by Lena Hart
Judith closed her eyes. Ken could possibly be a changed man now, but the last words he’d calmly uttered to her as he’d sped down the deserted highway still echoed in her head.
If I can’t have you…
She shuddered at the memory. Ignoring her apprehension, she reached for the flash drive and stared down at it. “You promise he’ll stay in prison?”
“Don’t underestimate our abilities, hon,” the woman said in a voice lined with amusement, “Or our connections. After all, we managed to find out all about you, didn’t we?”
Judith shivered again, fear and anxiety creating a heavy knot in her stomach. “I’m not at my desk,” she began. “I’ll have to call you back—”
“Any computer will do,” the woman interrupted sharply. “This is a one-time call. We either do this now or not at all.” The woman paused then added, “I don’t mean to sound harsh, hon, but time is really of the essence.”
Judith glanced at the blank screen of the open laptop on Mr. Kristensen’s desk. She gingerly ran her fingers over the computer mouse pad and was relieved when it flared to life.
Unfortunately, it was locked.
“I don’t have the password for this computer,” Judith said earnestly.
“That’s okay,” the woman said, seemingly unconcerned. “Just put in the flash drive.”
Judith inserted the flash drive into the first port she found. “Okay, it’s in,” she whispered.
“Good, now a message should come up prompting you to press any key to recover the password. Do it.”
The black window came up with the message and Judith quickly pressed the space bar. A series of numbers and characters started to scroll rapidly across the small window.
“What’s happening?” Judith asked, frantic.
“Don’t worry. This should only take two, three minutes. Once the password is displayed, just exit out of that window and enter into the system.”
She released an unsteady breath when the code appeared.
Tulips01.
She didn’t know why that stuck with her but it did. Following the woman’s instructions, she entered it. The home screen appeared and another window popped into the monitor.
“It’s now asking me to run a program,” Judith said hesitantly.
“Excellent.” The woman’s voice was laced with satisfaction. “Now hon, the next few steps will be very important so I need you to pay close attention to everything I say.”
Judith’s heart pounded as she followed the woman’s instructions. The computer screen suddenly flickered and right before her eyes, the mouse icon began to move on its own.
“What is it doing?” Judith couldn’t keep the panic from her voice.
“It’s just me, hon,” the woman assured her. “I’ve just taken over for a while. It’ll be done soon. You’re doing great,” she added as an afterthought.
Judith didn’t feel great. Her stomach still churned as she watched as program windows and folders opened and closed rapidly. Everything was surreal and Judith prayed that it would all be over soon. This was not what she’d expected. This was supposed to be a simple copy and paste, right?
But numerous folder and program windows continued to open and shut at a rapid speed. It was like watching a computer hijacking in progress. Except, she’d practically given the hijacker the keys.
Not having control over what the strange woman was accessing only added to her anxiety. What if she took more than just a simple file?
“Are you—?”
The words froze in Judith’s throat as a soft rustle came to the door. She flipped the lid of the laptop down as the office door pushed open. It took her a millisecond longer to register the phone still in her hand before she slammed it down. Her heart had practically lodged itself into her throat.
To her immense relief, it was just a cleaning lady.
“Sorry, miss,” the woman said, looking just as startled to find her sitting there. “I thought this office was empty.”
Judith hurried to her feet. Was guilt written on her face? “It’s okay,” she rushed out, trying to keep her voice even. “I was just heading out.”
“No, no,” the other woman said adamantly. “You take your time. I can come back later.”
Once again alone, Judith inhaled jerkily. Bracing herself on the edge of the desk, she leaned forward and tried to steady her breathing and calm her nerves to keep her legs from buckling beneath her. Her arms trembled from the tight grip she had on the wide desk, but she couldn’t force herself to relax. Taking another unsteady breath, she closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, her gaze instantly landed on the phone.
Oh, shit.
She grabbed the receiver and redialed the last number. An automated message came through the line.
Oh, no.
The thought that she may have gone through this nightmare for absolutely nothing, almost sent her into an anxiety attack. Did the woman get what she wanted?
Judith redialed the number. Again, the automated message picked up. She slammed the phone down. She needed to get out of here. The longer she stayed in the executive’s office, the more likely she would be discovered.
Judith stuffed the folder back into the large envelope and dashed out of the office. It wasn’t until she reached her desk that she realized she’d left behind the most important thing in this whole ordeal.
The flash drive.
Oh, damn it.
Chapter Three
What have I done?
Judith shoved the large envelope into her desk drawer and sank down in her seat. Her throat tightened as panic like she’d never felt threatened to suffocate her. She rested her head on the desk, trying to calm her racing heart.
Calm down, Judith. You made this mess. Just go back and clean it up.
The little pep talk didn’t help to calm her nerves. Murphy’s Law had her by the throat and there was nothing she could do. Everything that could go wrong was rapidly spiraling in that direction—and if that direction was south, that was surely where she would find her sanity.
