by Linzi Baxter
“That’s not fair. Someone is always yelling McClane's name in the movie.”
“But you said it was a Christmas movie.”
“I’ll be in the bathroom puking if I take that many shots,” Addie snorted.
“I don’t want you to get sick. After the movie, I plan to do dirty things to you.”
Addie poured two shots. “To dirty, kinky sex.” We both drank the shots.
“Kinky?” I questioned.
“I’m not dumb. Kat and Jessica talk. When Annabella started to say something, I covered my ears and hummed, because my brother doesn’t have sex.”
I ran my thumb over her pulse. “Does the kinky sex interest you?”
A million different things ran through my brain. I shifted in the bed, my dick getting harder each time she said the word kinky. I wasn’t only in it for the sex, but I loved having the control.
“Do you know much about the lifestyle?” Addie’s cheeks turned bright red, and she looked away. “Look at me, Addie. I asked you a question.”
Her pupils dilated. I ran my thumb over her wrist, and her pulse increased. “Yes.”
My lips twitched. “Did you pull up videos or read information?”
“Videos.”
I leaned forward, and she leaned into me, pressing her breasts against my chest. Our lips touched, and she let out a soft moan. I knew I was falling for her every minute we were spending together. She was addictive like a drug, and a part of me felt like I should pull back. But the wine was making my brain not work on all cylinders. She opened her mouth, and our tongues brushed together. Deep down, I knew tonight would change how I felt about Addie, I was getting in deep.
ADDIE
I wanted to be with Abe more than my next breath. My cheeks still burned from my answer to the question about the lifestyle.
His heated stare had my body on fire.
I squirmed under his gaze.
Well, hell.
“I’m going to tie your hands together,” he murmured as he trailed his fingers down the side of my arm.
“I want you to kiss me, Abe.”
Instead of pressing his lips to mine, he got off the bed and went over to his suitcase. He pulled out a blue nylon rope and walked over to the bed. “You keep rope in your suitcase?”
His lip ticked up. “It was wishful thinking… At any time you feel this is too much, all you need to do is say red. We are going to use the stoplight system.” Abe brushed his lips to the side of my neck. “Do you know what the stoplight system is?”
He had me hold both of my hands in front of me as he tied the nylon rope around each wrist. His soft touch alone was sending my body into overdrive. When I didn’t answer him, he reached over and pinched my nipple.
“Yes, green means I’m okay, yellow, slow down, and red stop,” I huffed.
And then his hands were wrapping the rope tighter around my wrists. He was taking his time, and I wanted to strip his clothes off, but I couldn’t move my hands.
Taking away my hands was turning me on more than I thought it would.
Abe finished tying the knot and ran his hand up my arm. He wrapped his fingers in my hair and pulled me in closer. The kiss was demanding. Abe’s tongue pushed passed my lips. Our teeth gnashed as he pressed his lips tighter against mine.
When he pulled back, we were both breathing heavily. His hand skimmed the bottom of my shirt.
He nipped at my lip one more time. My lips felt swollen from the kiss.
“What color?” he asked as he pushed me flat on the bed.
“Bright green. You’re going too slow.”
“I’m in charge here.” He slid his hands under my shirt, pushing it up my body. “And we have all night, so I can go as slow as I want, and the more you complain, the slower I’m going to go.”
“How about we have sex and then you can spend all night taking our time, but I want to take the edge off.”
“But I’m in charge, and I decide when to take the edge off.”
“You’re very frustrating.”
He moved my arms above my head. “Can you leave them there, or do I need to attach the rope to the headboard.”
“I won’t move.”
Abe eyed me for a second before nodding and pulling my shirt up over my body. But with my hands tied together, it pooled around my wrists. He placed kiss down my neck and worked his way down my body. He worked my jeans down my legs, all while kissing, licking, and touching.
I was completely naked as Abe stared down at me.
“When can I see you naked?” I asked.
