Undisclosed: Nights Series Book 7

by A. M. Salinger

  Lincoln stiffened. Oh, his dick knew alright. What was bothering him more and more these days was that others knew too. Not that Eveline was seeing anyone else right now. Their agreement was exclusive and Lincoln knew Eveline wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it, considering what was at stake.

  It was the fact that she would be free to sleep with any man when their business was over that was irritating the hell out of him. And Lincoln knew full well there was nothing he could do about it.

  “Hmm.” Eveline twisted in the bath and pushed up until she was straddling his hips and his stirring cock. She smiled and fondled his thickening length, her nipples hardening where her breasts stood exposed above the water. “So, what’s the gig?”

  Lincoln hissed and gripped her wrists under the water. “Fuck, that feels good.” He opened his thighs to give Eveline better access and groaned when she reached down to fondle his balls while she stroked him. “It’s a charity gig for Médecins Sans Frontières. It was my—,” he faltered, his heart clenching with a spasm of sadness, “—mother’s favorite charity when she was alive. My sister and I started fundraising for the organization after her death.”

  Eveline’s hands stilled on his body. She studied him for a moment before leaning forward and pressing a slow, soft kiss to his mouth.

  “How did she die?” she murmured, her blue eyes glittering with compassion.

  Lincoln hesitated. He never liked talking about his mother even at the best of times. Still, he knew Eveline would understand. And he realized he wanted her to know.

  “It was a car accident,” Lincoln admitted quietly. “It happened a month before my twenty-fifth birthday.” He paused and grimaced. “I’m surprised you didn’t read up on the gossip.”

  Eveline smiled faintly. “I’ve lived with enough rumors my whole life to know that they are full of shit.” Her expression sobered. “I much prefer hearing the actual story from the horse’s mouth.”

  Lincoln sighed. “It’s a short one. Husband cheats religiously on wife throughout their marriage. Impregnates wife’s best friend’s daughter and forces her to have an abortion. Wife’s best friend accuses wife of being a failure. Wife gets behind the wheel and—,” his voice caught, “—crashes car. Son disavows father and leaves family home. The end.”

  Eveline sat back and stared at him with a thoughtful expression. “I’d say Son is pretty angry about it all still.”

  Lincoln frowned. “Wouldn’t you be?”

  Eveline kissed him again.

  “Unlike you, I got to exercise my demons with a hockey stick,” she said lightly. “Since beating your senator father to a pulp isn’t the kind of man you are, I can see why this is eating at you.”

  Lincoln blinked, surprised and more than a little happy at the unexpected praise. He nipped at Eveline’s lower lip with his teeth, curious. “And what kind of man am I, Eveline?”

  Eveline’s gaze grew hooded as she stared at him. “A good man.” Her fingers grew busy on him once more. “A sexy man,” she added when he grunted and dropped his forehead against hers, his breathing accelerating. “A man with the best dick my body has ever tasted,” she whispered, moving down and rubbing her slick sex enticingly along his rock-hard length while she circled the sensitive head of his shaft with her thumb.

  Lincoln swore, reached for a condom from the box he’d left on a ledge in the bathroom this past week for their shower sex sessions, and sheathed himself rapidly under the water. He took hold of Eveline’s hips and positioned her over his dick before thrusting up.

  Eveline moaned and dropped her head back, her fingers biting into his shoulders as he impaled her to the core in one smooth, hard glide, her passage clenching deliciously around his thick length.

  Lincoln kissed and sucked Eveline’s throat before turning his attention to her flushed breasts, the water sloshing around them while he fucked her slow and deep, her throaty cries and his harsh grunts echoing against the marble tiles.

  CHAPTER 16

  EVELINE ACCEPTED the glass of champagne Lincoln handed her and studied the crowd milling around the ballroom.

  “This is an impressive turnout,” she murmured. “Your sister’s done a great job.” She eyed Lincoln quizzically. “Isn’t she supposed to be here already?”

  “She texted to say she was running late,” Lincoln replied.

  His private jet had landed in Honolulu early that evening. The limo waiting on the tarmac had whisked them away to the hotel where the charity ball was being held, and they’d had time for a sumptuous meal in the Presidential suite he’d had Barnaby reserve for their overnight stay before they had to get ready for the event.

