“You need to open them for this to work,” said Luke.
“You think I don’t know that?” she snapped. Just because it would make her feel better didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt.
He groaned and the next thing she knew, he was in the shower with her, tilting her head back.
“I’m going to kill you,” she muttered as she finally pried her eyes open.
“As long as you’re safe while you’re doing it,” he said softly as she moved to the other eye. After the quick flushing, she blinked a few times and looked down to give her eyes a break. Luke wasn’t standing in the stream of water, but he was getting splashed like crazy, and her floor was soaked from the water that bounced off the both of them.
“What are you doing in here? You’re getting soaked, you moron,” she said with a small laugh.
He stepped out and pulled her pink towel off the towel rack to wipe down his face. “Stay in there and keep rinsing,” he ordered.
“I’m trying.” She rubbed her eyes gently and gave another quick rinse in both her eyes. “What happened with Longineu?”
“Nothing. He knew we were on to him and didn’t start saying anything interesting until we were in a no-record zone. He said he had guys coming after you, and I got the hell over here as soon as possible. Obviously not soon enough. I was half convinced he was bluffing and I was going to lead them here.”
“Nope. They were well aware long before you got here.”
“How would they know that? Who knows your address? Was it on the fake HR paperwork you filled out?”
She shook her head. “That was a vacant place seized by the Bureau a few weeks ago.”
“So they followed you.”
Evelyn forced her sore eyes open and for the first time they didn’t cause agony to shoot through her. “No one followed me. Someone must’ve told them.”
“Shit.”
“My thoughts exactly.” It was as though she was right back in corruption. How the hell was she supposed to catch anyone when half her coworkers were being paid off? “I’ll book a hotel for the night under a different name and find somewhere else to go.”
“Screw that. You’re coming home with me.”
Evelyn turned off the water and looked up to Luke. “Excuse me?”
“My building is one of the safest in the city. No one gets up to my floor without express permission from me or a key. You should stay with me until this all blows over.”
“You keep me safe? You know there are a few people out there at the moment who want you dead?”
“Then come home with me and keep me safe.”
She stepped out of the shower and he wrapped her up in the towel, holding her in his arms as he gently wiped at her face and her eyes that she knew were probably as red as a beet. Between the soaking wet ponytail and discolored face, she probably looked like a hot mess at the moment, but for some reason Luke looked down at her as though she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to come home with you,” she said softly.
“I think it’s the best idea I’ve had all month.”
She opened her mouth to keep fighting him, but a knocking sound carried from the main space of the apartment. “I should get that.”
He nodded and backed away. “Go talk to the police. And when we’re done here, I’m going to take you home.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Evelyn stepped out of the car and looked up at the towering apartment building. Well, let’s call it what it was. It was a penthouse building. There wasn’t a single place in there that sold for less than a million dollars, and Evelyn was half convinced the doorman would take one look at her and ask her to vacate the premises.
But then Luke was at her side again, holding her overnight bag over his shoulder. “You ready?”
No. She wasn’t even slightly ready to go up to his apartment with him. “Sure,” she said. She’d fought this tooth and nail with her boss, but he’d insisted that keeping Luke safe was their number-one priority. Mainly because he had the money and lawyers available to sue the hell out of the FBI if he wanted to.
Of course, Hotchins didn’t understand exactly why Evelyn was so hesitant to go to Luke’s place and she wasn’t about to tell him the truth. Please don’t make me go, sir. I’m not sure I can resist him much longer and I feel that if I want to remain professional and not rip off all the asset’s clothes, I should be kept as far away from him as possible.
So here she was, hopping into a lavish elevator and climbing higher and higher with one of the most attractive men she’d ever met, who she kind of hated but for the life of her couldn’t remember why she hated him.
The elevator doors opened straight to Luke’s apartment and Evelyn let out a laugh. “You’re kidding me.”
Luke glanced over his shoulder as he led the way inside. “Is something wrong?”
No. Nothing was wrong. The entire place was perfect. Beautiful. White marble floors led into the two-story tall entryway and living room. The exterior was completely made out of windows, and the apartment was surrounded by a spacious terrace decorated with lounging chairs and a few potted plants and trees.
“You can make yourself comfortable.” Luke led her toward the kitchen. His place had an open floor plan, but that was about where the similarities between their places ended. The kitchen contained a massive island with a stainless-steel top that was large enough to fit six stools on the long side and two on the edge. Across from the island was a counter with dark oak cabinets that stretched to the ceiling, and an oversized apron sink that tied in with the stainless countertop.
She crossed around the cabinets and saw that the wall on the other side housed a television that had to be over a hundred inches. “Good grief, what do you need all that television for?” she breathed.
“Women seem to like it.” Luke gave a cocky grin as he set his jacket across one of the two recliners in the room. Between the two recliners was a large sofa that looked perfect for a long day of watching movies.
“I’m sure they do. But those are the one-night women. The lifetime women wouldn’t care about the big TV.”
“They can still like it.” Luke crossed to stand in front of her.