He smiled down as he stripped his black t-shirt off. The man’s abs flexed as he moved off the bed back toward his suitcase. Abe pulled out a condom and threw it on the bed before unbuckling his jeans and stripping.
My mouth dried. “You’re a gorgeous man.”
“And you are sexy as hell,” he said and then sheathed his dick.
My mouth watered as I watched him run his hand down his length. My ex said I wasn’t good at blowjobs, but I wanted to try. Abe made me want to do things I never thought I would want to experience.
Abe pressed his lips against me again, his hard length pressed between us. My back arched, wanting him to push into me.
“Don’t move your hands,” he growled and pressed them back above my head. I hadn’t even realized I moved them.
He pressed his fingers into my wet folds. When his tongue licked across my rosy nipple, I couldn’t control my body from arching off the bed.
With each stroke of his fingers, I could feel myself getting closer to the edge.
When he pressed his thumb against my clit, my body felt like it was on fire.
“Come for me, Addie,” he demanded. His growly voice was enough to send me over the edge.
“Abe,” I yelled. He continued to press his fingers in and out and played with my clit. When he captured my nipple in his mouth, I went over the edge again seconds later.
I’d never had another man make me come so quickly. My body felt like jelly.
And then he pressed his lips to mine, and I was lost in his kiss. He was so demanding and sweet all at the same time. I wrapped my legs around his ass, trying to pull him in closer.
“Please, Abe,” I whispered.
He reached in between us, and I felt his hard member push against me. “Are you ready?” he asked.
“I need you,” I whimpered, wishing I could tug him closer with my hands. He pushed inside me, inch by inch, his gaze never breaking from mine. It felt so good.
Swiftly, he thrust the last few inches in, my body stretching to take his length. He pressed one hand against my arms, keeping them in place, and his other hand cupped my breasts.
Each time we were together, the connection between us grew stronger. I had to look away because his gaze was so intense and I didn’t know if I could promise anything past the trip home.
With each thrust, he filled me, and my heels dug deeper into his ass. I arched into him, meeting his hips as he pounded into me. Abe picked up his pace, reaching deep inside me.
“Abe,” I whispered.
He pressed his lips to mine, and I was lost in his mouth. I screamed his name into his mouth as I came in ecstasy.
My legs shook uncontrollably and Abe came seconds later. He pressed another kiss to my lips. When he rolled over, he untied my hands and massaged my wrists. He quickly ran to the bathroom, and when he came back, he tucked me into his chest.
I was falling for this sexy man, and I didn’t know what to do with the feelings, but I was exhausted from the day and fell asleep in his arms.
13
ABE
A ddie called her mom and asked if she wanted to meet for lunch because we were driving through. I didn’t like the plan, but Addie wanted to find another way to get the information we needed.
Brock called a few contacts in DC who gave us comms and equipment. I checked to make sure it wasn’t Stark Night’s equipment Brock’s contact gave me.
I wanted
to turn the truck around, find the nearest hotel, and spread Addie across the bed again. Instead, I was taking her to see her mom, Blair Hue. Something about the visit felt off. Addie had said Blair would contact her if she wanted to talk again. But when she talked to her mom, Blair sounded excited about the call and wanted Addie to come to HUE’s corporate office to meet her stepdad.
I pulled into the nearest parking garage and turned off the truck. Addie chewed on her fingernails. The drive from Florida to Virginia had gone relatively easily. I’d expected Addie to have more attacks. Every so often, when the traffic was heavy or a fire truck raced by, I would hear her counting, but she stopped the second I grabbed her hand. It was as if I grounded her. Me being with her every day wouldn’t help her. She needed to figure out how to handle her fears on her own even if I wanted to be her rock.
“You don’t have to do this. Why don’t I take you back to Boston? Jayden can meet me in DC, and I can meet with your stepfather.” It wouldn’t be hard to set up a meeting to talk about AA Security buying more of their equipment.
