by Liliana Hart
“What’s step one?” she asked, rolling back to her hands and knees. He unsnapped the button of his jeans, his erection throbbing behind the zipper, and he pushed them down around his hips so his cock sprang free.
“Crawl over here, sweetheart. I’ve been dying to see those sexy lips stretched around my dick.”
He watched her crawl toward him, and the closer she got the harder his dick spiked. She stopped in front of him and sat up on her knees, resting her hands on his thighs.
“Mmm,” she said, licking her lips. And then she took him in her mouth and his knees wanted to buckle.
He twisted her hair in his fist and pulled her head back slightly, so her mouth opened further. And then he slowly stretched her to her limits, her tongue undulating against the underside of his cock as her throat opened and she swallowed him whole.
“Holy shit, Liza,” he rasped. He wasn’t a small man, but she took him down with ease, and it was everything he could do not to shoot all he had straight down her throat.
She gasped for breath when he pulled out, but she was ravenous, swirling her tongue around the head before taking him down again. At the pace she was going, holding back wouldn’t be an issue.
“If I don’t fuck you now, I’m going to come down your throat.”
He felt her smile against the head of his cock, and he jerked as she gave him a quick lick.
“We don’t want that,” she said. “At least not right now. I’m in a selfish mood, and I want you inside me.”
He kept his grasp on her hair as he guided her to the position he wanted, so she was on all fours in front of him.
“Don’t move,” he said, and released his grip.
“You’re very demanding,” she said. “I don’t like being bossed around.”
He rolled on a condom and moved behind her, taking hold of her hair again. And then he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “You like it,” he said. “Because you’re still exactly where I put you. And you know I’m about to give you the fucking of a lifetime.”
He pushed inside of her with one stroke and she bucked beneath him. And then she went wild, pushing back against his every thrust. Her cries grew louder, and he was ever thankful of Cooper’s foresight in having the place soundproofed, because there was no doubt in his mind that people on the street would be hearing her otherwise.
He felt his balls tighten and she gasped in pleasure as he grew larger inside her. He dropped down over her, like a stallion mounting a mare, and he bit lightly on her shoulder.
“You asked if I had any kinks,” he whispered. “I’ve got a few.”
Her pussy spasmed around him and he felt her orgasm approaching. “Like what?”
“I’m not going to wait much longer to fuck that sweet ass,” he said. “You ever had a three-way, baby?”
He didn’t know why he was pushing her. He didn’t particularly care for three-ways, and the thought of sharing Liza with anyone made him irrationally angry. But there was a war raging inside of him that was caused by one woman, and he could feel himself slipping under her spell. She fascinated him. And he couldn’t seem to get enough of her.
He felt her hesitation at the question, but he kept pushing.
“No,” she said softly.
“What do you think, baby?” he asked. “You want to know what pleasure is? I can just imagine watching you ride someone else, that sweet ass rising up and down.”
She whimpered and he felt the small fluttering of pulses around his cock. He nipped her shoulder once more, this time a little harder.
“I’d crawl up behind you and take your ass,” he said. “Can you imagine how full you’d be as we slid in and out of you? I’m telling you there’s nothing like it. There’s nothing like having two dicks come deep inside of you.”
“Fuck,” she growled and threw her head back. Her pussy squeezed so tight around him it jerked the orgasm from his body.
Liza collapsed beneath him, and he didn’t have the strength this time to even roll to the side.
Chapter Four
It was close to three in the morning. Showered, but approaching the point of going way beyond his second wind, Grant knew he had to remain more alert than ever before. If Ryan Caine had planned to launch an attack, it would be at this time of the morning. It was a vulnerable period.
Grant looked at a sleeping Liza and decided not to disturb her until he had worked out a final escape plan. Sitting on the hand-scraped wooden floor, he peered through a gap in the window. His Colt AR15 rifle rested against the window’s sill, and his 9mm semiautomatic pistol was shoved back in his jeans.
There were too many places to hide for Caine to set up a sniper’s nest. He knew she was one of the best long-gunners in the game. Grant had personally trained her. They were both assigned to a special tactical task force in the Detroit metro area when they’d first met. Actually, he’d done more than train her to become a weapons expert. They’d been lovers for more than a year before she’d betrayed him.
Caine had become entangled with the notorious gang leader Eduardo Diaz. Caine had teetered dangerously over the thin blue line. Life along the fringes of society fueled her addiction for risk. Diaz fed that need and lured her over to the dark side. It happened to a lot of cops. But not all cops were as well trained as Caine was.
For Lieutenant Grant Boone, there’d been no gray area where upholding the law was concerned. It was either black or white. Caine had gone too far, and he’d not had any regrets turning her into Detroit PD’s Internal Affairs Division. They’d had sex and nothing deeper. He’d never go against his own moral code to protect a snake like her, even though he knew what it was like to be intimate with her.
She’d gone on the run with Diaz, mocking the police at every turn, committing crimes just so she and her new lover could watch the police try and prove it was them. They were the king and queen of Detroit’s underground crime syndicate. The worst of the worst. They had money, political influence, and power.
