by Nana Malone
Nyla scowled at me then. "Yeah, so what were you stealing at the Jameson’s that night?"
I shrugged.
Bridge laughed. "She caught you?"
I shrugged again. "Maybe."
Ben guffawed. "I knew you'd been busted. Your comms went out, and then… nothing. Next thing I knew, you turned up at the SUV soaking wet."
I just glared at him.
Nyla laughed. "You didn't tell them?"
"What I told them was that I'd found you snooping around so I got out of there."
"That is not what happened. I caught him and I chased him. Would've taken him out too if there hadn't been… an incident."
Lucas leaned forward. "Oh, do tell."
Bryna whacked him. "It looks like it's probably their business."
Bridge shook his head. "No, we want the details."
Ben nodded. "Oh please, do."
But Liv came to my rescue, beautiful, awesome, fantastic Liv. “Shut up, boys.”
Nyla laughed so hard. "Oh my God, no. It was an accident. We got attached somehow, and then there were sprinklers. Anyway. He walked away with whatever he stole, and he still won't tell me what he took."
I grinned at her and gave her my best wink.
She pinched me.
"Ow."
"I'd like to know."
Ben just shook his head. "East just stole information off of Jameson’s computer. That's it."
“So, is this how it goes, just like a team meeting? Am I in the lair now?"
Bridge guffawed. "Nicest lair I've ever seen."
"Then you haven't been paying attention to Bruce Wayne,” I retorted.
Bryna and Livy howled. "Amen. Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne? Yes. I'd be in that lair."
Ben looked wounded as Liv enthusiastically high-fived her girls. “This is much better than Bruce Wayne’s.”
"Yes, it is baby. It is." She placated him and patted him on the knee.
He inched away. "I see what you're doing."
Nyla smiled, and I could tell she was relaxing and enjoying herself. And I relaxed too. Because having her here next to me, I didn't feel like the outsider looking in. I felt complete.
21
Nyla
I was exhausted. When my alarm had gone off, I grumbled about it. Look, these things happen. I didn't want to leave bed. I didn't want to leave East's side. I was in the twilight zone now.
I'd gone and fallen for him, even though there was so much I didn't know about him. My gut was telling me all the things that I needed to know.
You mean all the things that you want to know, not need to know.
I shoved my hair off my face and tried to decide if I was going to wash or not. Brunch with my father was a standing tradition. I knew better than to be late.
Maybe I'd forgo the washing and just spritz a little water to clean it a bit.
Last night had been a revelation. The people that I had seen as the bad guys, the criminals, I hadn't known them. Now they were like real people. And they wanted to help me. It felt like they were pawns in a bigger game too.
Or are you just making excuses?
God, I probably just wanted this to be true. But I knew it in my gut that East was not the bad guy here. So what the hell was going on? If I didn't figure it out quickly, my career would be up in flames. And unfortunately, he might get caught in the crossfire. So I needed to figure it out.
"So, you were just going to get into the shower without me?"
Despite my rambling thoughts, I smiled as a warm male stepped into the shower behind me.
The shower was enormous. It could have fit six people comfortably. There was no need for him to be so close. "You're a little close there, aren't you?"
"Well, I think you need my help washing your back."
I giggled. "My back huh?" His hand slipped over my belly and down between my legs, seeking his favorite plaything. "You know, that's not going to happen."
"What?" He nipped my shoulder and then trailed kisses along my neck. "Are you sure that's not your back?"
"Yep, mm-hmm, yeah, totally sure."
My knees wobbled. He had my number. I was complete jelly for him.
Hell. We’d barely made it out of Ben’s house last night. Strictly speaking, we hadn't really made it out the first time. He dragged me into a closet, pulled down my dress, and sucked on my tits and played with my clit until I'd come all over his fingers.
He was very naughty.
And the thing about that house was that it was so enormous I don't even think anybody noticed we'd been gone or suspected what we were up to. It was weird.
Well, okay, Telly seemed to know. Because she'd looked at him and winked and gave me a big old thumbs-up sign.
Oh, what was I doing?
His fingers stopped, and he nudged the side of my hair. "Hey, I can feel your brain spinning. Just enjoy what's happening, okay?"
"I'm trying, sorry."
"No, don't be sorry. I know this is probably a lot."
"It's hard to have a conversation with you when your fingers are..."
He slid his finger over my clit again. "When my fingers are what?"
"Ah, being naughty. So naughty."
"Well, naughty is my middle name."
"I know. East Naughty Hale."
"Well, I like it. I'm going to change my birth certificate now."
"Are we going to talk about this?"
He nipped my ear. "Yeah, we can talk about this. But how about we make love in the shower first. You go see your dad. And then we can talk about what's happening with us, okay?"
I gasped when he slid a finger inside me. "Oh God." I cleared my throat. "So there's an us."
"Oh yeah, there is absolutely an us. You're in my snare now, Agent Kincade, and I'm not letting you go."
"Jesus, East." My breath caught.
"Yes, Nyla?"
His voice was a whispered chuckle against my skin.
"You're killing me."
"Oh, what a way to go though, right?"
