by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne
Numbers. Code. He couldn’t have said anything more perfect. All those words translated into one phrase: no bullshit. He spoke her language, and he could also read her mind, maybe her soul.
“You speak code?” she said. “I speak similar. All of which is far easier to understand than what I’m trying to figure out…” With Shadow’s concerns, Phiber sightings, just everything.
His throat bobbed. “The more I know about you…”
“Same…” His unfinished thought mirrored hers exactly. “What’s Titan?”
“Nothing. A job. My world. A lifestyle. It’s complicated.”
The sound of the apartment’s front door opening interrupted them, and Meredith’s doorman approached from behind Parker. “Can I help you, Miss Dare?”
“Hi, Malcolm.”
“Your sister is n—” He cut himself off as her pinched face begged him to shut up. “Can I help you with anything? Bacon, perhaps? And your bag?”
Lexi transferred her snoring dog into his arms. “Thank you.”
“Your bag?”
“No, I’ll keep it.”
He nodded. “We’ll be inside.”
“Thanks.”
Parker stepped close to her again. “Won’t let go of that bag.”
She shook her head.
He stepped closer until their stomachs touched. “It doesn’t feel like you were on my steps hours ago. Feels like a lifetime has happened since then.”
“A lot has.” She nodded. “Matt showing up, someone trying to break in.”
“Me kissing you.”
The pounding of her heartbeat nearly drowned out his words. “Yes,” she whispered as the memory of his tongue in her mouth became vivid.
His eyes flared, and he licked his full lips as though he were also remembering. Parker pressed against her until there was only a slip of air between them. His hands took her waist, and his warm breaths in the cold were her undoing.
“Please…” Kiss me, touch me, save me…
His mouth claimed hers, and walking her back toward his SUV, he kissed her as though she were leaving him forever. Her back hit his Range Rover, and despite wearing his sweatshirt, the metal froze her body. She hunched into his arms as his lips moved to her neck. The length of his hardened shaft pressed against her through their jeans, and holy crap, Parker was impressive.
He opened the back door, took her laptop bag, and tossed it onto the floorboard. Then Parker leaned into her and scraped his teeth along her neck until she moaned. God, his sinful, talented tongue worked her skin until her hips writhed against his erection to the point that she should’ve been embarrassed.
“Get in the car, Lexi.”
He barely let go of her. As she fell on her back across the seats, he climbed on top of her, shutting the door and leaving the frigid night behind them. She was pinned beneath his weight, his arms around her. One of his hands held the back of her head, and the other wrapped around her torso, under her shirt, smoothing up to the clasp of her bra and down to the edge of the pants that she’d die to take off.
“Please,” she whispered. “I haven’t felt like this… ever.”
He flexed his hips, and the tips of his fingers dipped below the waist of her pants.
“God, I’m begging, Parker.”
“You don’t have to do that.” His mouth was on hers again, his tongue licking the seam of her lips until they tangled in a kiss. But he stopped and shifted, dragging her into his lap and cradling her. “You’re the only person that makes me do what I’m not expected to.”
He unsnapped the button on her jeans and dragged the zipper down so slowly she couldn’t help but shift her hips up. His eyes locked on hers as his palm went flat on her belly. His touch was strong, and holding her gaze, he slid past the lace band of her panties and pushed deft fingers between her legs.
“God,” she moaned.
He grazed over her folds, and Lexi inched her legs apart, breathing heavily, as though oxygen was in short demand.
“So soft,” he growled quietly.
He hadn’t done more than press against her, and she was pulsing for more. “Parker…”
His fingers spread, finding her clit and stroking. Her head dropped back, but he held her in place. “More?”
She couldn’t talk. “Hmm-hmm.”
One finger pressed inside her, then he added another, drawing them in and out. This was heaven. Her nipples ached for his mouth, her body begged to be stripped down, and the building sensation promised to be catastrophic. Just his fingers were better than anything she could remember. Ever.
