by Riley Pine
“After all—I’m still one royal prick.”
And he is my royal temptation. I will never, ever get enough.
EPILOGUE
X
I WIPE REMNANTS of drywall from my shoulder as the sound of drilling whines through the ceiling.
“You’re getting sloppy, X,” she scolds from the shadows. “You’ve been followed.”
I step to the left and watch the drywall dust on the carpet to my right.
I raise my brows, knowing that she can see me even though I cannot see her.
“Really?” I ask. “Because if that were true, why are they a floor above?” I nod toward the flashing blue light on the desk in front of her. “Perhaps they have no idea I’m here. Perhaps they weren’t even looking until a server signal popped up on their screen.” I imagine her dark eyes boring holes through me.
She lets out a sigh. “You are still as arrogant as ever.”
I grin and take a step forward. She doesn’t stop me because she knows I’m still not close enough to see.
“And you’re still as easy to ruffle as ever. And, my Lady, I do enjoy ruffling you.”
There is a long silence but for the drilling overhead. They will break through soon. We’re on borrowed time, but then again, we always are.
“Tell me,” she says, her voice firm, though I detect the slightest tremor. Our parrying is over. “Is he safe?”
I open my mouth to say her name—or maybe her call sign, D. But I stop myself as I always do. If I don’t speak it aloud, no one else can hear. If I don’t see her in the flesh, they cannot torture her existence from me.
I bite back a self-satisfied grin. I’ve survived the worst any captor has had to offer—whips, brands, knives sharp enough to draw blood yet small enough that bleeding out would be a long, slow death.
Much to the disappointment of all who’ve tried, I’m not dead. Unfortunately for them—they are.
“X,” she pleads, as if I’d ever falter on a mission.
“He is safe,” I say. “He and the princess are enjoying an extended honeymoon on a private island off the coast. They will return soon, but plans for the celebration have been postponed until the king decides what to do with the traitorous queen. The prince, though, will rule at his father’s side, and the princess will serve as ambassador to our neighbors.”
“And Rosegate?” she asks.
A chunk of ceiling falls to the floor.
“We don’t have much time,” I say. “They will break through. And Rosegate is secure for the time being, but we’re still trying to figure out if the queen’s motive was merely to take the throne or to aid Nightgardin in Edenvale’s fall.”
She pulls the thumb drive, the source of the flashing light, from the laptop’s USB port.
“We won’t be here when they break through,” she says, and I hold up my palm, my hand curling into a fist to catch the small projectile. “I want the oldest prince to remain under surveillance, but you are relieved of immediate duty when it comes to him.”
I nod. More drywall falls. I clip the carabiners to the belt loops on my trousers and wonder for the first time if the material will hold. I guess we’re about to find out.
“What is the next mission?” I ask, knowing there is one.
I hear the wheels of her chair roll and can tell from the cadence of her breathing that she’s now standing.
“It’s all on the drive,” she says.
I look down at the blue light in my palm. “The heir spare,” I say, knowing without a computer monitor in front of me to corroborate. This is exactly what Nikolai wanted anyway. He will be none the wiser when my attentions shift.
“He is lost,” she says, “the second son.” Her voice grows distant as she does what she does best and disappears into a world that used to recognize her in seconds—one that now knows nothing of her existence.
Lost, I think. What if he doesn’t want to be found?
The ceiling caves in, and because being found is not on my agenda for the day, I unhook one of the carabiners and leap from the fifteenth-floor window.
I throw the bungee cable over the line and let gravity and the southerly wind do their job.
I skim over taxis, buses, locals and tourists, none of them aware of my existence overhead.
When I land on the hotel balcony, I make a mental note to thank the tailor of this suit. The strength of the belt loops is exquisite.
I brush away any further signs of ceiling dust and pick up my tumbler from the balcony ledge, draining the rest of my scotch. Then I thrust open the balcony doors to find a delicious brunette naked on the bed, a blindfold over her eyes and her wrists still bound to the bedpost. She purses her luscious, red-painted lips into a pout.
“You said you were running out to grab your drink. You’ve been gone for at least five minutes, X.”
I check my watch. “Seven, darling.”
She writhes against the satin sheet and bites her lip. “Well, I’m counting the minutes until you fuck me.”
I tap my breast pocket and make sure the flash drive is stored securely. Then I tear off the jacket.
“Spread your legs and count down from three,” I command, and she writhes again.
I unbutton my shirt.
“Three,” she moans.
I lose the pants.
“Two.”
I press my knees into the edge of the bed and run a hand up her thigh, my thumb teasing her folds where I left her drenched with anticipation.
“One,” she whimpers.
Time’s up.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from MAKE ME WANT by Katee Robert.
