Revenge for Hire (The Get Even Agency)

by Lynn, Janice

  Jude definitely looked human, vulnerable. Not like a man who went around chewing up women’s hearts for breakfast.

  Avery’s heart clenched. She’d planned for Jude to ruin Mrs. Yamaguchi’s party. She’d certainly succeeded. So why did she feel so horrible?

  * * *

  Courtney checked her connections and dropped backwards off the thirty-nine story building.

  With ease, she rappelled down the side to the thirtieth floor. Outside apartment thirty-sixteen’s window, she took a small laser device from her backpack and shined it through the window onto the security mechanism, temporarily short-circuiting the system with the press of a button. Next, she jimmied the lock on the window, causing it to slide forward with ease and without making a sound.

  With the stealth of a master thief, she slipped through the window and unhooked her d-ring, removed her backpack, peeled off her leather jacket to reveal the white tank she wore beneath.

  She pulled two long cloth strips from her backpack and curled her fist around them.

  Tip-toeing across the apartment--she knew her way around as she’d been there once before to scope the place out--she snuck toward Aidan Mills, private investigator extraordinaire and total sex god’s bedroom.

  Outside his bedroom door, she paused. What if the king of orgasms had someone with him?

  After all, the man was sexy as hell, magnificent in bed, and should never be allowed to sleep alone and waste all that stamina.

  She leaned forward, listening. Nothing, but the even sounds of his breathing.

  Breathing that wouldn’t be even for long.

  She planned to make him huff and puff and blow her house down.

  She undid her boots and slipped them off. Then she shucked her jeans. Clad only in her hip-hugger panties and the white tank, she pushed Aidan’s bedroom door open without so much as a squeak.

  Light from his bedroom window illuminated a shadowy figure in his bed. She needed to make sure he was really alone before acting on her whim.

  She tip-toed closer. Air trapped in her throat as she scanned the bed for body outlines.

  Just one. Aidan’s.

  What an outline it was. Total yum with orgasms on top.

  She smiled. She was glad he was alone. She’d hate to have had to throw the witch out the window if he hadn’t been.

  She’d been unable to think of anything else but the man lying beneath the sheets since the moment she’d met him.

  Which for a sworn avenger of womankind could be a pain in the kisser.

  She wasn’t supposed to have one man stuck in her head. But try telling that to her dream machine because every time she closed her eyes this guy’s memory took over.

  And how.

  Was he naked? She bet he slept nude. More room for that beautiful body to breathe.

  She wanted to know. Needed to know.

  Ever careful not to wake him, she bound first one wrist, then the other, securing them to the bedposts. Mainly, she pinned his wrists so he wouldn’t accidentally hurt her when she woke him, but she also got off knowing he’d be at her mercy. Aidan Mills at her mercy made her wet. Aidan Mills period made her wet. Soaking.

  Easing onto the bed, she crawled toward him on all fours. He stirred, but didn’t fully wake. Lightening fast, she straddled him and pressed a kiss to his surprised mouth.

  “Wake up, Sunshine. You’re about to have a really good dream.”

  “What the?” he mumbled, jerking from sleep and immediately attempting to free his wrists. The entire bed shook. He was strong. She liked that about him. Strong hands, yet amazingly gentle when he touched her. “What the hell is going on?”

  “You’re tied up and at my sexual mercy. I plan to do very naughty things to you. Things so naughty when you wake you’ll know all this was just a really good dream.”

  He struggled to free himself, but not with nearly as much effort as he had upon waking. Just enough to not look like a big sis for just lying there.

  She stretched forward and laced her fingers with his bound ones. She grasped his hands, realized his face was strategically located between her small breasts. Grazing every inch of her upper torso against him, she scooted back down to where her thighs cradled his hips.

  “Let me loose.”

  “Shhhh,” she whispered against his mouth, kissing him again, and squeezing her thighs together to hug him tight. Beneath the sheet, something moved.

  He was naked. And hard.