Still, he watched her face. His eyes studied her, maybe memorizing the cues to what made her moan and gasp his name.
“Parker, God.”
His hand moved deeper, stronger, working her as though he’d been born to make her beg. She gulped breaths and watched his jaw tick, his brow furrow, his tongue lick those lips she’d just kissed.
“I’m so close,” she gasped.
He bent over, pressing his mouth to hers and delving his tongue deep, like his fingers. Her body went rigid, her back arched, and she ground down on his hand while crying out.
“God, Lex. You’re fuckin’ beautiful when you come.”
The world spun, and she disappeared into a climax-soaked oblivion. This was too much like a dream come true.
The trembles of her innermost muscles slowed their spasms as she came down off her high. His hand went lax and his kisses went lazy as she lulled through the high and low of climax. This was a euphoric cloud, and she was completely surrounded by all things Parker. His scent. His taste. The way he made her fall apart.
“Hell. You’re always beautiful.”
A blush hit her cheeks—she felt its heat almost as much as she could still feel him touching her. “Thank you.”
He chuckled and rumbled around her, righting her pants, and pulled her to sit up in his lap. “None needed.”
“Look at you, all gentleman-like.”
“Sweetheart, I just finger-fucked you in the back of my car. Not a raving sign of chivalry. But…” He directed her face up toward his. “I think maybe it’s the first time in a while anyone took care of you. So I’ll take that.”
Nodding, she bit her lip, tugging at his belt. She wanted to return the favor as much as she wanted to taste him. That kind of desire was liberating. It was also a sign that she’d been with the wrong guy, even before Matt had ever hurt her. Because never had she ever wanted her mouth on someone as she did at that minute.
He stilled her hand. “You don’t have to.”
“But…?”
“You left your fiancé hours ago. Your face is bruised. As much as I want your tongue stroking my cock, Lex, not like this.”
Her eyes drifted from him to the apartment building. She didn’t know what to say, but emotions choked her tightly. He was obviously trying to put her ahead of his own needs.
“I don’t want you to go, but you’re going to anyway.” Parker pressed his lips to her forehead. “Run away. Whatever you’re keeping from me, that’s yours to hide. But when you’re ready, I’ll be there. Deal?”
Her stomach flipped. “You’re for real, aren’t you?”
He gave her a short chin lift to say yes. “Real enough.”
“I’ll call you when I’m…”—safe—“when I’ve had time to figure out what I need to.”
“Do your thing. Call me later. Maybe explain the big secret on how you knew my number and where I lived.”
Her cheeks heated all over again. “Maybe.”
After another quick kiss, Parker opened the back door. “Looking forward to it.”
Though her spaghetti legs and squishy-filled chest worked as she moved from the Range Rover, she couldn’t help but be unnerved with the casual way he seemed to accept everything she’d tossed at him today. Well, other than him not wanting her to go to Meredith’s. The guy seemed chill about almost everything except for her, and that made her happier than she’d been in a long time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lexi pushed through the apartment doors to face the doorman and Bacon, who was now groggily awake. “Hey, sleepyhead.”
“Do you need a hand upstairs, Miss Dare?”
“No, Malcolm. Thank you.”
“It’s nice to see you around again, especially when you’re smiling. Have a good night.” He handed her the leash.
“First time I’ve felt like smiling in a while. Does that all-hours coffee shop across the street have a problem with pets?”
He shook his head. “Very pet friendly.”
“Okay, I’ll be back.” She went back outside and tried again to reach her sister.
Meredith’s phone once more went to voicemail, and Lexi was certain the likelihood that she would come home tonight was nil. Meredith liked to save the world, doing volunteer trips or whatever, hoping that she could help foster kids that had it worse than they had. To each their own. Lexi donated money to the cause while Meredith liked to be hands-on in the system. It actually made her a much better person than Lexi, because Lexi wasn’t sure she could stomach some of the places Meredith had grown up.
