by Juniper Hart
“I want you inside me,” she whispered, and the desperation in her eyes seemed to mimic what he felt within himself.
Does she sense it, too? Theo wondered. That we don’t have time? That we need to enjoy one another while we can? He didn’t put his questions into words and instead positioned himself inside her, filling her as deeply as he could go as she choked out an exclamation of surprise, her eyes wide.
Simone bit down on her lower lip, and they blended together as if they were the same person. If Theo had doubted their connection before in the least, he knew for certain that they were meant to be now.
“You belong with me,” he rasped, his breaths escaping in short, uneven gasps. Simone responded by arching herself upward, closing her creamy thighs around his waist and drawing him closer. She sighed with pleasure, bringing Theo higher in his ecstasy, and when Simone’s nails dug into his back, he could barely contain himself any longer.
Simone jerked from underneath him, and he knew she had reached her primal heights again. It was only then that he gave himself permission to finish, too, filling her with the seeds of his desire.
For an hour, it seemed, they clung to one another, neither wanting the moment to be done, Theo’s fingers trailing along the prickled flesh of Simone’s body. She was sensitive to his touch, and every swirl of his fingertips caused a shiver of pleasure to course through her.
“I really don’t do things like this,” Simone muttered as the reality of what had happened began to sink back into the room with them. “It feels so…”
“Right?” Theo offered, and she smiled up at him, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her sweaty face.
“Yeah,” she agreed. “It does feel right, in spite of everything.”
Theo tried to smile at her, but the gesture came up empty.
“What’s wrong?” Simone asked with alarm. “Was it something I said?” He shook his head, laying his palm softly over her cheek.
“No,” he assured her. “I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Her smile faded, and a grimace took its place.
“About how I’m never going to let anything happen to you,” Theo confessed, and he meant it. He would do everything in his power to keep her safe from whoever might be after her.
Even if it killed him.
10
Even though Simone treasured her new surroundings and her time with the handsome stranger who had abruptly entered her life, she couldn’t shake the worry dominating her. She would have to be stupid not to know that Theo was hiding something from her, but she was conflicted as to whether he was trying to save her or if he was using her for something else.
No one can fake the way he looks at you, Simone told herself. He cares about you, it’s obvious. No matter how weird it might seem. It wasn’t that weird, though—she couldn’t deny the feelings she had for him, either. What did he say to me? He called me his mate. What does that even mean?
She shrugged it off, knowing in her gut that Theo meant her absolutely no harm. Still, she knew she couldn’t stay in the penthouse forever, hoping that whatever was happening at work would disappear. Whoever had been at her apartment meant business, and no amount of falling in love was going to protect her from people who wanted to hurt her.
Theo had thought her asleep when he retreated from the bedroom, but Simone had been lying awake, waiting for him to return. After an hour of laying in the darkness of the massive master suite, she decided to see where he’d gone, her bare feet padding silently along the floor.
She heard his voice before she saw him, but when she rounded the corner, she realized that Theo was not alone in the penthouse, and her breath caught in her throat.
No one is supposed to know we’re here, she remembered. Isn’t that why he brought me here? She wished her head could settle on one plan of how to deal with what was happening. She was bouncing from trust to mistrust in dizzying speed. It’s not your head that’s the problem—it’s your heart. Are you being played?
“—makes sense,” the dark-haired man with her lover was saying. “But I’m telling you, Captain, there’s something else going on here.”
“Matt, I really wish you hadn’t tracked me here,” Theo spat, pacing about the living room. “You know this is a safe house.”
“Who are you hiding here?” Matt demanded, and Simone pressed herself against the wall, her heart thumping so loudly, she was sure they could hear it distinctly.
“It doesn’t matter!” Theo barked, whirling to glare at him. “You shouldn’t be…” Suddenly, he trailed off, his head whipping to look exactly at where Simone stood. Their eyes locked, and Simone forgot to breathe.
How the hell does he do that? she wondered. First at my apartment, and now this. It’s like he can smell when something’s off.
“I shouldn’t be what?” Matt prompted. “I have every right to know what’s going on with the team when you leave me in charge.”
Without moving his eyes away from Simone, Theo snapped back, “I am the leader of this team, Matt. Don’t forget that. Your job is not to trace me. Your job is to follow my instructions when I give them.”
“What do you want me to do about this?” Matt sighed, realizing that he wasn’t going to get any more information out of Theo. “We should move on it.”
Theo tore his eyes away from Simone and glared at his companion. “I’m not going anywhere. I already told you that. You can take Smitty and go to Morocco. If your hunch is right, Jackrabbit is a Moroccan national.”
Matt gaped at him. “Me and Smitty?” he choked. “We need everyone on deck to take this guy down!”
“He’s not in Morocco,” Theo replied, shaking his head. “He’s here in the States.”
“W-what?” The confusion was rolling off Matt in waves. “How do you know that? And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Again, Matt, I don’t have to run everything by you.” Theo’s face darkened. “Go to Rabat and find out what you can about Jackrabbit. You can leave tonight. I’ll have the jet prepared.”
