by Kells, India
He knew he was being rough, but didn’t care. “What were you doing here? Are you fucking insane, your life is possibly on the line, so don’t go wandering the streets at night alone!”
Isabel looked at him at first with surprise, turning into annoyance. She tried to shrug him off, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Possibly is the operative word, right? From the moment I left the restaurant until you reached me, anyone could have kidnapped me but didn’t. You guys are just twitchy. Finch may be a monster, but he’s not a stupid man doing stupid things. He’s a planner through and through. Like you. If killing me is part of his plan, I doubt it would be the same day he asks for my services or after siccing me with a bodyguard.”
Kai’s grip tightened, pushing Isabel with more force against the unyielding wall. “You don’t know what he is capable of, how little he cares for human life. Are you made of ice? Don’t you care?”
“I’m fucking scared!” She literally exploded at him, two inches from his face, emotions pouring out of her. “I don’t have military experience or a fucking big gun!” For a brief moment, she was fighting to regain control over herself. “I’m not stupid, but believe it or not, I believe you and Gabrielle. If you say that this man has hurt people, he’s hurting you and innocents and I’m the key, I will risk it. I will risk more than you could ever think.”
It gripped Kai within a second, closing his throat off as he saw the woman from all those years ago reappear before his eyes. The siren emerging from the sea, sweeping his life in a single wave. His mouth crashed over her, surprising them both. Kai felt like drowning as her mouth welcomed him in.
Kai knew he shouldn’t kiss her, that instead he ought to remember the treason and the pain, but he didn’t care. All his body could sense was Isabel. Her hands dipped under his shirt, and his stomach tightened as her nails raked over his quivering muscles.
He mimicked her caress and groaned as his hand finally made contact with her soft skin. Hunger took over logic when he hooked his hands behind her knees so she could circle his waist with her legs. Using the wall as leverage to free his hands, he fisted her ponytail to bare her neck for him. Her thighs tightened around him, her hands started to claw.
“Kai.” Her breathless plea unleashed him to the point where he didn’t recognize his reaction. The moaning woman in his arms, the taste of her on his tongue, Isabel’s hands roaming every inch of exposed skin, he was gone.
Letting go of her, his hands went to the waistband of her jeans as Isabel did exactly the same with his, both fumbling in their haste. Kai was the first to push her pants down, immediately cupping her, his fingers discovering how ripe she was for him.
Kai swatted her hands away and turned her body around. They didn’t have the time or will for finesse and tender caresses. Using each other’s body for pleasure was the only thing that could possibly ever be between them.
As he finished pushing his pants down, his erection nestled naturally between Isabel’s legs. At the contact, she pushed herself from the wall, arching her back in clear invitation.
It was pure torture not to push himself deep in one stroke. Instead, he rubbed his cock between her slick labia. As Isabel reached back, he grabbed her hips and pushed himself inside her spasming sheath.
For a moment, Kai almost feared losing control and making a fool of himself, but somehow managed to hold back. No way he would be the one to fall first. Deep inside, his body against hers, he started to move and everything shut down around. Hidden in the shadows in the middle of Chicago, it was as if the world had disappeared.
Kissing all the soft skin he could reach, fighting against his own release because he knew reality would hit him in the face if he dared surrender, Kai didn’t count on Isabel coming apart in his arms. Her core clenched so hard around him, he had no other choice but to shatter with her.
It was a bittersweet pleasure, one swirling with ghosts of their pasts and could-have-beens. Circling his arms around her, holding her tight as they both trembled, Kai rubbed his cheek between her shoulder blades, memorizing the scent of her he had never forgotten.
Almost immobile as they landed back to reality, coldness surrounded both of them again, and Kai knew the magic was over. Maybe forever.
Chapter Nine
Isabel felt as if a freight train had hit her hard. Physically, she was fine, apart from a dull headache. It was her emotions that were all over the place after what had happened the night before. Deep down she knew that it would eventually happen, that it was inevitable since they’d laid eyes on each other. The tension, the attraction was still there, but so many years had passed, and other, less positive emotions had happened too, and that was what destroyed her, even if she knew it was for the best.
From the moment they left the alley, Kai had closed up tight, in a way she had never seen before. Of course he was regretting falling prey to his urges. He had driven her straight home, and accompanied her up to her apartment, where Isabel had immediately locked herself in her room and taken her sweet time in the shower. When she finally gathered the courage to come out, Liam was sitting on the sofa, giving a clear message. What had happened had been a mistake never to be repeated.
Destiny may have played a nasty trick on them, but it reminded her of why Kai had reappeared in her life. She had work to do, Finch to take down, and the quicker the better.
When morning came, dressed and showered, Isabel was ready for battle despite little sleep. Poor Liam had slept on her couch, but he still smiled at her and Chewy barked, waggling his tail. At least two males were happy to see her.
Isabel pasted a smile on her face, but didn’t linger in her apartment. There was work to do and she could wait for coffee at work.
Thank goodness Liam stayed silent on the drive to her office, and followed her without a word. That comedy of girlfriend-boyfriend was stupid and useless, and she was determined to end it as soon as she could speak to Gabrielle.
