The warm water cascading over her helped assuage the helplessness rocking her world. Her husband wouldn’t let her slide by this time. She had only delayed the inevitable, hoping for his sense of fight to kick in. He had been biting at the bit wanting answers. She scooped up water with both hands, letting it fall over the parts of her not under water. It wasn’t easy controlling her sexuality, especially when it came to a single touch from Drake. Just the thought alone brought a rush of another kind of heat, a fire raging inside. Every caress and tease made it more difficult leaving him behind.
If he was still there, he would be a long way from being calm.
Drake didn’t have a shy bone when it came to his body. The only part about walking back to the house naked that might tick him off was the fact he still had a hard on.
“You’re not going back.”
The words chilled the air. Still she didn’t open her eyes.
“I have to.”
“Look around you. We’re in an undisclosed place. Two teams have been called here. Your Donovan won’t get near you.”
She opened her eyes to a determined, and naked, Drake. She avoided looking directly at him. She didn’t want to renew any fires right now. She needed a plan out of here and if she wasn’t focused, any opportunity in escaping would be lost.
He moved behind. His hands played with her hair, gently pulling and twisting. She sat forward as she felt him slid into the water. She leaned against his chest and sighed and wished this didn’t have to end.
“You don’t realize what’s involved. The longer I stay here, the harder it’ll be on me,” she said.
She was finding it hard to ignore the slow burn quickly climaxing into a blaze which would override any common sense in this mission. The mission came first. A child came first. Drake would’ve made her his first priority and had a way of taking the people he loved, putting their safety first. If she would’ve allowed him to do it.
“Yes, I do. You owe me answers.”
“Do they really matter now?” she asked.
“More now than before. The way your body reacts to my touch tells me there’s more. I’ve seen the revulsion when Donovan touches you. Your eyes light up when you’re holding Donovan’s kid.”
She pulled away from the comfort he provided and would’ve stood up, but he pulled her back into his arms.
“I would’ve given you a child to hold.”
She climbed out the tub and walked away. She didn’t want to hear his pain. It only reminded her of a life she had missed because of her private mission. She knew she had hurt him badly, but how could she have told him their marriage was put on hold? Eric wasn’t his responsibility. If she’d brought him into this mess, she couldn’t bear having his death on her hands.
“I know,” she told him.
“We’re not finished, Selena. Whatever’s going on, let me in,” he said.
“Oh? Like you let me in on your involvement with the Agency?”
He backed her against the sink and lifted her onto the counter, placing his legs on either side, preventing escape. His fingers trailed the inside of her thighs.
“Listen, you little cat. You don’t realize what you’re up against. And speaking of the Agency, you have your own little secrets. Which, by the way, explain how those beautiful legs of yours put me on the ground.” He moved his hand to her breast, smiling at the reaction he received. “How much do you know about Donovan’s business?”
“Enough for what I need.”
“I should’ve hunted you down when you left me without answers. I didn’t. I gave you time in case it was the cold jitters. I should’ve taken you at the stakeout, and then you wouldn’t have been placed in this situation. You’d be home safe in my arms.”
“I can handle myself.”
That pissed him off. “Listen, lady. The Donovans don’t give a damn about anyone but the Donovans. Especially Andrew. Do you know what he does to anyone he thinks screws him over? Or his woman? I found my kid brother dumped in a hole in the landfill area as if he were a piece of garbage. Someone had severed his anatomy off. I can’t believe you couldn’t have come to me for help.”
She closed her eyes as if to keep him at a distance.
“Ahh, so that’s how it is. I should’ve known. A lady who can take care of herself and doesn’t need anyone else in the picture. Apparently,” he said. “You needed me for something or you wouldn’t have married me.”
“Back off. I didn’t ask you to come after me. Last time I checked my resume, the Agency was already on it before I jumped back in.”
He held her in place. “Dammit,” he roared. “Whatever is causing you to be reckless isn’t worth it.”
His worry was almost her undoing, but she had to shake it off. She slid from his reach. Her nephew wasn’t an adult and needed her. No matter what it cost her.
“What is worth taking your life? Don’t bother walking away, you’re staying right here,” he told her when she sidestepped him.
“Believe me when I say don’t try to stop me,” she said, unable to control the trembling in her voice. “I wish I could, but you wouldn’t believe me. And you work on cold, hard facts.”
“Okay, honey, here are the cold, hard facts, besides I’m horny as hell,” he bit out, a low, animalistic growl following his words. “We are married and you walked out without a why or where. In fact, you ran out the back door after the ceremony. No note. No phone call. My fist connected with the bearer of the bad news. The second time he ducked and I decked the guy behind him.”
Selena turned, smiling at the mortification evident in Drake’s voice. “Out of curiosity, who was on the receiving end when the guy ducked?”
“You don’t want to know.”
