Midnight Action

by Elle Kennedy

  She craved him on a whole other level, the kind of craving that made her heart pound and her mouth go dry. The kind of craving that erased all common sense and turned her into a hot, needy mess.

  The kind of craving that only this man could satisfy.

  As she watched him stroke his own cock, she could no longer fight the demoralizing truth. Jim Morgan would never be out of her system. She would never stop wanting him, no matter how hard she tried.

  “Take off your clothes, Noelle.”

  Her hands involuntarily reached for her waistband. She shoved the leggings down her hips and kicked them away. Her tight black tee came off next, then her bra, her red boy-short panties, and then she was as naked as Jim was, standing there on display.

  His blue eyes burned with approval. “Christ, you’re beautiful. Have I ever told you that?”

  The intensity of his tone startled her. “Not in a long time.”

  “Well, you are. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”

  Her breath got caught in her throat. “Thank you.”

  “I wanna touch you, but you’re too far away.”

  “Is that your way of asking me to come closer?”

  “Uh-uh. I want you to stay right where you are.” He gave his erection a slow pump, then absently stroked the tip with his thumb. “Touch yourself for me.”

  “Or I can come and ride you like you wanted.”

  “Not yet,” he said with a stubborn shake of the head. “I want you to touch yourself, and pretend it’s me doing it.”

  She decided to humor him. “Where would you like me to touch?”

  “Your breasts. Cup them.”

  Keeping her gaze on his face, she lowered both hands to her chest and cupped the heavy weight of her breasts. Her nipples stiffened, the sensitive buds straining against her palms.

  “Squeeze,” he ordered.

  She squeezed. Pleasure danced through her body and settled in her core, forming a knot of anticipation.

  “Play with your nipples.” His hand moved over his erection in lazy strokes, while his blue eyes stayed glued to her breasts.

  Noelle rubbed the pads of her thumbs over the puckered buds, enjoying the flurry of shivers that skipped along her skin.

  “Feels good?” Jim murmured.

  She nodded.

  “Take one hand and put it between your legs.”

  She did as he asked, her palm covering her slick folds and gliding over her clit.

  He inhaled sharply. “Slide a finger inside.”

  Swallowing, Noelle used her index finger to toy with her opening, then pushed it into her aching sex.

  “Are you wet?”

  Her breathing grew labored as she fingered herself, slow and steady. “Very.”

  Jim let out a groan. “God. C’mere.”

  Shooting him a seductive smile, she climbed onto the bed and sat astride him, her knees on either side of his muscular thighs. He wasted no time moving his hand south and slipping one long finger inside her.

  “Fuck. You are wet.”

  Disappointment rippled through her when he withdrew that wicked finger, but she didn’t have time to voice it, because suddenly he was reaching for her breasts.

  “Gimme,” he ordered. “I wanna taste.”

  Noelle slowly eased forward and brought a breast to his mouth, moaning when his tongue came out to flick one rigid nipple. He wrapped his lips around it and sucked gently, and the warmth of his mouth set her hypersensitized skin on fire. When he shifted his attention to the other breast, teasing and sucking her other nipple, another moan slipped out and she sagged into his gentle assault.

  “Love this. I fucking love this.” His deep voice vibrated against her breasts.

  Her head lolled to the side as his mouth enclosed her nipple again. He kissed it with unexpected tenderness, then sucked using that same gentle approach. Each soft pull sent a shiver up her spine and a rush of sweet agony to her core. God, this man was liable to kill her. She squirmed on his lap, so turned on she could barely breathe, surrendering completely to his delicate ministrations.

  When she felt his finger probing her entrance, she squirmed even more, desperate to feel him inside her.

  “Fucking hell,” he ground out once his finger was lodged deep. “So goddamn wet. Is it all for me?”

  She managed a nod.

  “You want me.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, her eyelids fluttering closed as she rocked into his talented finger.

  “You missed me.”

  Her eyes flew open. “No.”

  Rather than argue, Jim just nodded. “I guess I deserve that.”

  The air of defeat emanating from his powerful body was disconcerting. She didn’t like this subdued, beaten version of him, with his slumped shoulders and tired eyes and discouraged attitude. Jim Morgan was a warrior, damn it, and as much as she hated his alpha asshole-ness at times, his strength and intensity were what had drawn her to him in the first place.

  Gritting her teeth, she reached out and slapped him.

  “What the fuck, Noelle!” Blinking wildly, he rubbed his cheek. “Didn’t you get your fill the other day? What the hell was that for?”

  “For being a pathetic loser. You’re not this man, okay? You’re not the guy who drowns his sorrows in cheap corner-store tequila and laments about his past mistakes. You’re James fucking Morgan! You don’t hide and whine when things don’t go your way. You go out and make shit happen.”

  He seemed utterly fascinated by her words, which only pissed her off all the more.

  “Stop being a whiny baby,” she snapped. “You want to win over your kid? Then come up with a fucking plan and do it.”

  She felt like a coach addressing his losing team at halftime, but the cheesy speech had flown out before she could stop it.

  Except now Jim was staring at her with unbelievable lust in his eyes. And his erection looked impossibly thicker.