The cold air crushed her as she ran across the street with Bacon huffing and puffing behind her. When she pulled the heavy door, her stomach rumbled at the sweet scents of coffee and muffins. Even the pup grumbled for food.
“Okay, you get something too,” she told Bacon.
After looking over her shoulder to be sure no one was watching her, she ordered a vanilla latte, chocolate croissant, and a slice of carrot cake for Bacon. They hunkered down in the back corner, and Lexi punched the Wi-Fi password the cashier had given her into her laptop. She pinged Shadow as she waited for the latte to cool.
Shadow: Got your email. All looks good.
Silver: You said you had some concerns before. Someone wanted what I wouldn’t sell too.
Shadow: Yes
Silver: So that’s all taken care of?
She tapped her finger, waiting for Shadow. There could be a dozen reasons he wasn’t answering immediately. She had no idea where in the world he was, if he was alone, in public, or on the phone. But as the minutes ticked on and she sipped her latte, Lexi knew there was a problem.
Silver: Shadow.
Silver: ??
Shadow: Not all taken care of. Why?
Silver: Went to a friend’s, someone broke in. Power was cut with a jammer
Shadow: Where are you?
Shadow: Don’t answer that. Go off the grid. Now.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she typed out and deleted the same questions more than once: What is the problem?
Shadow: I still see you. So can the world if they’re smart enough. Shut down and move. See you when and where we planned for the auction.
Then he went offline. Shit. Lexi looked around. Everything seemed benign. But she’d never had Shadow talk to her like that before, never felt the sense of dread that had started with Parker mentioning the jammer—which meant the person who’d tried to break into his place was most certainly not Matt—and now Shadow’s demand that she go dark for weeks. If there was one person she’d listen to, it was him. And maybe Parker. Perhaps BlackDawn… she wondered what his take on Monarch would be.
She shut down and packed her computer, shoved the croissant into a bag, and guzzled the rest of her super-hot latte before she tugged Bacon to fall in line behind her. This would be a long night, and for the time being, she had no idea where to go or how to get there.
Actually… she had transportation. The old Lexi surged in her veins. She knew exactly what her next move was. How had she even forgotten?
Her cell phone buzzed, and a dooming thought pricked at her. Buzz kill. Was Matt texting her? Maybe it was Shadow telling her that going dark meant turning off her cell? God, going dark wasn’t her thing. She needed a checklist.
Pulling the phone free of her back pocket, she hesitated before swiping the screen. The digits rang clear and familiar. Parker. She hadn’t saved his number, but there was his text, waiting. Damn near giddy, she swiped the screen again to read it.
Hope you’re dreaming. Gnight.
Holy shit. Her entire body swooned from four words. So sweet and almost intimate. He didn’t write that he hoped she was asleep. But dreaming…
Stepping onto the sidewalk and not feeling the bite of the cold wind anymore, she imagined what she could dream. He’d given her a lot to remember. Lexi bit her lip as a heat blossoming in her chest made her light on her feet. Bacon trotted beside her as they hustled back into the apartment building. As soon as Monarch sold, maybe she could show up on Parker’s doorstep again and pick up where they’d just left off.
She pushed inside, and Malcolm greeted her. “Miss Dare.”
“Can you do me a huge favor?” He’d done it before, every time she needed to get Bacon safely stowed when she traveled for work.
“If it has to do with my furry friend, I would love to.”
Lexi jumped up on her toes and hugged the guy. “Thank you.”
He chuckled. “At your service. But truly, Miss Dare, I’m happy that you have a smile.”
“Thanks.” She bent down and ruffled Bacon’s fur. “Be a good girl. Thanks again.”
