, she felt Ethan’s gaze on her, but all of a sudden it was difficult to look at him. Her thighs were wet and sticky, thanks to the condom they hadn’t used, irrefutable evidence of her surrender.
But just because she’d trusted him with her body didn’t mean she would trust him with her heart. Self-preservation was her middle name, and maybe that made her selfish, but it was the way she’d always lived her life.
The reason she was still alive.
She hadn’t wanted to fall into bed with him. But she had.
And it wasn’t enough, damn it. If anything, the sex had only intensified her hunger for him.
Gulping, she quickly zipped up her boots and shrugged into her coat. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Be careful out there,” he said gruffly.
“I always am.”
A minute later, she was sliding through the back door and stepping out into the cold again. The gust of icy wind that greeted her was almost welcome. It cooled her flushed cheeks and served as a reminder that she couldn’t lose herself in the inferno that was her attraction to Ethan Hayes.
Her boots crunched against the frozen layer of snow as she made her way to the woods. Earlier she’d discovered a broken patio set near the tree line, which offered a clear visual of the house and allowed her to be near the forest in case someone attempted a stealth attack from the trees.
As she settled in one of the sagging wicker chairs, she clicked her earpiece on. “Back at my post, Aussie. I just popped into the house to grab something.”
Sullivan’s amusement-laced voice filled her ear. “And that something you grabbed . . . was it the rookie’s dick? Or did those moans I heard come from Boston having a very naughty wet dream?”
“Mind your own business,” she grumbled.
“Ethan is my bloody business. I think of that bloke as my kid brother.” There was a menacing pause. “You’d better not hurt him.”
She suppressed a groan. “And if I do?”
“If it’s intentional, I’ll kick your ass. If it’s unintentional, I’ll still kick your ass, but not as hard.”
“Fair enough.”
“I’m serious, love. Don’t break his heart.”
A sigh escaped her lips. “This thing between us has nothing to do with our hearts.”
“Ah, so it’s purely physical.” He paused. “Out of curiosity, how’s the rookie in the sack? Real tender, I imagine.”
“How’s Liam in the sack?” she shot back. “You two are boning, right? Because you seem awfully close.”
“Oh, bugger off.”
Something in his tone gave her pause. She’d only been joking about him and Liam, but she suddenly realized she wouldn’t be at all surprised if she found out they were getting it on. Sullivan possessed a potent brand of sexuality that oozed out of him in spades, an anything-goes vibe that she’d picked up on from the moment they’d met. It wouldn’t scandalize her in the slightest to learn that he swung both ways.
Still, she had to laugh at his evident discomfort. “Not so fun discussing your sex life with strangers, is it, Sully?”
“Touché, love. Touché.” He chuckled. “But remember what I said. You hurt him, you suffer the consequences.”
The feed went quiet after that, leaving Juliet ill at ease. Sullivan’s threat didn’t scare her; his fear that she might break Eth
an’s heart did.
Ethan Hayes wasn’t the kind of man you picked up at a hotel bar, fucked, and then walked away from. He was one of the good ones. The kind of man you pledged your love and devotion to.
God, why had she ever allowed herself to get involved with him?
She’d messed up. Started something she couldn’t finish, and that wasn’t fair to Ethan.
Juliet blew out a breath, a white cloud that floated away in the cold night air. She needed to remind him that she would be walking away when this job ended.
She had to make sure he understood it, really understood it, before she allowed anything physical to happen between them again.
Chapter 17
Noelle had just lit up a cigarette when Morgan walked out on the balcony of her and D’s suite. She took a drag and exhaled a puff of smoke into the surprisingly warm air. February in Madrid was usually much colder in her experience.
“What do you want now?” she asked coolly. “You couldn’t find any ways to entertain yourself in your own room?”
He came up beside her, resting his defined forearms on the steel railing. His cobalt blue eyes took in the scene three stories below them—the late-night pedestrians ambling along the sidewalk, the darkened storefronts, the taxicabs speeding on the deserted road.
Muted voices drifted from the outdoor patio of the restaurant down the street, where Kozlov and his girlfriend were indulging in a midnight dessert. D was staked out somewhere nearby, along with the two goons that were also tailing the couple.
Morgan extracted a pack of Marlboros from one of the numerous pockets in his cargo pants. There was the hiss of a lighter, and then a cloud of smoke passed her peripheral vision.
“I love this city,” he remarked. “It’s always been one of my favorite places in the world.”
“I repeat, what do you want, Jim?”
His rugged profile revealed nothing. “I’m not sure.”
“Really? You’re not going to warn me away from your soldier? Insult me for a while? Tell me how much you loathe me?”
He turned to her with his dark eyebrows raised. “Would you like me to do any of those things?”