The heel of his palm rubbed against my clit as he fucked me with one finger.
"You know, I was having the best dream about you last night."
"How does it feel?"
"Amazing. Slow. I want more."
"Ah, more of that?" He slid his other hand up over my belly and cupped my breast, gently touching the tip. They felt full. Too full. Achy. And I moaned at the contact. "God, Nyla. How did I not even know it could be like this with you?"
"Oh, I think you knew."
He chuckled. "Oh, you're right. I did know. Which is probably why you've been under my skin since the moment I saw you."
Then another finger joined the previous one, and I gasped. "Oh, boy."
"No, love. I'm a man. You can feel how much."
And I certainly could. The length of him was slapping against the small of my back. "Oh yeah, I can feel that. He wants some attention?"
"Yeah, I think he does."
"Well, you have to let me go so I can turn around and maybe talk to him."
"Nyla, I'm busy."
"You are in fact busy."
I was too close, and I wanted this to last as long as it could. Because once I saw my father and the day got away from me, I might not be able to see him for a bit. "But I think you want to watch, don't you?"
His fingers stilled. "Fuck. You do know what I like, don't you?"
"Yep. I sure do. So what's it going to be? Making me crazy like this, or watching me make you crazy?"
It wasn't even a question. He eased his fingers out of me. But East being East, he slid them over my clit, pressing firmly, making my breath catch. At the same time, he pinched my nipple hard, and a shudder ran through my whole body. When I turned around, the water now on my back, I glowered up at him. "You did that on purpose."
He backed up several steps until his back was against the hard tile wall. "You bet."
On the wall there were button controls for the shower. He softened the spray and turned on t
he other showerhead so that the water would angle just on my back and not into my eyes.
I stalked toward my prey. Because that is, in fact, what he felt like. When I reached him, I stood on tiptoes and angled my lips to his, kissing him gently.
That kiss alone was enough to make his body shudder, and the length of his erection bobbed against my belly. "Fuck. Even a kiss from you is enough to make me crazy."
"Well then, prepare to be out of your mind."
He laughed then. "Oh my God, that was cheesy."
"You know what, you think of something flirty to say when you're really turned on. I dare you."
"All right, we'll make it a competition."
I rolled my eyes. And then with my hands on his hips, I lowered myself gently.
Before I did anything, he started to shake. "Oh my God. I don't know if I can take this."
"Well, you're going to have to."
With one hand I reached for him, wrapping my hand around the base of his erection, and he went stock-still. When I glanced up, he was staring down at me, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Are you okay?"
"Oh my God, I might die. I might honestly die."
"I'm pretty sure you're not going to die. Hang on."
When I stroked him, another shudder racked through his body, and his hands went in my hair. "Oh my God, I'm not sure if this was a good idea."
"Shut up. I'm in charge now."
And I was. When I angled him down to meet my lips and rolled my tongue over the tip of him, he cursed, fisting my hair tightly, and his body jerked. "Oh my God. I'm going to die."
"Yep. What was that you said? What a way to go?"
Then I wrapped my lips around the full head and eased my mouth down over him. I pulled back slowly, making sure he could feel every bit of my tongue. With my free hand, I cupped his balls, gently squeezing and tugging them. His hands tightened in my hair. He wasn't moving me, but it was as if I was his anchor. My name was a choked cry on his lips over and over and over again, and I could feel his balls tighten. I was ready. Prepared to take him down my throat. I slid my head down as far as it would go and then relaxed, forcing every part of me to not clench, and I took him even further. East's hands dug in my hair, and then I wasn't in control anymore. He held my head still and eased me back gently. I eased back down again, but then his hands tightened, pulling me off.
"Now. I need to be inside you."
When I refused to comply and even used my teeth a little, he barked an order. "Hands on the wall now."
I eased off, making a popping sound as I released his cock. "Well, there's no need to yell."
I stood easily and complied, turning my body around and planting my hands on the wall. In a flash, he was kneeling behind me, and then his lips and tongue were on my lips. Licking, licking, licking. His tongue sliding in and out of me. Owning me. And then his tongue left my pussy. Slipping up. "Oh, my God."
"Yeah. Bend over more."
I did as I was told, and East went to town, leaving no part of me unlicked, untouched. I was completely open to him, and all I could do was hold on for dear life. When he stood, his lips traced over my spine, and his cock notched against my pussy. He growled in my ear. "You've been naughty. Filthy. Bad, bad girl." With his foot, he kicked at one of mine and said, “Wider.” I adjusted my stance.
He kicked my other foot. When I didn't comply fast enough, he canted my hips so that my breasts were pressed into the tiles, and then he stroked home.
His pace. This was not the East I was used to, the one who tried for control, but there was no control in him now. He was completely gone. He slid one hand up to my breasts, pinching, testing, weighing. The other was on my clit as he set a punishing pace. His lips were at my ear. "Do you know how fucking much I love being inside you? Coming inside you is like a revelation. I could do it all day. I never want to fucking leave."
The water sprayed down on us, and just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, he stopped, pulled out, and I cried, "Ah no, I was so close."
He shook his head. "No. We're not done. Wrap your arms around me." He turned me around slowly and nuzzled into my throat.