Addie shook her head. “This is my case. I’ve followed the stories for the past year. Yes, I know you aren’t trying to take it away, but this feels personal, and my mom is tied up in it. What happens if something goes wrong and she’s put away for the things my stepdad is doing?”
“I understand you wanting to protect your mom.” I frowned as the security guard stared at us from his post and said something into his radio. “Something about this place feels off, and I’m worried about protecting you.”
Addie glared back at me. Lovely, now she’s angry. “I’m thirty-five years old and have taken care of myself for the last sixteen years.”
“Have you? I’m not trying to be mean, but you just started to leave your house, and I know you try to hide it when you’re having an issue, but I see it.” I wanted to kick myself for the tear that formed in her eyes.
Addie wiped her eyes.
Antonio had wanted us to wait so he could send a few more people up. Everyone made the decision not to tell John what was going on. Annabella and John were on their honeymoon; this mission, we could handle without him. He wouldn’t be happy about it.
Addie reached for the handle. “You don’t have to remind me I’m a freak. But I can’t go on knowing what this company is doing. We need a list of who they’ve shipped to, so we can notify those units. Yes, I might have a breakdown, but I won’t know if I don’t try.”
I jumped out of the truck to catch up to her. She was almost to the elevator. The guard hadn’t stopped watching our every move. When I was in arm's length of Addie, I reached for her and pulled her to my chest. “They're watching us,” I whispered in her ear.
Addie went to turn her head, and I captured her lips instead. She glared up at me for blocking her view.
“How do you know they're watching us?” she asked. “They could watch everyone.”
The parking garage was enormous, and Blair specified precisely where she wanted us to park.
“Two cars pulled in the right after us,” I explained. “And they didn’t watch them at all, but while we were sitting in the car, the guard read our plates into his radio.”
Addie took a step back and her anger with me seemed to subside, at least a bit. “I’m not turning back, but I will listen to everything you say.”
From the determination in her eyes, I didn’t believe she would listen to me. She wanted to take down her stepdad. And I wondered if this was more about her mom starting a new life without her.
I nodded and pressed my hand to her back. “Let’s go see your mom.”
HUE lobby shouted money. Whoever decorated lined the couches and lamps with gold. Even the countertops were gold. I’d seen nothing like it. Most lobbies were sleek, white, or silver and inviting. This place made me feel uncomfortable. Addie walked up to the woman behind the reception desk. Like the room, the woman wasn’t friendly. She snapped at Addie when she asked to talk to Blair, stating she needed an appointment.
Addie finally had to call her mom on her cell for her to come to get them. The receptionist glared at us while we waited. Blair didn’t even say anything to the woman.
Blair was an older version of Addie. They both had striking blue eyes, but Blair had a few lines under hers. “Hello, Addie,” her words came out distant and cold.
“Hi, Mom. This is my friend Abe.”
“I’d prefer if you called me Blair.” She turned toward me with an icy glare. “I didn’t know you were bringing someone with you, but I guess since you have issues, you needed a lapdog.”
I cleared my throat. “I’d prefer if you called me Abe.”
She nodded and turned. “Vincent is waiting for us in his dining room. We have little time since you’re late.”
We weren’t late at all. Addie and I had showed up in the reception area five minutes before our scheduled lunch, but the receptionist wasted ten minutes before Addie called Blair herself.
An older gentleman stood when we walked through a double set of doors. He was sitting at a large conference room table.
“Addie?” Vincent asked, buttoning his suit coat. Like the lobby, he was showing his wealth with his appearance. He was dressed in a tailored suit without a hint of a wrinkle. I glanced back to the table; three gold plates were at the end, along with three glasses of wine.
“Yes, and you must be Vincent.” Addie smiled at her stepfather. “And this is my friend Abe.”
Vincent turned and glared at me. “I didn’t realize you weren’t coming by yourself. We didn’t have a plate made for you, Abe. I’m sorry I didn’t catch your last name.”