  Lincoln caught the curious stares they were drawing and masked a smile. They’d only been in the room five minutes and they were already the center of attention. He was fully aware that this had more to do with the woman at his side than it did with his own reputation.

  One look at Eveline when she’d stepped out of the bedroom fifteen minutes ago had had Lincoln so hot and hard he’d almost reached for his phone to tell his sister they weren’t going to make the charity ball.

  The gown Eveline had chosen to wear was an elegant, off the shoulder taffeta contraption, with a bodice that molded to her breasts like a second skin and highlighted her narrow waist and flaring hips. A split up the left side exposed one long bare leg and a crystal-studded, black stiletto Jimmy Choo sandal. She’d completed the seductive outfit with a diamond necklace, matching drop earrings, and a bracelet.

  “Well, hello there, handsome,” Eveline murmured as she stared at him from across the suite.

  She strolled toward him, her gaze roaming his slicked back, gelled hair, the white tuxedo with the black, silk lapels and matching silk shirt hugging his large frame, his white bow-tie, and his gleaming, black dress shoes.

  “I gotta say, Hudson, you dress up mighty fine,” Eveline drawled, closing the distance between them. She stopped in front of him and ran a finger down the middle of his shirt, her touch leaving a scorching trail despite the presence of the material separating their skin. She paused when she reached the button holding his tux closed and tugged her lower lip between her teeth.

  Lincoln swallowed when Eveline looked up at him with eyes that glittered with desire.

  “I take it it would offend your sister immensely if we decided to ditch this gig and jump each other’s bones instead?” Eveline said, hope lacing her husky voice.

  Lincoln groaned and grasped her hand where she traced a sensuous pattern on his chest, not surprised in the slightest that they’d had the same thought. “Don’t. I’m barely hanging in there as it is.”

  Eveline’s gaze dropped to his groin. “Hmm. That looks…painful. You sure you don’t want me to help you relieve that sizable—,” she rose on her tip toes and carefully licked the pulse thrumming in his throat, “—ache before we leave?”

  Lincoln’s cock throbbed at the feel of Eveline’s hot, wet flesh on his heated skin. He swore, grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her away slightly.

  A throaty chuckle left Eveline’s lips. Lincoln frowned at her teasing expression.

  “I think that deserves payback,” he said stiffly, adjusting his pants to hide his erection.

  “Oh, I can take all the payback you can dish out, Linc,” Eveline said tartly. “Just as long as you fuck me at some point in the next few hours.”

  They’d left their suite with Lincoln doing some quick calculations as to how long they would have to stay at the event before he could politely take his leave and fulfill Eveline’s wish.

  “Holy shit,” someone said woodenly behind them.

  Lincoln turned and blinked when a small figure barreled into his legs with a high-pitched shout of “Unka Leecon!” He grinned, handed his champagne glass to the woman who stood staring at them a couple of feet away, and hoisted the little boy hugging his legs up into his arms.

  “Hi, Lucas,” Lincoln said warmly, dropping a kiss on the nose of the blond angel beaming at him. “You look
very handsome tonight.”

  His nephew giggled and buried his face in Lincoln’s throat, his chubby arms locking tightly around Lincoln’s neck.

  “Forget about my son,” his sister Julia said in a deadpan voice, “the pair of you look fuck—,” she stopped, her gaze straying briefly to the little boy in Lincoln’s arms, “—hmm, hot. You two look hot.” She smiled brightly at Eveline and offered her hand. “Hi, we haven’t been introduced. I’m Julia, Lincoln’s sister.” She glanced at Lincoln with narrowed eyes. “Linc didn’t tell me he was bringing a date.”

  Eveline smiled back and shook Julia’s hand. “Eveline Claude. And he didn’t. We are business associates.”

  Lincoln blinked, surprised.

  “Here you are, honey.” A man appeared through the crowd with two glasses of champagne. “Did you find—” Adam Goldman stopped and stared at Lincoln and Eveline.