  “Like I said,” she continued. “You’re just having a dream.”

  “A good one?” he asked, straining to lift his head from the sheet to kiss her mouth.

  “You tell me.” She kissed him, a deep Frenchie that had her clamoring to tear the sheet from between them.

  “Seems familiar.”

  “Oh?” she asked, grinding her hips against the hard ridge beneath the sheet. She contracted her muscles, longing to feel him stretching her. Damp heat moistened her inner thighs, moistened her panties.

  “Like one I’ve been having every night for the past month.”

  “You’ve been dreaming of me?” She liked that, because he’d definitely been in her dreams, too. Dreams of the way he’d smiled at her the night they met. The way his eyes ate her up. The way he’d propelled her to all new heights sexually and couldn’t get enough of her. The way he’d done her hard and fast and deep. Just the way she liked.

  She’d given credit to the magic pill. She wanted to know for sure. That’s why she’d had to see him again.

  To find out if it was only the pill that made him so different than any other man she’d ever been with. Or if it was Aidan himself and the pill had just been an added bonus giving way to extra stamina and staying power.

  Definitely he didn’t need a pill to produce the goods, because the stiffy digging into her groin was impressive.

  “Untie me.”

  “No.”

  “I want to touch you.”

  She clenched her thighs around him and shifted slowly. “I want to touch you.”

  “Yes.”

  Courtney wasn’t such a fool as to ignore an open invitation. She pulled the sheet off his chest, bunching it where their thighs met.

  She slapped his chest and raked her fingers down the smooth expanse of magnificent male flesh. With her tongue she traced over what was sure to be red paths from her nails. She nipped and licked and teased his chest and abdomen until she thought the bed might collapse under the strain of his pull against the binders.

  “Untie me.”

  She scooted down, pulling the sheet with her, revealing all of his body. “We both know you like what I’m doing, so shut up and take it like a man.”

  She raised her hand.

  “Don’t you hit me there!”

  Courtney slapped him. There.

  But not nearly as hard as she’d slapped his chest. She raked her nails down the long smooth skin. Traced her tongue over him.

  “What were you saying about not doing something?” she teased, thrilling at the way his entire body tensed. At the way his hips lifted off the bed and his arms flexed against their restraints.

  “No.”

  That got her attention. She stopped her sweet torture. “No?”

  “Untie me.”

  She kissed him, rolled a condom over him, then wiggled her way to lie on him, belly to belly. She stared down, only making out the silhouette of his face. “Give me one good reason why I should.”

  “I want to touch you, taste you. Untie me.”

  “You know, you’re ruining the fantasy here.” She mock sighed while she undid the knot binding his left hand. “I planned to swoop in, ride you hard, and leave you tied to the bed for the maid to find in the morning.”

  “I don’t have a maid.”

  She gave another mock sigh. “Guess I’d better untie you then.”

  She tugged the knot loose. He immediately pulled his arm free and rolled, reversing their positions and pinning her to the bed beneath his hard, naked frame.


  “How did you get in here?”

  She smiled. “The same way all your other dreams get in. Now kiss me.”

  “I’m going to do a hell of a lot more than just kiss you.” He took her mouth in a kiss meant to dominate.

  “Mmmm, promises, promises.” She moved beneath him, stretched her arms above her head, meaning to work the other knot loose to free his right wrist.

  “You’re going to be gone when I wake up?”

  “Yes.” She stared up at him, her eyes adjusted to the low light, but not enough that she could make out his expression. “So you better shut up and kiss me because so far this has been a dud of a dream.”

  “You’re dreaming, too?”

  “Apparently not,” she complained. “If this was my dream I’d be naked and you’d be inside me.”

  Then, Courtney decided she was dreaming, because he pushed her panties.

  Oh hell, she thought with her last few functioning brain cells.

  It hadn’t been the magic pill.

  It had been Aiden Mills.