It seemed they were both mad Addie hadn’t come alone, and that made me wonder what they really had planned. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m not hungry. As for my last name, Addie didn’t say.”
He watched me for a second. “Why don’t we sit down and get to know my stepdaughter a little more. My Blair talked so much about you the other day when she came back from her visit.”
Addie sat down at the table, and I took the empty seat next to her. “I thought since Abe was driving me back to Boston from Fort Lauderdale, I would stop in and see my mom. She was so nice to come to Boston to see John and me. I know it was a lot to ask of her.”
Blair nodded and took a sip of her wine. “Oh, and what were you doing down in Fort Lauderdale? I thought you didn’t leave Boston.”
With every word that came out of the woman’s mouth, I wanted to demand Addie and I leave, but seeing her mom wasn’t the reason we’d come to HUE.
Even if we didn’t find anything today, after the way she treated Addie, I would look for another way to take the woman down.
Addie cleared her throat. “You’re right. I don’t leave Boston much, but John was getting married, and I wanted to be there for his wedding. Since I’m really the only family he has left.”
“Oh, he married that woman who killed her ex.”
My teeth ground together. “No, her ex faked his death. Annabella didn’t kill anyone.”
“I must’ve missed that part of the story. We’re so busy at HUE that we don’t have time to keep up on all the gossip magazines. John is just like his dad, looking for the easy paycheck instead of working hard for his money like Vincent does.”
Addie reached over and placed her hand on my thigh. The conversation stayed tense for thirty more minutes. Blair used every opportunity she could to cut down Addie and her brother. This woman was pure cruelty. Addie was worried her mom would end up in trouble because of Vincent, but the longer the conversation went on, I had a feeling Blair was the mastermind behind everything.
Addie laid her napkin on the table. She hadn’t taken a bite of the food, and I didn’t blame her. I was worried it might be poisoned. “I’m going to go use the restroom.” When I went to stand, she shook her head. “I will be fine.”
I stared as she walked out of the large gold doors. Across from me, Blair glared at the same doors. Vincent sipped his wine, acting as
if he didn’t have a care in the world. Worry came over me because Addie wasn’t going to the bathroom. She was going to look for her evidence.
14
ADDIE
M y blood was boiling. I no longer cared about keeping my mom safe. John and I were better off without her.
Earlier, when we’d walked down the hall, I noticed Vincent’s office was open. It wouldn’t take long to install the program I’d written on the computer and make a copy of his files. The halls were empty as I made my way past the bathroom. His secretary was looking at her computer when I snuck by and into Vincent’s office.
I pulled the thumb drive from my pocket and stuck it into the computer tower. His machine was unlocked. That would save me a few minutes. I opened the program and started copying the files off the server.
HUE had the servers blocked from the internet, so I couldn’t get the data I needed remotely. This was the only way to try to figure out what was going on. I heard voices outside the office but the copy was only at sixty percent.
My heart pounded, and my vision blurred for a second. I counted to ten, and it wasn’t helping. Earlier, when I’d called myself a freak, it was more than that. I was weak. I was trying to run my own PI firm, but I was about to have an attack in the middle of a mission. Instead of counting, I thought about Abe and his hands running across my body. Everything came back into focus, and my eyes pinned to the computer. Ninety percent.
Abe’s voice boomed, a few octaves higher than normal. “I’m sure she will be out of the bathroom soon. Do you guys want to have dinner before we leave town?”
There was no way I wanted to sit through another meal with Blair. Abe was using it as a stall tactic. I told him I needed around fifteen minutes to collect all the data. I glanced down at my watch. Not even seven minutes had passed since I left the conference room.
“We have a charity function tonight,” Blair told Abe. “I don’t have all day. She probably had one of those panic attacks in the restroom and scared all the other employees.”
My teeth ground together, remembering all the attacks my mother had experienced while I was growing up. She’d started screaming in the middle of my third-grade play, and my dad and John had taken her home. My teacher was the one who took me home that night.