Well, what did she expect?
The magnitude of her mistake was fast becoming glaring. No, mistake was an understatement.
She had just committed a crime.
Whether the woman had gotten what she’d been looking for, Judith didn’t know. Just like she didn’t know whether the mystery woman would even honor her agreement.
Judith scoffed hysterically at herself. Honor? Agreement? She’d just consorted with a stranger to commit a crime. One who knew way too much about her and her past.
The thought of having to look over her shoulder, of having to wonder about every dark shadow or strange letter, was enough to send Judith into another panic. Mentally—and emotionally—she didn’t think she could endure living like that again.
But what she wanted didn’t matter now. She wasn’t safe anymore and she had to be prepared for what was to come. First…
I need to get that flash drive!
Judith barely made it down the long hall to the large executive office before an amused voice came from behind her.
“Glad to see you didn’t brush me off tonight for some other guy.”
Judith whirled around with a low squeak.
“Whoa, take it easy,” Carlos said with a slight frown. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Sorry,” she rushed out. She had never been more horrified and happy to see someone in her life. “I didn’t hear you coming.”
There was a sort of charming awkwardness in his dark eyes. “Sorry for sneaking up on you. I guess I’m doing a lot of that lately.” He glanced down the long hall. “But what are you still doing here? I thought everyone on this floor had left for the day.”
She cleared her throat, trying to dislodge the lump that was rapidly forming there. “Uh, yes. Um, I mean, no, I just had… There was something I needed to get for the, uh, workshops tomorrow.”
Her words were a jumbled mess and he regarded her with obvious confusion
. They stood near the supply closet and she latched onto that.
“It’s in here,” she added, motioning to the closed door.
His dark eyes bore into her, but she didn’t see suspicion or doubt in them. Only a deep concern. For her.
“Are you okay, muñeca?” he asked slowly.
She stared up at him, overwhelmed with despair. No, not really. The worry in his eyes was enough to have the lump return. This time from profound guilt instead of panic.
Could she trust him?
It wasn’t worth the risk, so instead she took a deep breath and simply nodded. She tried to formulate her thoughts and put them into coherent words this time.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Judith assured him with a wide, strained smile. “I just… I got so busy today. I missed lunch and now can’t seem to think straight.”
At least that wasn’t a complete lie. There was no food in her stomach and no rational thought left in her brain—not enough anyway to have stopped her from making the biggest mistake of her life.
“You need to take care of yourself,” Carlos said, concern still clouding his eyes. “Don’t let Carrone work you to the ground.”
Despite herself, she was warmed by his gentle reprimand. He cared.
“I’m fine, really. I just need to grab a few things, then I’m heading out soon.” She turned the door knob of the supply room as she spoke and to her dismay, found it locked. Glancing over at Carlos, she let out a weak laugh.
“I guess they’ve started locking these after hours,” she muttered, though that little assessment was a complete guess. In her three months at Royal Courts, she’d only been in the supply room once or twice.
With a grin, Carlos pulled out a set of keys. “The perks of working in security,” he said, unlocking the door.
He pushed it open and she walked past him inside. Following her into the small, dimly-lit room, Carlos let the door close behind him with a finality that was jarring.
Judith ended her quick search for the light switch and resigned herself to using the downlighting to navigate through the room. Rows of tall shelves lined the small space and she walked through the nearest set, looking for something suitable to carry out of there. But being isolated in the dark room with Carlos Moreno wasn’t helping her cognitive functions.
“What are you looking for?” he asked, coming up behind her. “Maybe I can help.”
Her eyes fell on a stack of notepads and she reached for them. “Uh, I think I found it,” she rushed out.
Unfortunately, she missed the box of envelopes that was stacked right above them. At her forceful jerking, the large bundle threatened to come down on her head.
“Careful,” Carlos said sharply, reaching over her to catch the items.
He shoved the packs back into position and the action brought him firmly against her. His warm, well-muscled chest pressed solidly along her back and she wanted nothing more than to lean against him, to have him wrap his strong arms around her and hold her close.
“Nothing got you, did it?”
Her face heated up as she shook her head. She was grateful he’d saved her from that embarrassing mishap—and that he wasn’t a mind reader.
“No, I’m fine.”
She turned around, but he didn’t step back. They both stood there looking at each other. There was no way she could stop her body’s response to him now—and no way could she hide her unrelenting attraction. Not when he looked at her like that.
Stark desire blazed in his deep, penetrating eyes, but there was also a tenderness and affection in them that made something in her belly flutter.
He reached out and brushed his thumb slowly across her cheek. “What’s a good girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?”
Judith glanced away from his intense gaze. He’d obviously intended for it to be a joke, but with what she’d just done not too long ago, coupled with the slow throbbing between her legs from his light touch, he was far from the truth.
She was no good girl.
He must have mistaken her guilt for coyness because he brought his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to his. Her breath caught in her throat at the fierce tenderness of his gaze. In that moment, lost in the deep, dark sea of his eyes, she forgot about everything and everyone but him.