Then he picked me up, braced me up against the wall, and without preamble, he slid home again. "This time, when you come, I want to watch you."
And I knew in that moment that there was no walking away from East Hale. He would break me in a way that I'd never been broken before. Leaving him might actually kill me. I was lost. I was falling. That crash landing was going to hurt like a bitch.
But there was a part of me that just didn't care because this felt much too good.
He held me up by my ass. He drove into me. Muttering dirty things and love things. "God, you feel so good... I love being inside you... I cannot stop fucking you... Never letting you leave... That's it, baby... This cock belongs to you..."
With him murmuring against the hollow of my throat, I came apart. Shattering. Giving every piece of myself to East. Knowing I might never be whole again.
With a roar, he came inside me. Holding me in place, biting down on the skin at my collarbone. Jesus Christ, he was going to leave a mark. And I wanted him to. What did that say about me that I wanted to be claimed by someone? In particular, this someone. Someone that had more secrets than I could ever hold. But I was his. And he was mine.
Nyla
For once I was not late for brunch. Dad hated it when anyone was late.
I figured after the disaster of dinner at Denning’s just the two of us would be a
better idea. Problem was, when I turned up at his house in South Bank, he didn’t answer. Nor did he answer my first three texts.
I tried his office phone, same result. I eventually just let myself in, only to find the place empty and quiet. Sort of a mausoleum atmosphere. Even though I could tell the flat was empty, I still called out. "Dad? Dad?"
The photo on the bookcase caught my attention almost immediately. In it, I was eight. We'd been on holiday in Santorini. Mom was gaily planting a big sloppy wet kiss on the side of my face. I was laughing at the wind. Dad was watching us indulgently. And in the background, just in the corner, there was a man. He was in silhouette. And he was watching us as if observing. I didn’t know why, but I sort of got a melancholy feeling. I’d never thought to look at him before. But now I felt like he'd been watching us, sort of feeling like an outsider.
I was probably giving far too much credit to my thoughts about a random man in a photo, but for some reason, he’d caught my attention.
“Dad?” I called again.
No answer, as I’d suspected. I checked the calendar in his office, and it indicated that he had planned to be in the office for an early meeting. Had he forgotten brunch? Maybe he was still there.
I locked up behind myself and quickly jogged down the stairs back to my car. I couldn't shake the idea that I was being watched, though. Someone had eyes on me. Was that East? Was he watching me right now?
I should be annoyed or concerned or irritated, but I let it go, and fifteen minutes later, after I haphazardly parked my car in the parking lot, I took the stairs two at a time to the glass doors and yanked. Amelia was blowing up my phone.
"Amelia, yeah."
"Oh, there you are. I have something I want to show you. I’ll shoot you an address.”
“Oh, okay. Is it urgent?”
“Nope. It’ll keep, but text me when you have a second.”
“Okay, will do.”
I impatiently swiped my ID. I didn't bother with the elevator because it was notoriously slow and instead just jogged up the stairs. I found my father in the conference room staring at his computer as I burst in. "Dad, I've been calling you half the morning."
He lifted his head briefly before turning his attention back to the screen. "Dad, are you listening?"
“Sit down, Nyla.”
I frowned at him. “Okay… Everything all right? You missed brunch and I—"
“Nyla, I’m sorry, love, but I need your badge.”
“Excuse me?” I frowned, unable to compute the words he was saying. “For what?”
“That dinner with Denning.”
“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even want to go to that dinner. I was forced. And furthermore, he was the one who acted inappropriately.”
My father did that silent thing he always did when I was a child, signaling he wanted me to shut up and listen, so I did.
“He did act inappropriately. He is also on administrative leave for two weeks.”
“So why are you punishing me then?”
He sighed. “I wish you wouldn’t look at it that way. But Denning has filed reports on you, every insubordination, every break of protocol. I had to do something, Nyla.”
“So what, you're just rolling over?”
“You have been given a long lead. Too long. And then you turn up at dinner with a…”
“Were you going to say suspect? Do I need to remind you that you warned me off looking into them? You did that.”
“I know. And I was right. There is nothing illegal that I can find on Mr. Hale. But you knew that was going to set Denning off. It’s a pattern with you, Nyla. You can’t let anything go. You can’t leave well enough alone.”
“It’s what makes me a good agent.”
He folded his arms. “It’s what keeps you from being a great agent. You need to learn to play the game better.”
I stared at him, tears pricking my yes. “All I’ve ever wanted is to be like you. It’s funny, because it was the last thing on earth you wanted.”
“You’re not like me, Nyla. You’re like—” He cut himself off and sighed. “I’m cut out for the politics. You're not.”
“I’m your daughter. How can you do this?”
“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but this is for the best.”
“For who? Me or you?”
“Nyla—”
I stood and reached into my back pocket for my badge. “Here you go. Are you happy?”
“Of course not, Nyla. You’ll receive your salary while your suspension is pending final review.”
“Whatever. Are we done?”
“Nyla—” I didn’t wait for him to finish. I just turned and strode out, my vision going fuzzy from the tears.