When the elevator opened, her mood must have shown because her entire team gave her a wide berth. Once in her office, the pile of files on her desk told her that it was going to be a rough one.
Her eyes stopped on the red file. Immediately she sat behind her desk and opened it. Her attorney had sent her the revised version of the contract with a note that Finch requested that if the contract was to her liking, Isabel was to bring it to him in person. Immediately a plan popped into her mind.
“Would you like a coffee?”
It took a moment to click back to reality and see Liam standing in front of her. “Yeah. I have a couple of meetings to plan, so you don’t need to stay if you need to be elsewhere. I don’t plan to leave the office for the next two hours.”
Liam gaged her for a moment. “I would like to take Chewy for a walk and make a few calls … but if it’s a trick…”
She lifted her hands. “I promise I will stay here. But when you come back, I need to go to an appointment.”
He paused again before he nodded and whistled at Chewy to follow him.
After calling her second-in-command into her office, Isabel sent an appointment to Finch. If she wanted to draw him out, find that thread the team could pull, she had to take the lead.
* * *
Isabel stepped out of the cab in front of the building where Finch installed his offices, Liam and Chewy following after her. His penthouse was one floor above his offices and as one of the most prestigious properties in Chicago, it spoke volumes of the man and what he was made of. If he ran for mayor, it wouldn’t be to help the people of the city, but for his own interests.
“I can stay in the lobby or maybe wait for your call at a restaurant nearby.”
Isabel nodded. “Keep your phone close, I’ll let you know.” It wasn’t pleasant to trick him into thinking that this was a regular appointment, but she knew everybody would go mad if they knew she was meeting Jamieson on her own.
At the moment, she couldn’t smile. It was like she was going to war, and to some extent, it was exactly that. She was glad her unconscious m
ind had chosen her outfit in the same way: black pantsuit, black silk blouse, red heels as crimson as her lips, her blond hair in an intricate bun. Fierce and in control. She may be facing a predator, but she could bare her fangs too.
Her briefcase in her hand, Isabel entered as if she owned the place, which was the only way to do it.
After security, she took the private elevator straight up, and as she expected from Finch, the door opened into the penthouse.
At least when Finch walked in her direction, he still had his three-piece suit on. “Isabel. A pleasure to see you, and a delight for my old eyes.”
If that was the way he wanted to do it, she could follow the lead. “You are not old, Jamieson. You are the perfect age to run for mayor.”
The smile he gave her confirmed that she had flattered him exactly the way he liked. “So that means that in your suitcase, there is a contract with a signature on it?”
“Almost. But I may have some improvements to add.”
He gestured her to come in and sit on one of the big sofas dominating the open space. The decor was as clunky and ugly as she had been briefed. The black, cream, and gold hurt the eye in the worst way. Money sure didn’t buy taste.
Finch went to a small bar and started pouring two glasses. Without asking if she wanted a drink, he offered her one and sat on the opposite sofa before her.
“To be honest, I would have been really disappointed if you hadn’t negotiated a few points. Although I have to admit your lawyer is a very dangerous and stubborn woman. She made some of my staff sweat during the rewrites.”
Isabel crossed her legs, dangling the glass in her hands. No way she was adding alcohol into the explosive situation she was in. “My attorney does what I tell her to do, that’s the way things go. Same with your own people I suppose.”
“There can be but one captain.”
“Indeed, and in that spirit, I want to make sure we are on the same page before we sail off.”
Finch gestured for her to continue.
“I think that for the period leading up to the official launch of your campaign, I should work in close partnership with you. I suggest investing most of my time into your endeavor. I have discussed this with my team, and we have found the best solution to take care of my own business while I’m away. I will stay in close communication with them, provide support for emergencies, but I am confident that they can take care of themselves for a few months, or I can contact them in the evenings.”
Finch seemed genuinely surprised by her suggestion. “You must have great faith in me to step away from your own business.”
As if. “I know that this fight will be the hardest to win. It’s impossible to do it half-assed. Your campaign will be my priority by day, my own business at night. Also, I have a clear impression that I’m less working for and more investing in you. Am I right?”
Again, the conqueror’s gleam in his eyes was undeniable. “Indeed. I always keep in mind the people who fought by my side. I think you are right, it won’t be an easy road, many sacrifices will have to be made. I admire your dedication and grit, Isabel. May I offer you a piece of advice from an old dog? All of this, what we are about to embark on, is greater than ourselves. Not everyone would be ready to sacrifice their own company’s growth to follow me. Throughout my life, I have found great satisfaction in winning, and the greater the win, the greater the sacrifice.”
“What do you mean?”
Now serious, Finch clenched his jaw. “I had to put my personal life on the line to succeed, and even if it’s a cruel thing to do, it was a determining factor.”
“Stop circling, Jamieson. I hate that.”
“I doubt you can run my campaign and keep an eye on your business while having a significant other in your life. A personal life is always the one thing that dims a bright, rising star.”
The team had been right. She had been watched and as expected, the bodyguard had reported Liam’s appearance to Finch. “I don’t think that my sex life concerns you, Jamieson.”
