The Boss

by Melissa Schroeder

  He reached around with one hand and teased her clit as he thrust into her one more time. She came apart then, screaming his name. Her inner muscles tightened around his cock, pulling him deeper inside of her. He continued to thrust in and out, harder, faster…deeper. She came again, his name a long moan that tore from her throat. It was all it took. He pressed into her once more and lost himself to pleasure.

  They collapsed on the bed together, and he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Well, that was…” she trailed off. “Okay, there are no words to describe that.”

  He chuckled and brushed some of her hair aside so he could kiss her neck.

  “Yeah, I have to agree.”

  She released a sigh filled with contentment but pulled away so she could roll over to face him. Then, she settled against him, just like always.

  “Do you think we need to be on the move tonight?”

  He had thought about it. Truthfully, he’d thought it would be a good idea to leave right when they got back, but he had decided sleep was more important. While they’d been made at the embassy, they hadn’t been followed, and Mac had registered them under a different name at the hotel.

  “Naw. First light at the earliest.”

  “Sounds good,” she said, her voice trailing off into sleep. Soon, her slow, even breathing told him she had fallen asleep. He held on to her, stroking her back, and thinking about what had occurred tonight.

  He knew they’d been made, thanks to their faces. They were well known, and it was always a risk in a situation like the one they found themselves in. Still, it shouldn’t have been so easy to find him. And why approach him when Mac wasn’t around?

  If it had been a single operative going after him, it made sense. But there had been at least three people, maybe two or three others working as lookouts. The best way to approach would have been when he and Mac were together. If he’d been taken and Mac had heard about it, she could have disappeared. And the men had been seasoned spies. He could tell from the way they’d scanned the crowd and zeroed in on him.

  From the start, none of this job made sense, so he had no idea why he thought he could make sense of it now. They needed to discover who had set Millie up and what Walter George was after. Then they could formulate a response and go from there.

  With that thought, he drifted off to sleep, hoping for once he would be able to sleep through the night.

  …

  Dimitri stood at the corner of Federal Square and watched his employer approach. Years of sitting behind a desk had made the man soft. Worse, it made him think he knew the answer to every problem on earth.

  “What happened tonight?”

  He studied the man who had paid him to follow the American and his woman. Maatev said not to trust him, and Dimitri did not. He knew there was something else going on right now, beyond the espionage, but it didn’t matter. This man paid well, and he paid up front.

  “He spotted us.”

  The man sniffed. Dimitri hated people who worked in government. That meant he hated himself from time to time, but he saw governments as a means to an end. They sometimes had the best money, and most of the time, they paid on time. He didn’t care what their ideological background was, as long as they paid well. His employer might not officially be in the U.S. government, but he definitely had ties to it through his job.

  “Hard not to, from what I hear. Did you really try and grab him off the dance floor?”

  Bastard. Too lazy to do his own work, but he could complain about the way Dimitri went about his own work.

  “You are the one who insisted we get them tonight. I told you the British Embassy was not a good place to try it.”

  “I have connections, and got you in.”

  Dimitri snorted. “Your friend is an idiot.”

  His employer didn’t like hearing the truth—but then most of them didn’t. “Your bumbling of the case has made it very difficult to corner him.”

  “Why can’t you find him? What the hell is wrong with your top-notch organization?”

  “I would think a man like you would have the connections to find out where they had the package stashed.”

  A beat of silence went by. The streets were deserted this time of night. Even in D.C., people slept, especially in this area. No townhouses or apartments were nearby. Instead, the institutions of power, the buildings that drove the American government, along with so many others, towered over them.

  “I thought you understood what was expected of you. Since you apparently don’t, I see no reason to keep you employed.”

  Anger rushed through him. “Go ahead. Try and get him yourself. Of course, you wouldn’t have to call in the Russians if your country wasn’t filled with such lazy bastards. At least I have my money.”

  “Indeed.”

  It wasn’t the word, but the way he said it. Before he could infer what the other man meant by that one little word, his former employer stepped closer.

  “I hope there are no hard feelings, chap,” he said, as he pressed against Dimitri’s stomach. It wasn’t until Dimitri felt the first burn of pain that he realized he had been shot. He stumbled back against the wall and slid to the ground. Damn bastard.

  He lay there, his gut bleeding and his breathing labored as he watched the lazy bastard walk away without ever turning around.

  Chapter Twelve

  Showing your emotions is handing your enemy a weapon.

  —Mac Donovan

  Mac sighed and snuggled closer to Vic. Every muscle in her body had melted, so she wasn’t planning on moving any time soon. In fact, she would be happy to just spend the next six weeks in bed right next to him.

  They had the threat of arrest and possible death hanging over them, but that was nothing new. It was how they rolled.

  “I can hear your brain working,” Vic said, his voice a rumble against her ear.

  “Not likely.”