“Luckily you’re not looking for a lifetime girl, right?”
“Right.”
They were silent for a moment. Evelyn never should’ve brought up the idea of him bringing women over. It was dangerous territory for them and she knew better.
“I should shower,” she said abruptly. And then she realized that making him think of her all wet and soapy probably wasn’t any better. “I’m still all pepper spray-ey.” There. Pepper spray was decidedly unsexy.
“Let me show you the spare bathroom.” He crossed to the other side of the living area to the spiral staircase with a winding, clear railing.
“All the rooms are upstairs?” She had a feeling that was where the master suite was, and she’d rather sleep as far away as possible.
“There’s a room down here too, but that’s where Emma stays. The upstairs room is nicer anyway.”
She wasn’t sure she wanted to debate him on that or not. Because if she said she wanted to be as far from him as possible, she’d be forced to admit that the reason was because of how much he tempted her. And the last thing he needed was an ego boost.
He led her into a decent-sized room with gray walls, white trim and crown molding, and a blue comforter with a delicate floral pattern, the one feminine touch in the room.
“Will this work for you?” He set her bag on the bed.
She snorted. “Well, you saw where I was sleeping before. Trust me, this is more than enough.”
He nodded without saying anything too judgmental and then led her to the door on the left wall. “This is the bathroom. There’s a tub and a shower, so whatever you’re in the mood for, feel free. I don’t have any fancy girl shampoo.”
“Fancy girl shampoo? Really? I have a feeling the stuff you use is way more expensive
than whatever fancy girl shampoo I use.”
“Whatever works.” He ran a hand through his hair.
Evelyn had to admit, he did have a great head of hair. It was jet black, betraying a bit of Italian ancestry. He looked practically perfect in his t-shirt and jeans, and she was a sloppy mess in the sweatpants and t-shirt she’d changed into after her impromptu shower.
Although her throat was back to normal, her eyes were still a bit sore and she’d practically rubbed her face raw. She’d gotten sprayed before during her training days, something all recruits had to go through, but that had been a quick mist. The son of a bitch who’d attacked her had dead-on aimed straight at her face.
“And where are you sleeping?” she asked. The question seemed strangely intimate. Knowing they were sleeping in the same place...
“In the room right next door. So if you need anything, don’t hesitate to come and get me.”
She let out a soft laugh. “You’d like me to wander into your bedroom in the middle of the night, wouldn’t you?”
Luke closed the distance between them and set a hand on each of her shoulders. “I want you. I’m not hiding that. But you had a rough day. You need to rest and relax and heal. And once you’re all better, then you can come into my bed any time you want, day or night.”
“Fat chance of that happening.” If by fat she meant pretty damn good odds. Hey, maybe taking a few minutes, or hours, to really enjoy her time alone with him wasn’t the worst idea. Lord knew that she needed some stress relief after the week she’d had.
“We’ll see,” said Luke confidently as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Michael and Lori are coming over first thing tomorrow morning. We can regroup then and figure out our next move.”
“Tomorrow is another day,” she said as he moved away and left the bathroom. She followed him out and looked to the inviting bed. A wave of exhaustion swept over her. “Good night, Luke.”
He stopped in the doorway and gave her one more once-over. “Relax for tonight. Tomorrow, you’re mine though.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Luke tossed some more cheese in the skillet and stirred up the eggs a bit more when he finally heard her.
“Oh my goodness,” said Evelyn from behind him. “The only thing that would make this better was if you were wearing one of those pretty flowery aprons.”
He shot her a sardonic grin over his shoulder and pointed the spatula to the island. “Have a seat.” He already had an empty plate and glass of orange juice waiting for her. “And don’t get too flattered. Eggs are the only thing I actually know how to cook.”
“I’ll take it.” She sat down. “Better than my normal protein bar.”
“I figure you deserve something after yesterday. You did put your life on the line for me and all.” Luke tried his best to remain cheerful, but every time he remembered how close she came to dying, he was taken over by a barely containable rage. Every bone in his body wanted to take Evelyn to some remote cabin out in the middle of nowhere where she could be safe and he could take care of Longineu.
But he had a feeling Evelyn wasn’t the type to sit idly by while he took care of everything. So the best he could hope for was distracting her long enough to keep her out of more trouble.
“You look refreshed,” he said as she pushed her damp hair to the side and sat down.
“Well, three showers in one day will to that to a girl.”
Luke frowned. “Are your eyes still bothering you?”
“No. I felt pretty much back to normal after the shower here last night.” She held up one of the drying ringlets of dark hair. “This, however, demands to be washed every morning. Curly hair problems.”
He smiled at the thick hair he’d become so fond of as the intercom buzzed. Luke switched the burner to low. “That should be Michael.”
“I love having official meetings in my pajamas,” she muttered before she took a sip of orange juice.
“I meant to wake you up a while ago, but I figured you needed your rest.” Actually, he’d gone as far as to enter into her room to wake her. But the sight of her had stopped him cold. She’d obviously had a restless night. All the covers were kicked onto the floor in one big lump, and her hair was a sweaty mess around her face. As he watched, her legs kicked out as if even in her sleep she was fighting off her attacker.