Get rewarded every time you buy a Harlequin ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003
ALSO AVAILABLE FROM
Her Dirty Little Secret
by JC Harroway
Nothing satisfies billionaire Jack more than keeping socialite Harley to himself. Their families hate each other, but they’re consumed by a wicked game of lust. And guarding this sexy secret makes everything a whole lot hotter...
Unmasked
Melbourne After Dark
by Stephanie London
Lainey has one goal before she leaves Melbourne: transform into a sexy siren, sneak into a glamorous masquerade ball, and seduce Damian McKnight. Only there’s a problem—one night isn’t nearly enough. Can this fantasy have a happily-ever-after?
The Marriage Clause
Dirty Sexy Rich
by Alexx Andria
Katherine isn’t interested in marriage. Yet she can’t keep her hands off billionaire Luca, who wants to put a ring on it! So challenges him to an X-rated battle of wits—to seduce her down the aisle!
Inked
Hard Riders MC
by Anne Marsh
Harper is a tattoo virgin before Vik draws her first ink. Once the bad-boy biker touches her, she’s addicted! Harper insists they won’t last outside of the bedroom—but their chemistry is a feeling she wants to last forever...
You can find more information on upcoming Harlequin titles, free excerpt and more at Harlequin.com.
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin DARE story.
Harlequin DARE pushes the boundaries of sexual explicitness while keeping the focus on the developing romantic relationship. Calling all fun and fearless heroines! Come meet the alpha heroes of your wildest dreams.
Sexy. Passionate. Bold.
Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Other ways to keep in touch:
Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/Harlequi
nBooks
Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!
Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.
Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice
OR
EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.
Click here to join for FREE
Or visit us online to register at
www.HarlequinMyRewards.com
Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.
Make Me Want
by Katee Robert
CHAPTER ONE
GIDEON NOVAK had almost canceled the meeting. He would have if he’d possessed even a shred of honor. Some things in this world were just too damn good for him to be associated with and Lucy Baudin topped that list. To hear from her now, two years after...
Focus on the facts.
She’d called. He’d answered. It was as simple as that.
The law office of Parker and Jones was the same as it had been the last time he’d walked through the doors. The small army of defense attorneys took on mostly white-collar crimes—specifically the ones that paid well—and that showed in every element of the interior. Soothing colors and bold lines projected confidence and created a calming effect.
Pale blue walls and good lines didn’t do a single damn thing to dial back the pressure building in his chest with each step.
He usually didn’t contract out with law offices. As a headhunter, Gideon preferred to stick to tech companies, various start-up corporations or, literally, anyone except lawyers. They were too controlling and wanted their hands on every detail, every step of the way. It was a pain in the ass.
This is for Lucy.
He kept his expression schooled on the elevator ride up. When he’d known her, she was somewhere around floor six, proving herself by working cases not big enough for the lawyers with seniority to want but that were too big to turn down. Now she was on floor nineteen, only a couple below Parker and Jones themselves. She’d done well for herself in the two years since he’d seen her last. Really well.
The elevator opened into a large waiting room that didn’t look anything like an actual waiting room. The more money people had, the more care was required in handling them, and the coffee bar and scattering of couches and trade magazines reflected that. The hallway was guarded by a large desk and an older woman with tasteful gray shot through her dark hair. Surprising. He’d expected a bottle-blond receptionist—or perhaps a brunette if they were feeling adventurous.
But then the woman looked up and he got the impression of a general surveying her domain. Ah. They’d chosen someone who couldn’t be bulldozed, if he didn’t miss his guess. Useful to keep unruly clients in line.
Gideon stopped in front of the desk and did his best to appear nonthreatening. “I’m here to see Lucy Baudin.”
“She’s expecting you.” She turned back to her computer, effectively dismissing him.
He spent half a second wondering at her qualifications—and if she was amiable to being poached for a different company—before he set it aside. Stepping on Lucy’s toes by stealing her receptionist wasn’t a good way to start off this meeting.
He’d spent the last week trying to figure out why the hell Lucy would seek him out. New York was rife with headhunters. Gideon was good—better than good—but considering their history, there had to be someone better suited for the job.
You could have said no.
Yeah, he could have.
But he owed Lucy Baudin. A single meeting wasn’t much in the face of the fact that he’d more or less single-handedly brought her engagement down in flames.
He knocked on the dark wooden door as he opened it. The office was bright and airy, big windows overlooking New York, the only furniture a large L-shaped desk and two comfortable-looking chairs arranged in front of it. Gideon took in the room in a single sweep and then focused on the woman behind the desk.