  * * *

  “Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let’s get you upstairs,” Avery said, trying to rouse the man resting against her shoulder.

  After promising the doctor she’d keep an eye on Jude, she’d called for a taxi to bring them to his apartment. Under the influence of the medications he’d been given at the hospital, he’d fallen asleep within minutes of their getting into the car.

  “Wake up.” She shook him and was awarded a groggy groan. “I’m not carrying you to your apartment which means you’re going to have to walk, mister.”

  She could carry him, but she wasn’t going to. Not in this dress. She sent a pleading look to the taxi driver. “Can you help get him inside the building? Just as far as the elevator, please?”

  Stronger men than the fifty-ish year old Arabian cabbie had tried resisting a TGEA girl and failed. When he opened the back passenger door and helped her tug Jude from the car, Avery shot a grateful smile.

  Jude’s head bobbed forward.

  “Is he okay?”

  “Just too much to drink. Again.” Avery placed Jude’s arm over her shoulder and the taxi driver did the same with the opposite.

  Jude sagged between them.

  “He’ll be all right?” The driver didn’t look too sure.

  “He does this kind of thing all the time.” Avery winked at the driver and together they walked Jude to the building.

  Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t have been able to get inside the coded entrance. These weren’t normal circumstances. She was TGEA.

  She punched in the code she’d stored to memory, along with a lot of other useful information regarding Jude. Like his bank account numbers, his computer passwords, his birthday being on January 6th, his favorite color being maroon. Silly stuff, yet she could recite everything she’d ever read on the man. She’d always had a memory that allowed her to store details.

  Too bad she hadn’t known he was allergic to shrimp.

  The lock released and they walked Jude inside the building. Once they reached the elevators, Avery dug in her purse and pulled out a hundred and handed it to the driver.

  “Thank you for your trouble.”

  The man eyed the bill, then grinned. “Thanks.” He motioned to Jude. “You okay with him?”

  “Until I decide to strip him naked and have my wicked way with him.”

  The man’s eyes bulged. He raked his gaze over Avery’s green dress, then gave a small envious wave and left.

  Avery smiled and managed to keep Jude propped between her and the wall while she punched in the code to get the elevator.

  “I swear you’re growing heavier by the minute, Jude Layman,” she complained when the doors swung open. She pulled him into the elevator and tapped his floor number.

  He mumbled something, but she couldn’t make it out.

  Avery pressed him against the wall and used her body to hold him up. The elevator walls were mirrored and reflected their image.

  They looked good pressed together. Her tall and dark. Him taller and fair-haired. Almost sexy if the circumstances were different.

  Only they weren’t. She’d been reminded of that while sitting in the hospital emergency exam room with Jude. When she realized she’d been the one to do this to him. Unknowingly, but she had fed him the pate.

  She sighed when the elevator door dinged, announcing their arrival to Jude’s floor. She wrapped his arm back around her neck and walked him to his apartment.

  “I need your key, Rip,” she informed, forcing him against the wall with her shoulder and digging in his pocket for his keys.

  His eyes opened.

  “Find anything you like?” His words were mumbled, but unmistakable.

  “I don’t think you’re in any condition to be making such comments, Mr. Van Winkle.” She wrapped her fingers around the warm keys snuggled in the bottom of his pants pocket. Movement brushed her fingertips. “Then again, I could be wrong.”

  He grinned. “Baby, I’m always in the condition for some things.”

  She had to laugh because he looked absolutely adorable playing the game, with drool running out the side of his mouth and his eyes hazy from the allergy meds.

  Avery unlocked the door and led him inside.

  Apparently, he’d wakened some with the jostling about, because he pretty much stumbled into the apartment by himself.

  “Come on, Casanova, let’s get you to bed.”

  “No.” He shook his head, squinted, pointed toward the sofa. “I’ll be right back. Wait for me.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need help?”

  “Not unless you’re going to hold it for me while I take a piss.”

  Eww yuck. Men could be such disgusting creatures. Adorable, but disgusting.