But it wasn’t the first time she’d had to fight for her life. He knew it from reading her file, and there was visual proof in the small but devastating scar on her upper thigh. The bullet wound that was the reason for her transfer to New York City in the first place.
After seeing how restless her night had been, Luke hadn’t been able to bring himself to wake her. She needed every moment of sleep she could get. And now he was grateful he hadn't. She looked refreshed, almost no hint of redness left in or around her eyes and her damp hair was drying into the curls he’d become so fond of.
Even though she was in her pajamas, she’d put on her bra, which was a great shame. Her thin, flimsy top had done almost nothing to hide the beautiful peaks from his gaze last night. And now that she felt better, he was making it his number two priority to free those breasts to his gaze. Preferably today.
But number one was making Longineu pay for what he’d done.
Luke scooped some eggs onto her plate and set the skillet down. “Eat,” he ordered. “You’ll need your strength.”
He could practically feel her glare burn into his back as he left the kitchen to check through the camera to confirm it was Michael. Once he saw it really was his brother, he hit the button to bring the elevator to his level.
Luke glanced around the corner and smiled when he verified that Evelyn was eating. Good. She was stubborn, but at least she wasn’t stupid. The ding of the elevator rang through the apartment and the doors glided open. Michael and Lori looked decidedly somber.
Damn it. These were supposed to be some of the happiest days in his brother’s life. A whole new rage snaked through Luke even as he forced a smile. “There’s the happy couple!”
Michael cracked the tiniest grin, but Lori stepped forward and wrapped her arms forcefully around Luke. “We were so worried about you! I had to physically restrain Michael from coming here last night!”
Michael rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t that bad.”
“No, I bet that was just an excuse to break out the handcuffs though.” Luke winked. “I always knew you’d be the bitch in the relationship.”
“Luke!” said Lori, while Michael muttered a curse at him under his breath.
There. At least he’d lightened the mood. Sex was always a good way to change the subject, in his experience. “Come on in. There are eggs and an FBI agent. What more could you want?”
He led them into the kitchen, where Evelyn had stopped eating and stood next to the island. “Hello, Michael, Lori. I hope your trip was nice.”
“It was.” Michael leaned against the counter on the other side of the island. “I heard you had a party at your place without us.”
Evelyn’s eyes went wide. “Luke and I were over there for training purposes only!”
“Umm...” muttered Lori. “I think he was talking about the guy who tried to kill you.”
“Oh.” A blush crept up Evelyn’s cheeks. “The murder kind of party.”
Luke turned away to pour himself some coffee as he tried to suppress a laugh.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Michael, never one to mince words. No wonder Evelyn liked him more than Luke.
“Well, we’ve obviously lost the element of surprise. But not everything is lost. Based off the information Lori was able to give us from her uncle’s files and computer, we have more leads than ever. Also we have a full set of prints from the gun we recovered last night, along with some fresh DNA. As soon as we find him, we have enough to put him away for decades. So if we find him, it won’t be hard to cut a deal. Like I’ve been saying, all we need is one good witness and some computer files and we’ll have a case.”
“And what do we need to do to make that happen?” asked Luke.
Evelyn ran a hand through her damp hair. “Well, that’s the easy part. You don’t have to do anything. I’m here on protective duty for the time being until we can find someone more qualified. Your family has been a great asset to us, and we intend to make sure that none of this backlash hits you.”
Luke slammed his hands on the counter. “Like hell! You’re not kicking us out.”
“I’m not kicking you out. That would imply this was your investigation to begin with. But as soon as we know you’re not targets for Longineu, your business with the FBI will be over.”
And Luke’s relationship with Evelyn. His breath caught in his throat as he kept himself from banging on the counter again.
“This is good news,” said Michael somberly from behind him. “We’ve done our part. Now let the FBI do the rest.”
Luke glared over his shoulder at his brother, but his expression softened when he noticed Lori staring intently at the marble tile on the floor. No wonder Michael was so happy to be done with this. Lori had been put through the wringer already, between her uncle being murdered and their former contact within Thirteen Stars trying to kill her. “Do you think the two of you can go out of town again? I know you just got back, but it’s probably safer...”
“I can work from anywhere with Internet.” Michael looked questioningly at Lori.
“I’m almost out of vacation time, but I can see if I can get an unpaid leave. My new bosses don’t know about everything, but I told them Ken tried to kill me. I’m sure that if I tell them some of his associates might be coming after me, they’ll understand.”
Michael met Luke’s gaze and the brothers exchanged a knowing glance. Luke knew that one way or another, Michael would get Lori out of town. And if she ever needed a job, DevX Tech would welcome her back, even if she didn’t want to be known as the employee sleeping with the owner of the company. Hell, if she ended up back at DevX, that would almost make the whole thing worth it. It was damn hard to find people who knew computers as well as Lori did.
Testing The Boss (Billionaires In The City, #5) Page 8