Lucy sat straight, her narrow shoulders tense, as if she was about to step onto a battlefield. Her long dark hair was pinned back into some style that looked effortless but probably took a significant amount of time to accomplish. She raised her pointed chin, which drew his attention to her mouth. Lucy’s features were a little too sharp to pass for traditional beauty—she would have made a killing on a runway—but her mouth was full and generous and had always been inclined to smile.
There were no smiles today.
“Lucy.” He shut the door behind him, holding his place to let her guide the interaction. She was the one who’d called him here. It didn’t feel natural to take his lead from someone else, but for her he’d make an effort.
At least until he heard her out.
“Gideon. Sit, please.” She motioned at the chairs in front of the desk.
Maybe she could pretend this was like any other job interview, but he couldn’t stop staring at her. She wore a dark gray dress that set off her pale skin and dark hair, leaving the only color present in her blue eyes and red lips. It created a striking picture. The woman was a goddamn gift. She always had been.
Jeff, you fucked things up beyond all recognition when you threw her away.
Focus.
She hadn’t arranged this meeting because of their past. If she could be professional, then he’d manage, as well. It was the least he could do.
Gideon sank into the chair and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “You said this was about a job.”
“Yes.” A faint blush colored her pale cheeks, highlighting the smattering of freckles there. “This is confidential, of course.”
It wasn’t quite a question, but he answered it anyway. “I didn’t put together a nondisclosure, but I can do that if you need to make it official.”
“That won’t be necessary. Your word that it stays between us will be enough.”
Curiosity curled through him. He’d had clients insist on confidentiality in the past—it was more the rule than the exception—but this felt different. He set the thought aside and focused on the job. “It would help if you’d describe the position you want filled. It gives me a general idea of what you’re looking for, and we can narrow it down from there.”
She met his gaze directly, her blue eyes startling. “The position I need filled is a husband.”
Gideon shook his head, sure he’d heard her wrong. “Excuse me?”
“A husband.” She held up her left hand and wiggled her ring finger. “Before you get that look on your face, let me explain.”
He didn’t have any look on his face. A husband. Where the fuck does she think I’m going to find a husband? He opened his mouth to ask exactly that, but Lucy beat him there. “The timing isn’t ideal, but gossip has come down the grapevine that I’m being considered for partner at the end of the year. While that would normally be a cause for celebration, some of the old guard have very strong beliefs about single women.” She rolled her eyes, the first Lucy thing he’d seen her do since he’d arrived. “It would be laughable if it wasn’t standing in the way of what I want, but I watched Georgia get passed over for a promotion last year for this exact reason. She wouldn’t bend and they chose her male competition instead.”
She was dead serious.
Gideon took a breath, trying to approach this logically. Obviously she’d put a lot of thought into the idea, and if she was misguided, that didn’t mean he had to verbally slap her down. This Lucy, put-together and in control, was a far cry from when he’d seen her last, sobbing and broken. But that didn’t change the fact that they were one and the same. He could handle this calmly and get her to see reason.
But calm and reasonable wasn’t what came out of his mouth. “Are you out of your goddamn mind, Lucy? I’m a headhunter—not a matchmaker. Even if I was, getting married to secure a promotion is bull
shit.”
“Is it?” She shrugged. “People get married for much less valid reasons. I almost married for love before, and we both know how that ended. There’s nothing wrong with handling marriage like a business arrangement—plenty of cultures do exactly that.”
“We aren’t talking about other cultures. We’re talking about you.”
Another shrug. As if it didn’t matter to her one way or another. He loathed that feigned indifference, but he didn’t have a goddamn right to challenge her on it.
She met his gaze directly. “This is important to me, Gideon. I don’t know about kids—I love my job, and having babies would potentially interfere with that—but I’m lonely. It wouldn’t be so bad to have someone to come home to, even if it wasn’t a love for the ages. Especially if it’s not a love for the ages.”
“Lucy, that’s crazy.” Every word out of her mouth cut into the barrier of professionalism he fought so hard to maintain. “Where the hell would I find you a husband?”
“The same place you find people to fill the positions normally. Interview. We’re in New York—if you can’t find a single man who’s willing to at least consider this, then no one can.”
Gideon started to tell her exactly how impossible it was, but guilt rose and choked the words off. He thought this plan was bat-shit crazy, and the thought of Lucy in some loveless marriage irritated him like sandpaper beneath his skin, scratching until he might go mad from it.
But it wasn’t his call to make.
And he was partially to blame for her single status right now.
Fuck.
Gideon straightened. No matter what he thought of this plan, when it came right down to the wire, he owed Lucy. He knew that piece of shit Jeff had cheated on her, and Gideon had kept his mouth shut for a full month before he’d told her the truth. That kind of debt didn’t just go away. If she was coming to him now, it was because she’d exhausted all other options, and his saying no wasn’t going to deter her in the least—she’d find a different way.