And then the two of them had gotten married in a fairy-tale wedding that covered the front page of every newspaper in the state and some of the surrounding ones. But Grant hadn’t stopped looking for a way to bring them down. He knew the key was to bring down Diaz first. He was the one who was really in charge.
Caine excelled at her specific skill set, but when it came to commanding men, she didn’t have the charisma that made others want to follow. Diaz’s men were loyal because he took care of them, and in his own way, he cared about them. Caine didn’t share those same sentiments. She cared about herself first and foremost, but her new husband was a close second.
Diaz was a brilliant businessman, but he had one weakness. Ryan Caine. And the reason he was in prison was because of her. She’d wanted more—more money, more power, more everything—and he’d tried to give it to her. And that’s how Grant nailed him.
They’d caught him brokering an arms deal himself. Usually deals like that were months in the making, and he had men in place to play decoy and confuse the cops. And he never appeared in person to do the deals, but would send one of his right-hand men.
Caine had convinced him to take a risky deal, and Diaz had agreed. And when the cops had raided the warehouse, Diaz had returned fire and taken out a rookie officer who’d never see his twenty-third birthday. Diaz had been wounded in the exchange, but satisfaction had come with Diaz’s life sentence.
It had sent Caine right over the edge. She didn’t have the respect that Diaz had, so their organization had crumbled pretty rapidly. She’d vowed revenge against Grant, deciding he was the only one to blame, and she’d done everything in her power to exact it on him.
He hadn’t taken her threats idly.
“What caused this?” a voice asked from the shadows.
He jerked with a hand wrapped around the butt of his pistol. Liza had surprised him. He hadn’t heard her waken. He’d been lost in the past.
“What do you mean?”
She came toward him and he saw she’d found a thin robe t
o put on. Even after he’d had her multiple times, his body hardened for her again. She sat on the sofa and nodded at his weapons.
“You’re a natural predator, Grant. A dangerous and capable individual. I sensed it, and while there are aspects of you that frighten me some, I also know you’ve got an agenda based on your own sense of duty and what’s right. She’s a threat and you’re not going to stop until she’s taken down. This is my life too. I want to know what’s going on.”
“It’s good old revenge. I locked up her murdering husband—for life.”
“And?” Liza asked impatiently.
“And then she almost killed me.”
“And?” she taunted.
“And then I destroyed everything she and that piece of shit ever created.”
“Okay, just so this doesn’t drag on all night, at what point did you fuck her? Before or after she turned criminal?”
He cut his eyes sideways and looked at her stubborn expression. Liza Carmichael was no fool.
“Before,” he said. “We were partners in a special task force. I trained her to be as stealthy as she is lethal. We dominated the city’s drug scene, and enjoyed every moment of doing it together. She was a natural, but not everyone can handle the pressure. She became as addicted to the danger as the criminals were to the drugs and money.”
“Did you stay with her after she turned?”
“For a little while,” he confessed. “Mostly so I could gather enough evidence, but there was still a part of me that hoped I could bring her back. Then she ran across Diaz. He fed her desire for violence and chaos, and it wasn’t long before they were being seen in public together. I had no choice. I’d not only lost her to him, but she’d lost all sense of good and bad. There was nothing but bad left.”
“How’d you finally catch her?” she asked.
“I caught her trying to destroy the evidence we’d amassed against Diaz. IA got involved, and she was toast. After that, there was nothing stopping her crime and killing sprees, especially combining her talents with Diaz. She’s a bad apple, Liza—the worst.”
“I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what happened that you were forced to retire?”
He knew that question would come. Liza was a woman full of questions. She was curious, and she wasn’t stupid. She was also pretty damned observant, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she started putting bits of overheard conversation together.
“She went crazy the first couple of months after Diaz was captured and sent to prison. She set my apartment building on fire and trashed my car. My captain decided to bring me in from undercover and stick me behind a desk until she was caught, and he put me in charge of a task force to bring her in.
“It was a Wednesday, and I was in plainclothes, though I had to wear a jacket and tie instead of my usual biker clothes, and I was sitting at my desk with the phone to my ear. I had a tennis ball I was tossing up and catching while I talked on the phone to an informant. If I hadn’t dropped the ball, I’d be dead. I swiveled in my chair to lean down and get it just as she pulled the trigger. She’s a hell of a sniper. Snagged me in the shoulder from almost a mile away, right into the fucking police station.
“After I got out of the hospital, I went after her,” he said unapologetically. “Full fucking force. I blasted and burned down everything I knew she had her fingers in.”
“Why didn’t she go to jail?” she asked.
“Why didn’t you go to jail when you drove that car through your fiancé’s house?” he countered. His past was never easy for him to talk about.
She shrugged and played with the tie on her robe. “He was rich. Like, really rich. With political aspirations. The last thing he wanted was a scandal, so I packed my stuff, he dealt with covering up what had happened, and I took the red BMW as a consolation prize. My turn to ask a question,” she said. “How’d Cooper end up in Detroit?”