Matt opened his mouth to protest, but he seemed to change his mind when he saw the look in Theo’s eyes. He stood from the couch and clamped his mouth together.
“I’ll tell Smitty,” he muttered, and Simone’s breath caught as Matt’s eyes fell on her discarded blouse on the floor. The scowl on his mouth spoke volumes to how he was feeling that moment, but to his credit, he didn’t say a word.
“Matt?” Theo called conversationally as the smaller man moved toward the entranceway.
“Yeah?”
“If you come back here unannounced or you tell anyone else that I’m here, I will shoot you. Dead.”
Matt’s face twisted in shock, and he gaped at Theo. Goosebumps covered Simone’s arms.
“Nod if you understand,” Theo told him coldly, and she had no doubt that he was speaking in pure truths.
“I got it,” Matt retorted, spinning away. “Enjoy your booty call. I hope she’s worth the contract.”
Simone blinked twice as Matt walked away, but it was Theo who had her attention. His face contorted into a mask, as if his face was becoming a beast. Her jaw dropped, but when she stepped out of the shadows, still naked in the darkness, she realized the light must have been playing tricks with her mind.
“Who was that?” she asked quietly when she was sure Matt had left.
“My right-hand man.”
“I don’t even know what you do for a living,” she realized, hurrying toward him. “But I gotta say, it doesn’t sound like you’re an accountant.” Theo smiled at her and shook his head.
“No, I’m not.” He gestured for her to sit and reached for a cashmere throw draped over the back of the sofa. Placing it about her shoulders, he sat at her side and cocked his head to stare at her. “I guess I should probably explain what’s going on then, huh?”
Simone nodded eagerly. “Some clarity would be nice,” she agreed nervously. Her eyes darted up quickly to look at him. “Not that I don’t trust you.”
>
Theo grinned and pulled her to his chest. He wore nothing but a pair of jeans he had haphazardly put on, possibly when Matt had found him unexpectedly.
“I shouldn’t be telling you this,” he started. “And if you were anyone else, I wouldn’t be.”
“Whatever you tell me won’t leave my lips,” Simone assured him.
“I’m not worried about you telling anyone,” Theo replied, stroking her silken tresses. “It’s just a breach of conduct to discuss my clients with you. My business is very delicate.”
“Your business is trying to kill me,” Simone reminded him. Theo snorted.
“Fair enough.” He took a deep breath. “I own a private security firm. We get hired by corporations and sometimes the government to go into zones where usual measures don’t apply and find people.”
“Yeah. I watch enough Prime to know what you do,” Simone sighed. “So, you’re hunting this Jackass.”
“Jackrabbit,” Theo grunted. “Yes. He’s a terrorist, known somewhat in West Africa and the Middle East, but an American client has a need for him. So far, he’s been a step ahead of us every time we’ve gotten close.”
“Who is he?” Simone asked.
“We have no idea. He targets mosques, schools, roads—I myself suspect he’s a contract terrorist. I don’t think he has any personal, political, or religious propensity, but we sincerely don’t know anything other than what our profiler has guessed about him.”
“Oh… Lanthcomb…” Simone murmured. “Those are his accounts?”
“Yes. My client seems convinced that they belong to him, but how he knows that, I can’t be sure.”
“I really don’t know anything about that,” Simone said for what felt like the hundredth time.
“I know you don’t, Simone, but my client isn’t so sure, and the more we delve into this, the more I’m starting to wonder how clean my client’s hands are.”
“Right… What would your client want with a contract terrorist?” Simone muttered. “Unless…”
“He’s trying to contract him for his own purposes,” Theo finished. “In which case, he’s not going to want any witnesses around to put him and Jackrabbit together.”
Simone lifted her body and looked at him. “But that puts you in danger, too!” she choked. “How can you be so flippant about this?”
Theo grunted. “I’m more protected than the average bear.” His eyes widened, and he cleared his throat as if he’d said something he shouldn’t have. “Anyway, if we can find Jackrabbit before my client does, we can unravel this better.”
“Your team doesn’t know about this? That you suspect your client is up to no good?”
“Not yet,” Theo confirmed. “But they will.”
“Why haven’t you told them?” Simone insisted. “Why are you telling me and not them?” Theo stared at her unspeaking, and she could see he was wrestling with what to say. “Theo?”
“You’re my mate,” he muttered. “Do you know what that means?” A warmth flowed through Simone, and she smiled.
“You think we’re meant to be together,” she replied, her face tinging pink. But Theo shook his head.
“It’s much more than that, Simone, but it’s not something I can explain to you right now.”
“Why not?”
Theo sighed and patted her leg. “Because we have to get out of here.”
“What?” Simone demanded. “Why?”
Theo rose and reached for her hands to pull her up. “Because I have no idea if I can trust my team anymore, and now that Matt knows you’re here, you’ve been compromised.”
“Are you kidding me?” Simone protested. “I was just getting used to living in luxury!” Inexplicably, a wave of sadness fell over Theo’s face.
“For whatever time we have together, you’ll live like a queen,” he promised. The words filled her with a strange melancholy.
“Don’t say it so morbidly,” she begged him. “Do you really think they’re going to get me? Seriously, Theo, tell me my chances!”