  Julia sighed and took one of the glasses off her husband. “I know, right.” She frowned at him. “Babe, close your mouth. It’s unbecoming to be ogling another woman when your wife is standing right here beside you.” Julia sighed. “Eveline, this uncouth specimen of manhood here is my possibly-soon-to-be-ex husband, Adam. Adam, this is Eveline Claude, a business acquaintance of Lincoln’s.”

  Eveline chuckled as the blond man flushed and dragged his shocked gaze from her and Lincoln.

  “I’m not ogling,” Adam told Julia in a stiff voice. “A State Deputy Attorney General does not ogle. It’s just—,” he looked apologetically from Lincoln to Eveline, “—well, you do make an attractive couple.”

  “Judging by the stares you two are getting, you’re going to be the talk of the ball,” Julia said drily.

  “Yeah, well, I don’t know how I feel about that,” Lincoln muttered.

  He was still taken aback that Eveline hadn’t pretended they were dating to keep the fact that they were engaged in a business negotiation a secret.

  Eveline leaned in closer. “This is your family,” she murmured in Lincoln’s ear while Julia and Adam engaged in a sarcastic exchange about her “soon-to-be-ex husband” reference. “I don’t think we should lie to them.”

  Lincoln gazed at her steadily, a lighthearted feeling filling his chest at Eveline’s words. He swallowed a curse when Lucas suddenly lunged out of his hold.

  Eveline’s eyes widened as the little boy practically climbed into her arms, her champagne sloshing slightly at the impact. She handed her glass to Lincoln and hoisted Lucas onto her waist, unheeding of her expensive dress.

  Eveline eyed the little boy solemnly. “Hi there.”

  Lucas blushed and lowered his gaze. “Hi,” he said shyly, burying his face in Eveline’s neck.

  Eveline grinned at Julia and Adam. “He’s a sweetheart.”

  Lucas suddenly grabbed Eveline’s shoulders, lifted himself up, and kissed her on the lips.

  “Pretty lady,” the little boy announced gravely in the shocked silence.

  Eveline burst out laughing while Lincoln, Julia, and Adam gaped. “Wow, you guys start them young in your family,” she said in between chuckles.

  “I’m so sorry,” Julia mumbled in a mortified voice. She took her son off Eveline and gave the little boy a stern look. “We don’t go around kissing random women, Lucas.”

  The little boy blinked, his expression innocent. “But, pretty lady.” He pointed at Eveline.

  Eveline sniggered. Lincoln smiled and shook his head, not sure whether to be shocked or amused that his nephew was as captivated by the woman beside him as he had been the first time he’d met her.

  “Well, this is a surprise,” a woman murmured in a condescending tone behind him. “Harry and I weren’t expecting to see you here tonight, Lincoln.”

  CHAPTER 17

  EVELINE SAW Julia pale and felt Lincoln stiffen at her side.

  She twisted on her heels and stared at the couple who’d appeared through the crowd. Recognition dawned. It was followed by a bolt of surprise.

  A hush fell around them, the other guests turning into avid onlookers as they stared openly at their small group.

  “Lincoln, Julia. It’s lovely to see you,” Senator Harry Hudson said in a reserved voice.

  Eveline observed the senator thoughtfully as he released the arm of the silent woman beside him. She could see where Lincoln had inherited his hulking frame and charismatic looks from. She also knew she was looking at a version of Lincoln twenty years in the future. With one exception.

  Lincoln had evidently inherited his mother’s eyes, for the senator’s were a cold, lifeless brown.

  Harry Hudson walked across to Julia and pressed a light kiss to his daughter’s cheek and his grandchild’s head.

  “Father,” Julia murmured.

  The senator dipped his chin at Adam before turning and stretching out a hand to Lincoln, his expression detached as he looked at his son.

  Lincoln stared at his father as if he’d seen a ghost.

  Eveline was aware Lincoln hadn’t expected to see the senator tonight. From what he’d told her during the plane ride here, the senior Hudsons loved making an entrance and were notoriously late when it came to attending their social engagements. Lincoln had hoped to see his sister and leave the charity event before his father and stepmother showed up.

  Eveline took a step toward Lincoln and slipped her hand onto the small of his back, silently encouraging him. Her heart twisted when she felt him shudder slightly beneath her touch. A hot feeling filled Eveline’s chest as she gazed at Harry Hudson. In that moment, she hated the man who’d hurt Lincoln with a passion that stunned her.