  Noelle sighed. “Seriously? That silly pep talk actually turned you on—”

  She was on her back before she could finish that sentence. Jim’s heavy body crushed hers, his blue eyes gleaming down at her as he guided his blunt head to her opening and plunged inside, summoning a desperate noise from her throat.

  She gasped when he started to move. She was so wet from arousal that his cock slid in and out of her body with ease, and each time he drove in again, he hit a sweet spot deep inside and unleashed a new flurry of shivers. Her sex stretched around his cock, her inner walls quivering, clasping him tight.

  “Feels so good,” he mumbled. “Always feels so damn good.”

  His fingers dug into her hips as he quickened his strokes, but then he abruptly went still and voiced a question that threw her for a loop. “Have you fucked a lot of men since...since me...?”

  She paused. “You know the answer to that.”

  “Yeah, I figured. I’ve been with other women. A lot of women. But it wasn’t like this with them. Never like this.”

  His hips shot forward in a hard thrust that stole her breath.

  “Not enough,” he rasped. “It’s never enough.”

  She knew exactly what he meant. The sexual need between them was unbearable. She didn’t just feel desire for the man—it consumed her. It was the most powerful thing she’d ever experienced in her life.

  As their bodies frantically moved together, he slid his hands beneath her back and wrapped his arms around her, holding her like he was drowning at sea and she was his life preserver. His strong grip heightened her excitement, and the pressure between her legs intensified, a ball of tension that grew and grew and grew until finally it burst apart and a mind-blowing orgasm swept through her.

  Jim cried out a moment later, burying his face in her neck as he shuddered in release.

  Afterward, he collaps
ed on top of her in a blissful heap, his heart hammering against her breasts, matching the erratic beating of hers. Then he rolled over and pulled her close, his fingers tangling in her hair, stroking the long strands.

  She wasn’t sure how long they lay there, but she eventually became aware of his even breathing, his closed eyelids. He’d fallen asleep, and she’d never seen a sexier sight as she propped herself up to watch him. His features softened in slumber, making him look younger, less cold and savage.

  Her gaze rested on his mouth, those firm, sensual lips that she had yet to kiss. By choice, anyway. The last two times they’d kissed didn’t count because she hadn’t asked for it. But now...now she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She was longing to press her mouth to his, but she knew that the moment she did, everything would change.

  She suddenly registered the wetness on her cheeks, and was horrified to discover she was crying. Goddamn it. What was wrong with her?

  She wiped the tears with the back of her hand, still staring intently at his mouth. Maybe she ought to do it. Just kiss him. Now, when he was sleeping and unaware. She could succumb to the craving without him ever knowing she’d surrendered to him.

  Swallowing hard, Noelle swept her fingertips over his bottom lip in a timid caress. As indecision floated through her, she slowly brought her mouth close to his, hesitating when their lips were millimeters apart.

  Just as she was about to bridge that infinitesimal gap, a cell phone vibrated.

  Her head snapped up guiltily, but Jim didn’t stir. He was still sound asleep, oblivious to the buzzing sounds coming from the nightstand.

  Collecting herself, Noelle took a deep breath before leaning toward the end table to grab Jim’s phone. She’d thought a call was coming through, but when she checked the screen she realized it was a text message.

  Unconcerned with pesky issues like privacy, she clicked on the message and quickly scanned its contents.

  Then, with a heavy sigh, she placed a hand on Jim’s bare chest and gave it a nudge. “Wake up,” she said grimly. “You need to see this.”

  Chapter 30

  Twenty minutes later, Morgan hung up the phone and turned to Noelle and Ash with a grave look. “Liam says something went down at the house tonight.”

  “Care to elaborate?” Noelle prompted.

  She stood in the open doorway of the terrace with a cigarette dangling from her hand, and the smell of smoke only made Morgan’s temples throb harder. He’d chugged a gallon of water and two coffees in an attempt to sober up fast, but it still felt like someone was operating a jackhammer in his head.

  “Would you put that thing out?” he grumbled.

  “Yes, sir.” Rolling her eyes, she ducked out to extinguish the cigarette, then stepped back inside. “Now tell us what happened.”

  “Cate came running out of the house and disappeared into the maze. Apparently she was being chased by a blond man who was screaming her name.” As Morgan repeated what Liam had reported, his chest clenched with worry. “Liam and Bailey couldn’t see what was going on in the maze—the thing is too damn tall—but after about five minutes, Cate and the man walked out. Liam says she looked upset, but she wasn’t fighting the guy. They went back inside, and there’s been no activity since.”

  His head continued to pound, but now his heart had joined in, so loudly it felt like a damn drum circle had possessed his body. He wanted to hijack Noelle’s Town Car and speed over to the Durand estate, but Liam had assured him that Cate hadn’t looked injured as she’d walked into the house.

  But how long would it stay that way?

  Rage bubbled inside him as he thought about the mysterious man Liam had mentioned. Christ, if that bastard hurt so much as a hair on Cate’s head, Morgan was going to go postal on him.

  “Did Macgregor recognize the blond?” Noelle asked with a frown.