“He’d come on as a temporary task force agent. He was hunting a fugitive believed to be connected to Diaz’s crew. After we’d snatched him, the guy gave info about a hit attempt on my life by none other than Ryan Caine. The guy was Cooper’s snitch, but I think Cooper assumed the rat was just trying to rattle his cage to cook an immunity deal or block extradition. Cooper figured it was bullshit. Less than six hours later I was gasping through an opening beneath my jaw big enough to stick my hand through. And I ended up in the hospital again.
“The chief thought my aggressive tendencies to bring her in would eventually get me killed, and he was concerned about the psychological damage he thought she might have done during our relationship. He wanted me in counseling to make sure everything was okay. I refused, and IA trumped up a bunch of bullshit about acting outside my authority in trying to bring her in, and I was given the opportunity to retire. It’s a hell of a way to end a twenty-five year career.”
“Wow,” she said, brows raising. “And you and Cooper are still friends?”
“We were friends long before that. I think that’s what causes him the most guilt. But it’s part of the job. That gut instinct. And snitches are always looking out for themselves first. There’s no such thing as a trustworthy snitch.”
“Do you resent him?”
“We’ve got too deep a history for that,” Grant said. “Mistakes happen in our line of work. There are many times those mistakes lead to death. I got lucky that day.”
“I’m glad you’re not carrying around that kind of hate. Especially toward a friend.”
“I didn’t know you cared, sugar,” he said.
“There’s better ways to use energy than by hating someone.”
“Like revenge?” he asked.
She lowered her gaze and continued to play with the tie of her robe. “Yeah, well, revenge is short lived.” Then she looked up and smiled. “But damn can it be satisfying.”
Grant answered her smile and stood. “It’s late enough,” he said. “It’s time to get out of here. I don’t suppose I can convince you to let me drop you at the MacKenzies and have you stay there?”
“Not a chance,” she said. “That bitch shot up my bakery. Do you know how expensive it’s going to be to get it fixed up before I can put it on the market?”
“Still planning on taking off, huh?” he asked.
She shrugged. “What else am I supposed to do? I’ve got no family left. I’ve got no one. All I have is a little house outside of town and a bakery with a bunch of holes in it.”
“Right,” he said.
“I haven’t heard you talking about any big plans for your retirement,” she said a little sharply.
“I’m retired,” he said. “I don’t have to have any big plans. Coop wants me to stay here awhile. Maybe take one of the deputy positions. I’m thinking about it.”
To be honest, he didn’t know what the hell to do with himself. He’d had the years to retire and draw his full pension, so he’d taken it. But he wasn’t the kind of man who could sit idle for very long, especially since most of his career had been fast-paced and adrenaline inducing. Staying in Surrender would definitely be a change of pace, but Cooper had said there were occasions when extra help was needed at MacKenzie Security, and that was something that definitely intrigued him.
“Do you have a plan to get us out of here?” she asked.
“No, not so much,” he said. “Still got your Beemer keys?”
“Yes,” she said, drawing out the word. “Do you want them?”
“That would be helpful. I know she’s out there. I just need a little bait.”
“Umm… That’s an eighty-thousand-dollar car.”
“Good thing you didn’t pay for it,” he countered.
“True, but still. It’s the principle of the thing.”
“How much is your life worth?”
Liza sighed. “I don’t suppose you retrieved my purse after I got hit in the head with the tray of donuts.”
“No, but one of the ladies grabbed it and brought it over when I carried you here. It’s on the counter.�
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She went to retrieve the red leather bag from the counter and dug the keys from inside it.
“By the way,” he said. “I’m pretty much going to tell the donut story to everyone I see. It’s the best.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. Gossip like that is gold in a place like Surrender.”
“Lovely,” she said, handing him the keys. “Now what?”
“Well, let’s talk facts. I know she’s out there with a military grade, Barrett M107, 50 caliber recoil-operated, semiautomatic sniper rifle. It’s a fucking sexy weapon. The night scope alone allows her to see the cheese on the moon.”
“How do you know for sure?” she asked. “Maybe we can just make a run for it.”
“I trained her. That’s how I know for sure. If you want to run, then run. She won’t kill you.”
His assumption surprised her. “Why wouldn’t she kill me?”
“I didn’t say she wouldn’t shoot you. I just said she wouldn’t kill you. If she wounds you, she’d know I’d come out of hiding long enough to pull you to safety.”
He was protective by nature. It was part of the job that he’d lived and breathed for the past twenty-five years. But the thought of Liza getting hurt shook him to his core. And if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t know if he could keep her safe.
“So I’m bait?” she asked.
“Yep. Still want to run for it? If she shoots you with that rifle, it’ll take a leg off. That thing is serious business.”
“I’m good, thanks.”
“Good call. Now go get dressed. I’ve already been through every cabinet and cupboard in this place to see if there’s anything we could use. It looks like Claire and Cooper kept an extra change of clothes here. You might want to trade those boots out for tennis shoes, if they fit. And a sweatshirt. Nights are still cold.”
She nodded, her expression serious. He could see the worry and fear in her eyes. This wasn’t the kind of life she was used to. She’d spent however long being the pampered fiancé of a millionaire who baked cookies on the side for fun. This was a whole different level of adventure.
