“Morning, Evelyn. It’s nice to have you back after your sick day.”
“About that, do you have a few minutes to talk somewhere private?”
“I actually have a lot I need to—”
“It’s important,” stressed Evelyn. She tilted her head toward the conference room between Michael and Luke’s offices. “Let’s go.” This time she brought in her official FBI tone that tended to get things done.
Cali set her computer to sleep mode and stood. Evelyn led the way to the conference room and pushed the door closed once Cali was inside.
“Have a seat.” She motioned to the closest chair of the twelve around the oversized table.
Cali raised a brow at Evelyn’s authoritative tone but sat down, pulling her skirt down as she crossed her legs. “Fine. I’m here. What do you want?”
“So you’ve probably guessed I’m not an intern.”
Cali shrugged. “Hey, if Luke wants a pretty new intern who doesn’t actually do any work, it’s not my place to judge.”
“Funny. That sounds judgey.”
“It’s not my place—doesn’t mean I won’t do it.”
Evelyn smiled. She really didn’t want to like Cali as much as she did. The woman seemed like Evelyn’s opposite. Her clothes, makeup, and hair were impeccable, and she was somehow able to resist Luke’s charm. But it was past time to tell Cali the truth about why she was here. “My real name is Evelyn Price, and I’m an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
Cali blinked a few times but kept her expression mostly under control. “Not just FBI, huh? Must be serious when you don’t even use the abbreviation.”
Evelyn studied Cali and noticed that, despite her joking tone, she’d straightened in her seat and her foot tapped out a nervous rhythm on the floor. At least she was taking this seriously.
“So are you investigating Luke?”
“No. Luke is helping me with an investigation that has been ongoing for years. I’ve been the lead agent for the past few months. We were trying to keep Luke and Michael’s involvement under wraps, but word is out. So for the next week or so”—hopefully not longer—“I’m going to be hanging around Luke a lot. We thought you had a right to know.”
“Ummm, thanks for telling me now, I guess. What does this mean for me?”
“It means that you have an explanation for some of the strange things that are happening around you. I know Luke wanted you to know sooner, and now that the people we were looking into know Luke was working with the FBI, I don’t think it could hurt that much to let you in. Obviously we don’t want all of your friends knowing about all this, but Luke thinks we can trust your discretion.”
“Luke said that?”
“Well, I wouldn’t be talking to you if I didn’t believe it too.”
“That’s good to know. Here I thought Luke was copying me by running off to the Hamptons for the weekend with you.”
Evelyn frowned. “Wait, you knew where we were?”
“I had a Skype meeting with Luke. He didn’t say where he was working from, but he’s lent me that house for the weekend before. I recognized the room he was in.”
So if Cali was able to recognize it, anyone he had a Skype meeting with might know. “Can you give me a list of all the people Luke had a video meeting with over the past three days?”
Cali glanced down at her watch. “Sure. I’m meeting Easson for lunch in a few minutes. Should I cancel?”
Evelyn’s mouth dropped and she blinked a few times, trying to figure out whether she was imagining things. “I’m sorry, your boyfriend?”
“I do have a boyfriend. Is that so hard to believe?”
“No. Totally believable. I must’ve run your file before you and him were together, so I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Luke probably didn’t mention it either. He kind of thinks of me like a sister, so he likes to pretend I don’t date.”
Evelyn nodded. “So you go have lunch with Easson and get back to me about those meetings when you get back.”
“Will do.” Cali stood.
“But don’t tell him about this,” warned Evelyn.
Cali frowned but didn’t protest. “I’ll see you in an hour or so.”
“Have a nice lunch.” As soon as she was gone, Evelyn pulled out her phone and dialed Hotchins. He answered on the second ring. “Hey, I need someone here as soon as possible. The assistant, Cali, is meeting with her boyfriend for lunch—his name is Easson.”
“That’s the name you pulled off the phone, right?”
“Yes. And it’s a unique enough name that I’m thinking it’s more than coincidence.”
“I’ll work on getting a tail there.”
“Thanks. I’ll keep an eye on her and let you know what time she heads downstairs. I doubt he’d come up here.”
“Good work, Price.” Hotchins hung up.
Now Evelyn needed to let Luke know a plausible reason for why she was hanging out around Cali’s desk for the next fifteen minutes. The conference room had windows with a view of the hallway. If she stood and pretended she was on the phone, she’d be perfect.
Evelyn quickly made her way back to Luke’s office and poked her head in.
He looked up immediately. “Done running away?”
Evelyn squared her jaw, forcing herself not to explain that she wasn’t running away, even if that was probably exactly what she did. “I wanted to let you know that I have a few phone calls to make. I’m going to borrow the conference room next door. Make sure you don’t go anywhere without me.”
She left before he could respond, not sure she could handle another strangely accurate crack about her running away. Once she was back in the conference room, she took out the phone and pretended to have a conversation while subtly glancing out to Cali’s desk to verify where she was.
After about ten minutes, Cali started to pack up her stuff and Evelyn dialed Hotchins to let him know she was on the move. Once Cali was on the elevator, Evelyn hung up. Cali knew Evelyn too well for Evelyn to tail her any further without being noticed.