  Lincoln took a deep breath and reluctantly shook his father’s hand. “Senator Hudson.”

  Eveline didn’t miss the light that flashed deep in the senator’s eyes at Lincoln’s dispassionate tone. Harry Hudson was annoyed. She clenched her jaw.

  Well, the bastard had better get used to it ‘cause he’s gonna be spitting mad in a minute.

  “And who is this?” the senator said, his gaze moving smoothly to Eveline.

  Eveline relaxed her shoulders, pasted the most charming smile she could muster on her face, and offered the senator her hand. “I’m Eveline Claude, a business associate of your son. It’s nice to meet you, Senator.”

  The woman next to Harry Hudson blanched, her supercilious expression dissolving in an instant.

  Eveline kept her gaze on the senator as he took her hand and leaned in to drop a gallant kiss on her cheek.

  “I didn’t know business associates were so…attractive these days,” Harry Hudson murmured, his gaze lingering on Eveline’s body for a beat. “What is it that you do—,” he glanced at her unadorned ring finger, “—Miss Claude?”

  Eveline masked the shudder of revulsion that rushed through her at the lascivious inflection in the senator’s voice. She removed her hand from the older man’s grip and slipped her fingers through Lincoln’s where he stood rigidly at her side, his face dark with anger.

  Eveline curved her lips into a full-blown, mega-watt grin that made the senator and several onlookers blink.

  “Oh, I run an escort service,” she stated breezily.

  Lincoln’s fingers twitched around Eveline’s. Julia’s jaw sagged while her husband’s similarly dropped open at her side. Shocked gasps rose from the nearby onlookers. It was followed by a low murmur as word spread like wildfire through the ballroom.

  Eveline saw Lincoln stare at her out of the corner of her eye. She squeezed his hand and looked squarely into the eyes of the pale woman beside Harry Hudson. “It’s called Le Secret. You might have heard of it.”

  A wild-eyed look flashed on the face of the senator’s second wife.

  Gotcha.

  Satisfaction coursed through Eveline as she stared at Nancy Hudson. It wasn’t until that moment that she became one hundred percent certain where she knew the woman from.

  Nancy Hudson regained her composure and glared challengingly at Eveline.

  Eveline arched an eyebrow in return. Linc
oln drew a sharp breath beside her. She turned her head and looked at him then, somewhat apprehensive. Relief flashed through her when she realized that his eyes were bereft of accusation or anger. Instead, he looked dazed and a little thrilled. She knew then that he’d guessed the truth she was silently trying to tell him.

  Considering the binding confidentiality clause in the contracts of Le Secret’s clients, Eveline couldn’t well come out and admit that Nancy Hudson was a regular customer at the New York branch of Le Secret. Or that the older woman had joined up under her alias and had a preference for men young enough to be her son.

  “An escort service?” Harry Hudson said in a voice dripping with disdain. He stared from Eveline to his son, his dark eyes glittering with displeasure. “The company you keep could do with some improvement.”

  Rage shot through Eveline at the way the older man had spoken to Lincoln. She masked it behind another dazzling smile.

  “Now, now, Harry, I said escort service, not brothel,” she drawled. “I don’t charge for sex.”

  A muffled giggle sounded from Eveline’s right. She glanced at Julia and saw the woman turn slightly sideways, shoulders shaking and teeth biting into her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud. Her husband chewed the inside of his cheek behind her, his eyes similarly bright with mirth.

  “In fact,” Eveline added, her heart warming at Lincoln’s sister and brother-in-law’s response, “Linc and I are going into business together.”

  “Is that true?” Nancy Hudson asked in a shocked voice while her senator husband fumed silently at her side.

  Lincoln’s lips curved in an amused smile as he studied Eveline. “Yes, it is.”

  Eveline grinned. “Yup. We’re thinking of putting a VIP escort club on the top floor of his new hotel in Tokyo. It’s gonna have a revolving dance floor.”

  Lincoln cocked an eyebrow at her. “A glass revolving dance floor, wasn’t it?”

  Eveline nodded, warming to their game. “Uh-huh.” She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. “Although, that might be a bit cold for the strippers.”