  He trailed his hand down her spine. “You? Not thinking? Is this your way of telling me I blew your mind?”

  She smiled and used what little strength she had to lift her head and look at him. His eyes were half opened, and there was that cocky curve to his lips she knew so well.

  “Pretty full of yourself, are ya?”

  He chuckled. “Well, I did blow your mind.”

  “I never said that.”

  “You can’t think. Admit it.”

  She said nothing as she laid her head down on his chest again. The man could really get full of himself at times, but it was one of the things that she loved about him. They lay like that for a few minutes, in comfortable silence. She missed these times, although they had not had that many of them in their lives together.

  “I’m not sure it was really smart.”

  She should have expected the comment. He’d been the one to walk out. Most of the time, it was her standing there while he drove away. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that he was now having second thoughts.

  “You said that,” she said.

  “Yeah. We haven’t worked out our issues.”

  She lifted her head again to look at him. He’d closed his eyes, but he was still skimming his fingers down her spine. “Do you think that’s even a possibility?”

  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think so.”

  “This was sex.”

  “No. I mean, on the job.”

  Her joy dimmed just a little bit. “You’re here because of your brother and Rock.”

  He opened his eyes and looked down at her. It was too dark to really gain anything from his expression, but maybe she didn’t want to know. She would hate to see any regret, because she could never feel that. Not with Vic.

  Without a word, he sat up and leaned over to turn on the lamp. She blinked against the bright light.

  “Bloody hell, Vic.”

  “I think we need to get this clear right now.”

  “What?” she said. When her eyes finally adjusted, she found him frowning at her.

  “You think
I only came back for them?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Well, you do have a history with them.”

  The expression on his face went from irritation to anger in a split second.

  “We have a history. A much more involved history.”

  “Come on, Vic. Don’t give me that. You’ve known both of them longer, and you are blood related to Jay. I understand, and I am okay with it.”

  If she repeated it enough, there was a good chance she would believe it.

  “Stop it.”

  “Stop what?”

  “Stop discounting yourself.”

  “I’m not discounting myself.”

  “The hell you aren’t. You do it all the time.”

  “I—”

  “No. I don’t want to hear any explanations. You are important to me.”

  She nodded but said nothing. He shoved a hand through his hair.

  “You don’t believe me.”

  “I do.” She did. “It’s just that there are relationships, and then there are relationships.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Is that what you think? That I put people in boxes?”

  Dammit, why was this devolving into such a bloody mess? Why did she have to open her damned big mouth again? And why did she feel like she wanted to cry?

  “No. Not you.”

  “So you do. Maybe I’m not as important to you as you are to me.”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Why have you never told me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  It was a lame answer, and it only heightened his anger.

  “What the fuck is the issue?”

  She hesitated, trying to come up with the words to explain it, but apparently, just a little too long for him. He reached out and grabbed her by the upper arms, pulling her closer.

  “Tell me.”

  She blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay.

  “It’s not easy for me.”

  “You think this crap is easy for me?”

  She shook her head. “I know it isn’t.”

  “Now I understand.”

  He released her and moved to get out of the bed. Emptiness opened up inside of her. Now was not the time, but this was definitely the man. She had to tell him.

  She reached out and grabbed his arm. “No. Wait.”

  “What?”

  She released him. “I just…you know I’m not good at expressing myself.”

  He looked at her over his shoulder. “Yeah? I would have never known.”

  “Oh, bugger off,” she said, and started to get up from the bed, but he grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her back to the mattress.

  “Hey, I’m not done.”

  She frowned at him, then down at where he had his hand on her wrist. He released it.

  She looked at him. “Do you really want to rehash this rubbish? Do we need this right now?”

  “Do we need it?”

  She nodded, remembered that both of them were naked, and pulled the sheet up.

  “Yes. We might not want to do it right now, but something is telling me this is important.”

  Dammit.

  “Okay.”

  “So, you think the only reason I would have to come back would be because of my brother?”

  “And Rock.”

  “And Rock,” he repeated. “Are you stupid?”

  “What?”

  “Jesus, woman, I could have just forced them to leave you holding the bag, if I wanted them to, and you know it.”

  She did know it, but she didn’t dare hope that it was more than wanting to save his friend and brother.

  “You still don’t believe me.”

  “I do. But…”

  He shook his head. “If I ever meet your father, I am going to tear that bastard in two. Do you not understand how important you are to me?”

  “So why did you leave?”

  “Because I always wondered how important I was to you.”

  She stared at him, completely stunned.

  “Got anything to say to that?” he asked.

  Mac opened her mouth, once, and tried to say something, but she found herself unable to form a response.

  “Oh, wow, I left you speechless.”

  “Vic.”

  She didn’t know what to say. The fact that he was here for her, that he had come back and risked his life for her, overwhelmed her.