“You are right, but from what I’ve been told, the man following your every step, and who is waiting downstairs for you at the moment, seems to expect more than mere sex.”
“Are you following me, Jamieson?”
“Hiring a bodyguard for your protection is a sound idea.”
“Without my consent or knowledge?”
Finch dismissed her accusation with a flick of his hand. “You are an investment. I should have told you beforehand, but time was of the essence.”
“Am I in danger?” Isabel was no fool and knew she was in constant danger in his mere presence.
“As soon as you sign this document, things will be made official and people will know your association with me. I have enemies, Isabel, and you may very well be caught in the crossfire. You’re too precious to even risk it.”
At that moment, without knowing it, Finch had provided her with the two openings she hoped for. Offering him her best pensive look, she got up, put her glass on the coffee table between them and went to the large window overlooking the city.
With a pause for dramatic effect, Isabel turned to him, crossing her arms. “As for the bodyguard, I will find my own protection, and decide who I hire with all expenses paid by you, of course.”
The expression on his face was far from satisfied, but he seemed to compromise. Isabel knew he wished to control her even more with a bodyguard of his own, but that was out of the question.
Now, in a practiced manner, she slumped her shoulders and sighed. “You may be stronger than me, Jamieson. The man I’m seeing now is a good man. We haven’t dated for long, though. You are asking me to make a very difficult decision.”
Immediately, Finch was on his feet, a very paternal look on his face. “It’s a decision for your future, Isabel. I’m speaking from experience. Your plan is perfect—run my campaign by day, your business by night, build a reputation by my side and have Chicago at your feet. There will be time later for attachments.”
When he touched her hand, the contact was far from comforting, and again, she had understood him right. He was all about control, and wanted her only for himself. For now, she would indulge him.
He blazed a bright smile and squeezed her hand. “I know you are capable of great things, Isabel. I wouldn’t have reached out to you if I weren’t certain you would amaze me.”
Isabel put her other hand on his and nodded. She was certain that he would be amazed like nothing he had seen before. She swore it.
Chapter Ten
Kai knew deep in his gut that he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear. Isabel had called a meeting later than he’d expected that day. Lazarus had told him about her appointment with Finch and expected to be briefed right after it. He should have known better with that woman. She had a mind of her own.
The sun had set for an hour at least when Gabrielle arrived, followed by Liam and Isabel. Chewy as usual trotted behind and went straight for the bed in the other room. Lazarus had ordered food and set everything on the makeshift meeting table near the fridge in the loft’s open space.
His entire day had been spent in front of the computer, going through old phone conversations in the hope of finding anything incriminating against Finch. No luck on that side, and as sitting down in front of a computer was the task he hated the most, he was in a foul mood. Or maybe it was because of what had happened the night before.
Every single image and sensation were burned inside his brain in a haunted memory. He hated himself for both succumbing to his basic urges and doing it like an animal in a way that risked the mission. They had been vulnerable and that was unacceptable.
Banging his head about it was a way of diverting his thoughts from what had actually happened. He had kissed and taken Isabel. The woman he had loathed for so many years for leaving, that he vowed never to touch her ever again. Well, he had done way more than that. His mind might have been enraged over her treason, but his body had craved her. And still did. When she appeared
in their hideout, it was like an electrical current down his spine. Fighting the rising lust would be hell.
Isabel didn’t look in his direction, confirming that she had dismissed what happened between them in that alley. Once more, she had used him and he should have known better.
Getting down to business, they all sat around the table. Chewy bolted from the bed and immediately went to beg and drool on Liam’s knee.
The boxes passed from hand to hand, as they filled the paper plates. Gabrielle brought additional water bottles to the table while a pot of coffee was brewing. Kai sat opposite Isabel at the round table, but he couldn’t have felt farther from her than at this very moment.
Once everyone had taken a few bites, Gabrielle took a water bottle before she started talking. “We have a slight change of plan that Isabel needs to discuss with you all.”
The tone was set, and Gabrielle didn’t seem happy about it. Liam leaned back and Lazarus stood as still as a statue, ready for anything.
Very calmly, Isabel wiped her mouth and started explaining what she had agreed to with Finch that afternoon. As well as the reasons why. “Finch has been a very secretive man from the start. There was no way I could have the access that I needed, be there for impromptu conversations and meetings. Working from afar won’t cut it.”
As she spoke, Kai felt a surge of anger at her foolishness. Not only hadn’t she discussed this with the team, but she was also walking right into the most dangerous zone.
Lazarus exchanged a loaded look with Gabrielle. Liam angled his head. “You know the man by now, you expected him to ask you to leave your supposed boyfriend. Why? Having me around would have made a statement, kept you safe.”
The realization punched Kai in the gut, preventing him from speaking.
Lazarus looked around and gave the answer that was in his mind. “Because it’s a card you want to play with Finch. The sex card.”
Isabel looked directly at his brother with an unflinching gaze. “I have no intention of having sex with Jamieson Finch. But he’s a hunter, the kind of man that is interested in what is just out of reach. That will help me keep his interest high and allow me to stay close.”