One more thing out of her hands. So she’d do the one thing she could. Watch Luke and make sure he didn’t die.
“I have some news,” said the man over the phone.
Luke stood and pushed his carton of shrimp fried rice farther on the kitchen island as he headed for the balcony. “I have to take this,” he mouthed to Evelyn before he escaped to the terrace. The wind up here was loud, but he held the phone closer. He wasn’t going to take this call anywhere Evelyn could overhear.
“Colin?” he asked once he was alone.
“Jace said that you needed some assistance in the city. I owe him a few favors.”
Luke noticed he didn’t confirm his name, but he didn’t care who it was if they had something that could help him. “What do you have?”
“Not much yet, but I got a copy of Longineu’s private schedule. I just sent it to your phone.”
“That was fast. Didn’t Jace just contact you today?”
“It was convenient. Longineu has been spending a lot of time with Walter Farrell over the past few weeks. I lifted his phone for a few minutes during lunch today.”
Convenient...and scary. If Longineu was trying to recruit Farrell, that meant he was stepping up his plans. The Farrell fortune was notorious, and Longineu was probably chomping at the bit to get his hands on some of that money. Not to mention the power that went along with it.
If Farrell joined the Thirteen Stars, their power would increase exponentially.
“Thanks for the schedule,” said Luke. “Do you need a retainer for your services?” He didn’t mind paying for the help, but he’d like to know the fees ahead of time.
“This one’s on the house.”
“On the house?” If there was one thing Luke didn’t trust, it was free things.
“Longineu rubs me the wrong way and I don’t like that Walter has been meeting with him so much. If you take care of Longineu, that would be payment eno
ugh for me.”
Luke frowned. What kind of relationship did Colin have to the Farrells that would inspire so much loyalty? But saving a few extra bucks probably wouldn’t hurt. He had a bad feeling he’d never see that hundred million he’d invested to get into the Thirteen Stars again.
“Thanks for the info. Keep me updated if you learn anything else.”
The other man hung up without a word, and Luke pulled up the calendar that Colin had sent over. Lots of business lunches, dinners, drinks, but not a lot of work. Figured.
He tucked the phone into the pocket of his pants and headed back into the living room.
Evelyn had taken off her suit jacket and was just in her unbuttoned blouse, and he found himself wishing the tank she wore beneath was lower cut. “Did I miss anything?” he asked. He realized that her gun holster was off too, and resting on the far side of the counter next to her phone. The holster had to be uncomfortable after eight hours, but it was still a strange sight to see in his kitchen.
“Just me stealing one of your shrimp. Besides that, nothing. Was that a work call?”
“Yep. Nothing important. I tell people only to call me after hours if something is on fire or someone is dying, but they never listen.”
Evelyn let out a small laugh. “Unfortunately, that’s the reason for most of my phone calls.”
Luke pushed his food over and took the stool next to her at the island. “So what about your day? Make any good breakthroughs on the case?”
Evelyn met his eyes and then looked back to her food. “Unfortunately, we’re still coming up empty in most areas. We’re working on tracing one of the phone numbers from the cell I took from the man at the cottage, though.”
Luke took a breath. Damn. She was still feeling guilty. What did he have to say to get through to her that she shouldn’t mourn that man’s death? “Stop thinking about it.” He set a hand on her knee.
Fear flashed in her eyes. “Stop thinking about what?”
“This guilt you’re feeling,” he said. “You know, the only reason you should feel bad is if you felt nothing. If killing someone had no effect. But trust me, as the person you saved, I think you were completely justified.”
Evelyn smiled at him and reached up to cup his cheek. “That’s really nice, Luke,” she whispered. “But that’s not what’s bothering me.”
“What is?”
She tightened her lips as her hand fell from his face. “That’s confidential.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Don't keep secrets?”
“Don't stop touching me.” He used his free hand to catch hers, the one that had just been stroking his face.
“I thought we weren’t doing this anymore.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “You did think that. I never did.”
“Feeling a little cocky, Devereaux?”
“Feeling like I want you in my bed, Price. Now I challenge you to give me one good reason why we shouldn’t go upstairs together right now.”
Her brows furrowed. “How about the massive bruise and cut on your forehead that has been giving you a headache all day?”
“Would’ve been much worse without you there to be my knight in shining armor.”
She rolled her eyes. “Wouldn’t have happened at all if I didn’t let you distract me. Which is exactly what you’re trying to do right now.”
Fuck. Reasoning wasn’t working. Luke decided to go for it and leaned in, capturing Evelyn’s lips with his. She started to pull away and he caged her head with his hands. “Please, don’t.” He couldn’t say that he was proud to beg, but damn, he really didn’t want her sleeping alone tonight. He didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. Not when she was so close and so perfect. “Come upstairs with me,” he said between kisses.
“Luke, I—”
“You want to,” he insisted. He wasn’t opposed to playing dirty. Evelyn wanted him, and he was determined to make her see that. He reached down to her knees and pushed her legs open. Her breath caught as she met his gaze, but she didn’t move to stop him. Progress.