  “He said it wasn’t Durand, that much we know.”

  She went quiet. He could see the wheels in her head turning.

  “What is it?” he said sharply.

  “The night of the party...” She trailed off for a moment, her frown deepening. “When we were leaving, I spotted a blond guy on the front steps. Did you happen to get a look at him?”

  Morgan searched his brain and came up empty-handed. Not much of a surprise—the shock of seeing Walther Dietrich that night had sent him reeling. He’d been too distracted to pay attention to anyone else, and if he were being honest, the only reason they’d made it out of the party undetected was thanks to Noelle’s quick thinking.

  “No, I don’t remember seeing anyone,” he admitted. “Did you recognize him?”

  “He looked familiar but I couldn’t place him at the time.”

  “What do you remember about him?”

  She licked her lips in thought. “He was tall. In good shape, but more lanky than muscular. Light blond hair, blue eyes, clean-shaven face. I remember his eyebrows being darker than the hair on his head, dark enough that someone might think he dyed his hair.”

  Morgan froze.

  Noelle, as usual, was attuned to his every nuance. “Do you know him?”

  “Maybe.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Do you by any chance remember a man named Nikolaus Bauer?”

  She paused for a second, then sucked in her breath. “Son of a bitch. You might be right. The man at the party definitely could’ve been Bauer.”

  From his seat on the couch, Ash tentatively joined the conversation. “Who’s Nikolaus Bauer?”

  “Ariana’s fiancé,” Morgan said flatly. “Or at least he was supposed to be. They grew up together, and their families were tight. It was pretty much a given that they would get married someday and unite the family fortunes.”

  “So what happened to him?” Ash asked.

  “I happened. I came into Ariana’s life, she decided she wanted me, and she tossed Bauer aside like a piece of garbage.”

  “Charming girl,” Noelle muttered.

  “I told you, she wasn’t a very nice person,” he muttered back. “Anyway, after Walther and Ariana disappeared, I kept tabs on Bauer for a year. He was just going about his same old routine in Berlin. He worked at his father’s shipping company, which was a front for a drug-smuggling operation. Far as I could tell, he had no contact with Walther, so eventually I stopped monitoring him.”

  “Well, they must have made contact at some point,” Noelle said. “Because the more I think about it, the more I’m certain it was Bauer I saw that night.”

  Morgan gave a harsh chuckle. “I guess he ended up with Ariana, after all.” Something else occurred to him. “Bauer must be the guy my informant told me about last year.”

  Noelle wrinkled her brow. “What are you talking about?”

  “The arms deal I was tracking in Pakistan,” he clarified. “You know, when you headed up the op in Monte Carlo after our compound was attacked? I heard some rumblings about a major deal, and I thought Dietrich might be involved, but when I flashed his picture around, nobody recognized him. One of my contacts said that the seller involved in the transaction did resemble the man in the photo, only he was much younger and had light eyes instead of dark. I think he was talking about Bauer.”

  “So he’s active in the arms trade too,” Ash commented.

  “Like I said, the two families were tight. Bauer’s father focused primarily on drugs, but his smuggling operation overlapped with Dietrich’s gun routes. I think Bauer Sr. often helped Dietrich with his shipping needs, and Bauer Jr. took over the business when his father died, so I’m guessing Nikolaus was always heavily involved in both operations.”

  As he finished talking, his gaze strayed to the phone he’d left on the glass coffee table, and a flood of anger filled his gut.

  “Bauer grabbed my daughter.”

  Noelle took a step toward him. “Jim...”

  “He laid a hand on her, N
oelle. Liam saw him grab her.”

  “Don’t jump to any conclusions just yet. You don’t know the circumstances that led to it.”

  “We don’t know anything!” As he stalked to the table and grabbed his phone, another gust of worry blasted through him. “All we have is Liam’s report, and this text message Cate sent twenty minutes ago. That’s all we fucking know.”

  He clutched the phone in his hand, but didn’t bother pulling up the message again. It had been sent from the burner phone he’d given Cate at the Eiffel Tower, and he’d already memorized every damn word.

  You need to come get me. I’ll text you the time and place tomorrow.

  That was it. Two sentences. Zero details.

  He’d texted her back, but he’d yet to receive a response. He suspected she’d turned off the phone, but that was just another cause for concern. He had no clue what had happened tonight, but he knew his daughter was scared. Noelle had insisted it was impossible to discern fear from a text message, but she was wrong. Cate was terrified—he felt it, damn it.

  “We could go in tonight,” he said in a low voice.

  Noelle wasted no time shooting down the idea. “No way. We have no idea what the security inside the house is like. We could be walking into an ambush.”

  “It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

  “And risk your kid’s life in the process?” she challenged.

  Fuck. Noelle was right. They couldn’t go in blind and risk Cate getting hurt.

  “You have to trust her,” Noelle said, her voice surprisingly gentle. “She said she’ll contact you tomorrow, and I have no doubt that she will. Once we know more, we can extract her.”

  Hesitation rippled through him.

  “Jim.” She marched up to him and grasped his chin with one hand. “Look at me.”

  He slowly met her eyes, not bothering to mask his despair.