  Avery sat on Jude’s sofa and waited for him to come out of his bedroom.

  They’d spent three hours in the emergency room and it was well after midnight. Most of the time had been spent waiting since Jude’s swelling abated a great deal following her administration of the Epi-pen.

  The allergy meds and steroid shot had been precautionary.

  After seeing his beautiful face swollen and gross, Avery liked precautionary.

  She glanced around his apartment. Like his office it was a classy blend of style and comfort. The living area and dining room were a combo package similar to TGEA’s New York apartment. The kitchen however was smaller, visible through the open bar and looked as if it were rarely used. Probably wasn’t.

  A photo of an older couple, probably his parents, rested on a gas fireplace mantel. She checked out the photo, seeing the strong resemblance between Jude and the couple. He had his father’s looks, but his mother’s blue eyes. No other personal photos adorned the room. Just still life shots.

  Avery twiddled her thumbs and waited some more.

  She’d never been a patient woman. She swore not a sound was coming from Jude’s bedroom.

  She promised the doctor to keep an eye on him.

  Just a quick peek. To make sure he was okay. That was all.

  She walked to the door Jude disappeared through fifteen minutes before and knocked.

  No answer.

  She turned the handle and pushed open the door.

  There, on the bed, lay her Sleeping Beauty totally zonked out to the world.

  Avery laughed.

  So much for suave, charm, and sophisticated seductions.

  Now what?

  She wasn’t leaving him.

  Nor was she sleeping on that sofa.

  She eyed the big king-sized bed he lay on. Plenty of room for two. She’d lie next to him. Just for a little while. Until she knew he was going to be okay. Then she’d go back to her apartment.

  She’d even leave the lamp light on. Just so he’d know she wasn’t staying.

  * * *

  Sleep evaded Avery. Jude’s masculine scent, however, did not.

  No wonder she couldn’t sleep.


  Why would she possibly want to lose consciousness and miss out on a single second of lying in Jude’s arms? Being able to study his face without his being aware? Being able to curl against him without having to worry about his response or expectations?

  Jude asleep and at her mercy was quite the turn on.

  How deep of a sleeper was he?

  Ha, the man was medicated and passed out. She could probably screw him and he wouldn’t crack an eyelid.

  Well, maybe an eyelid.

  She snuggled closer and was impeded by her gown yet again.

  Only one thing to do.

  Careful not to disturb Jude, she stood, unzipped the side of her dress and let the silky green material glide to the floor.

  She glanced down at her semi-naked body. Too bad Jude was asleep and missing the view. He’d like the expensive lacy black strapless bra and matching panties Randi and Cassidy bought her. A getting laid gift they’d called the fancy package they’d presented.

  She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her arms, rubbing away goose-bumps caused from the thought of Jude seeing her, wanting her, having to have her.

  She opened her eyes and for the briefest of seconds thought he’d been watching. Must have been her hopeful imagination that he was awake because his chest rose and fell in the synchronous rhythm of deep sleep.

  Avery watched, realized she’d never seen a man sleep before tonight. Never witnessed that at peace with the world expression.

  She touched his face, tentatively at first, as if she were afraid he’d awaken. Then more confidently when he seemed oblivious to anything outside his slumberous world.

  She traced the planes of his cheeks, the cut of his jaw, brushed her fingers through the thick locks of his hair.

  Jude didn’t budge.

  Shivering, she crawled into the bed next to him and curled into his body heat. She inhaled, drugging her senses with his muskiness, deciding she wanted to explore more.

  Tentatively, she undid button after button of his tuxedo shirt. He’d lost his bowtie at the emergency room and his jacket somewhere between his trip to the bathroom and passing out on the bed.

  When the last button gave way, she pushed his shirt open, and propped herself on her elbow to look at him. Really look at him.

  She’d never seen his chest uncovered. It was beautiful. A work of art. Something more worthy of honor than anything Michelangelo ever sculpted.