He reached between them and pressed his palm to her mound. He could feel her heat through the fabric of her pants, and he knew that if he could push inside her like he wanted to, she’d be wet for him.
Her eyes drifted closed as he rubbed her, and he leaned forward, nipping at the curve of her neck while she wasn’t expecting it. She jumped under his unexpected touch and made the sexiest sound of surprise he’d ever heard.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, leaning back at the same time until she was straddling him on the stool as he kept kissing her throat.
Her arms held him tightly as though she thought he might drop her, but he had her perfectly balanced. There wasn’t any way he was going to mess up having her in this position.
He gripped her ponytail to angle her head in the other direction so he could give the same attention to the other side of her neck, and she signaled her approval as she started to move against him. He was torn between the discomfort of his erection pressing against his pants and the need to move against her. Damn, he needed to get her into bed as soon as possible.
But then she tilted his head back and kissed him fiercely even as she pulled at her blouse, throwing it on the floor next to them. Luke immediately pulled at the hem of her tank, desperate to expose as much of her skin as possible. Desperate to get more of her.
She pulled away from him just long enough to pull off the tank top and bra in one quick motion.
His breath left him as her beautiful breasts were freed right in front of his eyes. But he couldn’t touch her and keep her on his lap at the same time. Which meant he needed to adjust positions ASAP.
He stood with her in his arms, kicking the stool down. It fell with a loud bang as he positioned her ass on the edge of the counter. She tugged at his belt, and he knew they were on the same wavelength. God, he loved this woman. He pushed her hands away and undid his pants himself, pushing them down and kicking off his shoes at the same time.
Evelyn turned back to her own pants, and he helped lift her so the material could slide down her legs. He knelt down to unzip her boots until she was fully naked.
He took in the sight of the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen: naked, leaning back and staring at him with lust in her eyes. He might never be able to eat on this counter again, but, damn, it was worth it.
“I need you so bad.” He stood up and positioned himself between her legs. He wanted to romance her. Seduce her. Prove to her why she should stay.
But every time he was around her, logic seemed to slip away, replaced with the primal urge to get her naked and beneath him as soon as possible.
At least it seemed he wasn’t the only one. Evelyn reached between them and wrapped her fingers around his cock and all rational thought fled. He needed to be inside her. Now.
She positioned the tip of his cock at her entrance, and he didn’t wait any longer. Luke held her close as he pushed in. Her head fell back as she moaned his name.
He pulled almost completely out before he thrust in again; her breasts jiggled at the motion, and he thought he might come right then and there. He was never going to get enough of this woman.
But he was determined to make her come. He just needed to hold on...
One arm wrapped around her waist and held her steady as the other one found the small, sensitive nub right above her entrance and pushed.
Evelyn gasped and moaned at the same time. The sexy noise went straight to Luke’s cock. Damn.
His thrusts came faster and harder, his own body directing the pressure his hand was putting on her clit, and he said a silent thanks as her orgasm hit her hard.
The feeling of her clenching tightly around him was all it took to push him over the edge. He had to use both hands to hold her ass as he came, the release shaking his entire body.
He opened his eyes a second later and held the breathless Evelyn close. He rested his head against her neck and ran his hands along her
back, savoring the feel of her. He might be losing her soon, but at least she was still with him for now. He’d savor the moment and take advantage of any future ones as long as she’d let him.
Evelyn ran her hands over his back and pressed a kiss to his neck. “You’re officially a bad influence.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” he muttered, even as a grin covered his face.
“I can’t believe I didn’t even get you shirtless.” She pulled at the buttons of his shirt.
“Night is young,” he promised. “I have plenty of time to keep corrupting you.”
He started to pick her up, but she shook her head. “Wait.”
Luke winced. Was he going to have to convince her that this was a good idea all over again?
Evelyn reached back and grabbed her holstered gun and cell phone from the counter. “I’m ready now.”
“Tell me everything you know about Easson Harper.” Evelyn pulled Hotchins into the conference room next to Luke’s office.
He held out a folder and set it down. “Nothing good. He’s military background, but his files were sealed. If you can read between the blacked-out sections, you’ll know as much as me.”
Evelyn frowned as she pulled the folder from his hands and opened it on the conference table. “Military? What branch? What squad?”
“Nothing. Everything was classified, even for me. It took me three days to even get this.”
She frowned as she flipped the pages in the file, skimming over everything that wasn’t concealed by a fat black marker. “This doesn’t make sense. He seemed trained, but I was able to fight him off easy enough.”
“Well, you’re special. He probably wasn’t expecting a fight when he came up on you.”
He hadn’t expected a fight as he snuck up on a woman alone in her apartment. “This man is dangerous,” she muttered.
“Does Luke’s assistant realize what she’s gotten herself into?” Hotchins took a seat.
“I didn’t tell Luke about it.” Hotchins frowned and Evelyn rolled her eyes. “Don’t judge me. She was out with this guy for the entire weekend and didn’t have a scratch on her. What harm could a few more days do?”
Devereaux Billionaires Complete Series: Books 1-4 Page 47