“It’s not Jackrabbit or my client that worries me,” he muttered, turning away.
“Then who?” A new panic started forming inside Simone. “Who else is after me?”
“Simone, I promise you’ll understand everything in due time, but for now, we need to find another place to go, all right?”
Simone wanted to argue with Theo, make him tell her exactly what was going on, but she had vowed to trust him, and so far, he had kept her safe.
“Let me get dressed,” she said begrudgingly. As she slipped her clothes back on, she couldn’t stop wondering how she’d gotten herself in the position where she was a wanted woman.
At least I’m not going down for something as trivial as writing college papers, after all. You know what they say, go big or die trying… right?
Unexpectedly, Theo’s arms wrapped around her waist, and he kissed the spot between her ear and her neck, sending shivers through her body instantly. A few hours with him, and he knew all of her weak spots already. What would a few months with him be like?
She almost rolled her eyes at the romantic notion. Look at you, sending out wedding announcements already. Who the hell are you, Simone?
“You don’t need to worry about anything,” Theo whispered in her ear. “I swear.”
Simone’s body sank against him, and she closed her eyes.
I know who I am, she thought, relishing the feel of his huge frame against her. I’m a woman stupidly in love with a mercenary.
11
Theo and Simone found themselves in a charming boutique hotel in the outskirts of Boulder, but Theo wasn’t sure it was the safest place for them.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Simone asked him as they silently ate a late lunch in their room by a crackling fireplace.
“I’m just thinking about your company,” Theo confessed. “I feel like someone inside your operation knows what’s going on there.”
Simone picked up a piece of celery and chewed on it slowly, nodding. “I had the same thought when Rachel mentioned what happened with the hack. I don’t know a lot about IT, but I do know that Harper-Morris guards their privacy. If the hardcopies went missing too, someone inside must know—”
The ringing of her cell interrupted her, and Theo looked at her in surprise.
“I thought I told you to turn that off,” he growled worriedly. “You can be traced with that phone.”
“I know,” Simone replied quickly, grabbing the cell off the coffee table. “But I didn’t want anyone to get suspicious and start looking for me when I called in sick.”
Theo’s lips pursed, and he sighed, nodding for her to answer it.
“It’s my dad,” she told him. “I’ll be a minute.”
Theo turned away as she answered the call, pretending not to listen.
“Hey, Dad.” He could only hear her side of the conversation, but the strain in her voice was obvious. “No, I’m sick… What? No… I’m staying with a friend.”
Theo’s head whipped around, and he looked at her with worry. Simone’s dark eyes met his. He could see that she was trying to communicate something to him, but it was nothing he could openly understand.
“Wow, no, I had no idea… I’ll go check it out… Okay, thanks, Dad.” She disconnected the call and looked at him warily.
“What happened?” Theo asked immediately. Simone gritted her teeth and shook her head.
“My dad went by my apartment this morning and saw the mess. He was worried about me.” Theo eyed her, unspeaking. “He was going to call the police,” Simone muttered. “I should go back there and clean everything up before someone else does call the cops.”
“Does he have a key?” Theo asked quietly. Simone scoffed and shook her head.
“No way,” she snorted. “I’m surprised he knew where to look for me…” She trailed off, her eyes widening slightly.
“Is it weird for him to check up on you?”
Simone’s tanned face waned,
and she nodded slowly. “It’s only Monday. I just called in today. There’s no reason for him to… I mean, why would he?”
“Tell me about your father,” Theo said conversationally, trying to keep the suspicion out of his voice, though it was difficult when his mind was racing. “Are you close?”
Simone scoffed and sat back, folding her arms over her chest.
“No,” she said flatly. “We’re not close. He left when I was twelve and my mom was dying of cancer.”
A spark of sympathy ignited in Theo’s chest, but he managed to keep a stoic expression on his face. “He’s just started coming around again lately?”
“He… There’s no way he’s involved in any of this,” Simone said defensively, and Theo instantly nodded.
“Probably not,” he agreed, even though he wasn’t so sure. “I’m just keeping my eyes open, Simone. You said it was weird that he was checking up on you.”
Simone shifted her eyes away and looked at her hands, as if she was trying to make sense of it all herself.
“What is it?” Theo pressed gently. “You’re remembering something.”
“It’s stupid,” she insisted, shaking her head, but Theo leaned forward to reach for her, his hand brushing against her arm.
“Tell me. If you say it aloud, it will probably make more sense.”
Simone looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “There’s no way. It’s just a coincidence. Anyway, it couldn’t be…”
“Whatever you tell me is between us, Simone. I don’t think I have to tell you that I’m going to protect you at all costs.”
“Cinnamon,” Simone breathed. “I got Cinnamon a job at Harper-Morris.”
A prickle of apprehension slid down Theo’s spine. “Your stepmother?”
Simone visibly shuddered at the characterization, but she bobbed her head. “The hack and the missing files coincide with Cinnamon’s arrival… I think? According to Rachel, the hack came in before she started, but…”
Theo could see she was trying her best to make sense of everything, just as he was.
“I need to speak with Rachel,” he told her, and he watched panic color her face.