He rubbed the pads of his thumbs slowly across her lower lip. “You’re so beautiful,” he said. Then a small, forced smile tugged across his mouth. “You made me forget my line.”
She smiled despite herself, not knowing how to respond to that. She felt beautiful. He made her feel beautiful.
“Can I kiss you, muñeca?”
Judith’s heart skipped, but he didn’t wait for her response. Leaning down, he brushed his lips lightly across hers. Once, twice…then again. His touch was light and sweet. Her reaction was anything but.
The soft caress sent a charge through her, igniting a fire that had been smoldering for far too long. The fervor raging through her was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. In that moment, a firestorm of desire erupted inside her. With an unsteady breath, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
She came alive again.
And he didn’t miss a beat.
Crushing her to him, he slanted his head and devoured her lips with his. She returned his kiss with all the pent-up passion and need surging through her.
Their bodies strained against each other as his erection pushed firmly along her belly. Clutching at his shoulders, she arched against him, wanting—no, needing—to get as close to him as she could. He thrust his tongue into her mouth, and she gently sucked at it, licking, teasing, and taking all that he gave.
She craved him. Craved his touch and his heat.
With an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other gripping the under curves of her butt, Carlos pulled her firmly to him and they ground against each other.
She wanted to feel all of him, and he obviously wanted the same thing. He shoved solidly against her and they fell back against the supply shelf, rattling a few items to the ground, but never breaking contact.
He walked them farther back into the supply room, where the illumination of the downlighting couldn’t reach them, and set her on the smooth surface of the high counter. Her tight skirt constricted her movements some, but she managed to spread her legs slightly. She cradled his hips, loving the heat and hardness of him pushed against her.
Dragging his lips away from hers, he trailed soft kisses down her neck. His trim facial hair grazed against her sensitive skin, leaving traces of heat behind. Small shivers coursed through her as he began sucking strongly at a tender spot just above her collarbone. She gasped softly, unable to stop the low moan that escaped her lips.
Still clutching at his shoulder, she brought her other hand up to his hair and ran her fingers through the short, wavy strands. They were softer than she’d imagined and she clutched her fingers around his dark hair as he moved his lips up to the underside of her jaw, still kissing and gently sucking on her delicate skin.
“Quiero probarte, muñeca,” he rasped close to her ear.
Everything in her trembled at his husky words. She didn’t know what he’d said, but the words stirred something deep inside her.
He moved to another spot on her neck, gently nipping again at the tender flesh and she released a shuddering breath, her grip tightening around his hair.
Bringing his lips inches from hers, he stared down at her with eyes as dark and rich as his low, baritone voice.
“Can I, muñeca?” Carlos asked, his hands sliding down her waist until they gripped her hips. “Taste you?”
Judith gazed at him through lowered lids, her fingers now clenching and unclenching around his rigid shoulders. She loved the way he kissed her, loved the way his tongue slid along hers. And she wanted him to do it again.
He flicked his tongue lightly across the lower edge of her mouth and she instinctively sucked in her bottom lip.
“Say yes,” he prompted, his grip tighten
ing around the soft curves of her hips.
“Yes,” she breathed.
He brought his head down to hers again for another fiery, all-consuming kiss. His hands moved down to her thighs and made their way underneath her skirt, pushing the tight material up her legs. She tore her lips from his, still holding on to his broad shoulders as he began tugging at her lace panties.
It took her a moment to register what he intended.
“Carlos…?” she gasped softly. What should have been a shocked exclamation came out more like a whimpering question.
“Just a taste,” he whispered thickly.
Her hips lifted slightly, allowing the delicate material to be pulled away from her body. There was a strong pulsing inside her and she wanted him to ease the insistent throbbing. She wanted it badly.
The red panties slipped to the floor and he gently pulled her hips forward until she was on the edge of the counter. Judith leaned back against the wide cork board as he hiked up her skirt. The cool air in the small room rushed between her heated flesh and the sensation of being completely exposed only heightened her desire and anticipation.
She didn’t have to wait long.
He came down between her legs and she reflexively tightened them around his head. The warmth of his tongue flicking against her heated flesh shook her to the core and she clenched her eyes shut. She was too lost in the body-tingling, pelvic-tightening pleasure he was building inside her and barely aware of her precarious position on the edge of the counter.
With a sharp inhale, she lifted her hips toward his swirling tongue. He licked and sucked on the sensitive flesh, the grate of his coarse facial hair on the inside of her thighs sending her close to the edge.
Her nipples hardened and pushed against her bra and she wanted his mouth there too. Wanted him to suck and lap over the hard peaks just as eagerly. Instead, he stabbed his tongue inside her, whirling around her like he couldn’t get deep enough.
“Oh, my God. Carlos!”
Cupping an aching breast with her palm, she squeezed tight as a low, rough moan escaped her lips. He devoured her like a man starved.