  “You would do the same for me.” Not a question, but she nodded in response.

  He cupped her face and leaned forward. “Even if Rock and Jay weren’t involved, I would have returned for you. I can’t have anything bad happen to you, Mac.”

  She tried to swallow, but there was a huge knot in her throat.

  “I love you, MacKenzie Maria Donovan.”

  She’d waited so long to hear those words that she couldn’t think of how to answer. A strange mixture of joy and fear twisted her heart. She couldn’t hold back the tears. “Don’t say that.”

  He frowned. “Why not? I mean it.”

  “No. Just don’t.”

  “Un-freaking-believable. Really, woman? I tell you I love you for the first time, and you tell me not to say it.”

  “Because every time someone says it to me, they get hurt. I can’t have anything happen to you, Vic.”

  For a long few seconds, he said nothing, and then he leaned forward. When he was within an inch of her mouth, he said, “I love you. Deal with it.”

  He kissed her then. It was wicked and wet…and so sweet. She lost herself there, in the kiss, with this man, in this time. They had so many troubles, so many fights to deal with it, but right now, they had each other. And right now, all she cared about was him.

  She moaned and rose to her knees, urging him down on the mattress so she could straddle him. He did not protest.

  His erection was pressed against her sex as she swiveled her hips. He groaned in response, but he did not stop kissing her. The sound of his pleasure vibrated over her tongue as he sucked it into his mouth. She pulled back from the kiss. He growled and reached for her, but she laughed and batted his hands away.

  “No, you had your fun last time. This time, it’s my turn.”

  He smiled and slipped his hands beneath his head.

  “Have fun.”

  Oh, she wanted to knock that cocky grin off his face. So, she kissed her way down his torso, teasing his nipples before dipping lower. As she licked and nipped at his flesh, she enjoyed his quick intake of breath as she let her breasts move over his cock. When she looked up at him, he was no longer smiling.

  “Not so sure now, are you, love?”

  “I can handle it if you can.”

  The man just didn’t know when to stop. To prove her point, she leaned forward, allowing her nipples to drag across his erection. But in doing so, she caused herself more pain. She was beyond aroused, and her nipples had always been sensitive. Still, she took satisfaction when he moaned.

  Without looking up, she slid farther down to settle between his legs. She wrapped her hand around his shaft and gave it a long stroke.

  “Damn,” he muttered, and she smiled. She’d be damned if the man got one over on her.

  With slow, measuring strokes, she moved her hand over his flesh as she dipped her head and licked the head of his cock.

  “Holy mother of God.”

  She chuckled and took him into her mouth. With the same slow movements, she worked her mouth over him, all the while still trailing her hand over him. He molded his hands to the back of her head and slipped his fingers through her hair to urge her to go faster. She did, but only for a moment or two before pulling back.

  “Dammit,” he bit out, but she laughed.

  “Not so cocky, are you now, love?”

  “Come up here, and I’ll show you just how cocky I am.”

  She shook her head and kissed him, but the moment she felt his hands slipping over her hips to position her, she moved away from him.

  “No more games, Mac.” />
  “But I think you need to pay the piper, Vic.”

  His eyes narrowed, but she didn’t explain. Instead, she showed him. She gripped the headboard and pulled herself over his body so she was straddling his face. He didn’t need an invitation. Slipping his hands behind her to her ass, he lifted his head up and pressed his mouth against her sex.

  With the expertise she knew so well, he tempted her, first skimming his tongue over her slit, then diving inside her. Teasing with just the tip at first, and then thrusting inside of her again and again. She moved against him, excitement rushing through her entire body, spurring her on. One moment she was aroused, and the next one she was beyond thought, needing a release so badly she ached. But he got his revenge. He held her steady, his mouth devouring her, pushing her closer to the edge, but not close enough to achieve any relief.

  “Bloody hell, Vic,” she muttered as he built her up again and again, only to deny her the one thing she wanted the most. He held her captive against his mouth until she was shaking with need. When he finally released her, she moved down his body without another word. She needed this, needed him inside of her. She straddled his hips and took hold of his cock. As she slid down on him, he groaned.

  “Yeah, babe.”

  She leaned down and kissed him, enjoying the pungent taste of her own desire on his lips. Then, she rose up and started to ride. He slipped his hands up her torso, palming her breasts and pinching each of her nipples. The action shot right to her sex, causing her to tighten around his shaft. He groaned in response and did it again.

  “Lord,” he muttered. He took hold of her hips, meeting her thrust for thrust. She felt her orgasm approaching, the heady rush of need and expectation almost overwhelming her. Wanting this and nothing else, she let it wash over her, through her. She screamed his name as she convulsed against him. He continued to thrust once, twice, three times…then he held himself inside of her as he followed her into pleasure.

  Spent and happy, she collapsed on top of him.

  “I think we both won that game,” he said.