Then she rushed to the elevator and headed upstairs. A few floors up, Lexi, infused with excitement, headed to Meredith’s apartment. She grabbed the front door key that Meredith stupidly left under the mat and let herself into the empty apartment. It was cold and dark, looking as though it hadn’t been lived in for a few weeks. Yeah, her sister was off somewhere, and if Lexi was a halfway decent sister or friend, she would’ve known that. It was insane how deeply she’d been sucked into Matt’s world.
Enough of that. Because Parker wanted her to dream.
She smiled in the dark then moved to the kitchen and shuffled through the junk drawer. Bingo. The key to her Gixxer. Excitement surged through her. This was a big step to becoming herself again.
She headed to the bedroom to borrow clothes and anything else that could get her through the next two weeks. There’d be a bag in the closet and pajamas in the dresser. After tossing a pile of socks and PJs on the bed, she pulled open the walk-in closet door and flipped the switch for the light. On the closet shelf, right smack in the middle, was a cardboard box labeled LEXI, as though Meredith had known that one day, Lexi would be staring into her closet.
“Oh boy,” she breathed then went on tiptoes to pull it down.
Lexi kneeled next to the box, tugging the flaps free. Her clothes were folded neatly in even squares. They were all things she thought she’d tossed or given to Meredith when Matt had started to make a fuss about her wardrobe, saying she stood out too much, acted too sexy. The thought of that made her laugh. How had she transitioned from this—she unfolded a pair of tight leather pants—to the boring jeans she wore now?
Though the unflattering jeans hadn’t stopped Parker…
But, God, she loved the pants in her hand. The ones that Matt said made her look like a biker slut. The ones that were her absolute favorite. Reverently, she placed them next to her and kept digging through the box. Shame poured over her at how she had abandoned the very fiber of who she was for a man who’d promised never to leave her. Surely she was a slam dunk for therapy. But it was nothing she couldn’t figure out on her own if she really worked on it.
Lexi pulled outfit after outfit from the box and transferred them to the bag she was borrowing. Finally, she slipped out of her generic, blend-into-the-crowd clothes and into the everyday version of what Silver would wear in public.
A thrill ran through her. She walked over to Meredith’s bathroom, raided the makeup that had been left home, and when she was done, though it was the middle of the night, Lexi’s ice-blue eyes were smoky and her lips were glossy. Her clothes were so… her, and she took a deep, soul-resetting breath.
Returning to the closet, Lexi found a jacket that she’d have to remember to give back to Meredith, and she twirled in front of the
wall mirror. That girl, even in the dark, felt like coming home. She didn’t know where she was headed. Literally, she had no plans except to go back to the coffee shop and buy them out of muffins and scones. Then she could disappear.
Lexi grabbed the eyeliner and wrote a note to Meredith on the mirror. She stared at the simplicity and truth of her words.
I’m back. xo, Lex
Bike keys and bag of clothes in hand, Lexi secured her laptop in a messenger bag strapped to her back and walked out with a renewed sense of who she was and what she was doing. This was the old her, reborn.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“You tap into that comm system yet?” Jared’s voice carried before he walked into Parker’s office.
“Yup. Boring-ass shit, but soon as something decent pops up, I’ll let you know.”
“Alright.” Boss Man cracked his knuckles, pacing. “Dig into the recruit files?”
“Yeah, I’d say three of them are solid Delta material.”
“It’s not for Delta.”
Parker spun in his chair. “Yeah?” Because none of the guys would fit on any other team Jared had. If they weren’t for Delta—but they could be for…
“With the girls all pregnant and their husbands asking about paternity leave, seems like a good time to bulk up the main team.”
Holy. Shit. Titan was expanding. Parker grabbed the jackets for the three men that he thought would pass muster. Jax Riddle, Bishop O’Kane, and Locke Oliver. “Then these three are solid Titan.”
Jared glared. “Any of them have baggage?”
“Nothing that’s out of the ordinary for us.”
He nodded and took the folders. “Right. Well, if there’s nothing sketch, I’ll give these guys to Rocco for a look. What else is going on?”