Now she really wanted an answer. “Who?”
“Reverend McKinley.”
She started laughing, imagining Drake’s horror. She shouldn’t, but she couldn’t stop herself.
She sobered after a moment his stance had changed. “Don’t do it, Drake. You need a clear head and so do I.”
“I’m past thinking it, honey. Way past.”
He picked her up.
She struggled to be released. “You’ve got to — ”
He silenced her with a kiss.
He carried her to bed and lowered her body down.
Drake turned and fell onto the bed, taking her with him. He flipped her over. In one fluid movement, he was on top. The moment his mouth whispered into her ear, she began panting. She twisted to get away. He ignored her.
His tongue traced her ear, drawing the tip of her earlobe into his mouth. She bucked and pushed to stop the wanting. She could feel the wetness run down her legs as her body clenched and spasmed, the pain unbearable.
He held her wrists above her head.
She was trembling from the onslaught of his hands and mouth. “Drake, please,” she begged. “I want you now, but we need to stop. Please be the strong one and walk away for now. I’ll promise you anything.”
“Not this time.”
She rolled over, surprised he hadn’t stopped her. Then she knew why.
The onslaught of his mouth showed no favoritism. Every part of her body felt the attack. The second his tongue switched to her breast, her body had a will of its own. Her legs had already spread for his touch.
“I love you,” she whispered before she could think about its consequences.
Drake paused. “Do you think I’d be with you if you didn’t?”
The determination to have her was strong in his gaze. Behind it was something she’d almost forgotten existed. Love.
“Drake, I’m sorry for the way I’ve handled this.”
“But?”
“There’s no other way. If you still want me when this is over — ”
He positioned his body. “I want you now. There is another way. You’re just too damned stubborn to let anyone work beside you.”
She drew in a breath, feeling the heat at the hardness touching her. In an effort to calm herself and distract him, she ran her fingers over his chest, touching and smoothing the curls on it.
He stopped her.
“It won’t work. Normally, I’d let you twist me around your pretty fingers, but we need this time together. I need you. Now let me love you the way a husband should love his wife in this screwed up mess around us.”
She wanted that more than anything at this moment. Maybe he was right. Maybe he could help her.
“Drake?” she said. He waited, but the look told her not for long. “I — ”
A knock on the door interrupted her.
He didn’t look at the door but at her. They weren’t done by a long shot. “Go away,” he ordered.
“I told you the same thing and did you listen to me?” she whispered, teasingly.
He smiled back, forgetting where they were. “It’s different and you know it.”
The knocking continued.
“What?” he barked out.
Someone sighed on the other side of the door. “Drake, I know what I told you to do at the stakeout, but now isn’t the time. A change of plans. He’s setting up a meeting between the families. The helicopter just arrived with fresh supplies.”
“Give me a minute.”
“Thank you,” she told him, scooting towards the head of the bed.
He stalled her. “For what?”
“Stopping.”
He shook his head. “I’m not.”
“But you said …”
“A minute is all I need,” he said, giving no room for escape as he positioned above her. “Because when this is over, you’re not leaving my arms or my bed.”
With one thrust he was inside, covering her cries with his mouth.
But before she could reach orgasm, he pulled out.
“Why?”
“Why?” he echoed. “Why didn’t I finish what I started?”
She nodded. Too hot and too horny to stop her body from seeking him back inside.
He leaned close and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “You were tight, wet, and hot. When I was inside, I felt the explosion in your body. You don’t want anyone but me or you’d have let Donovan inside you.”
“You didn’t come.”
“Well, right now I’m not thinking straight. All these months I’ve waited to be inside of you and let go, sucking every emotion, every touch, every bit of love you were willing to give. Now all I want is to have some sort of satisfaction. There’s some sort of perverse pleasure knowing you can’t have what you want. You’re right. Now isn’t the time. You obviously don’t trust me enough to be in your life right now.” She started to speak but he shook his head. “I won’t let you go back. For any reason. Your safety is my first priority.”
“What about the mission?” she said, hoping to appeal to his ethics of the Agency.
“Screw the mission. I never would’ve gone back to the Agency if you hadn’t left me. When you did … I felt I had nothing to live for, but seeing you mixed up with the Donovans scared some sense into me.”
“You need to listen to me,” she said, desperate to explain the situation and Eric.
“Later.”
Two minutes later he was dressed and out the door without looking back.
She forced herself to think only of Eric, taking every ounce of sheer willpower to get dressed without chasing after Drake. She opened the drapes. The skies had darkened to a grey outcast. With nighttime almost upon them, she had a better chance of getting out of here undetected.
Well, at least long enough to get a head start.
Soft scratching noises alerted her she wasn’t alone. Half expecting the door to open, she moved out of the direct line of vision and turned off the light. She eyed the gap under the door. Someone was there. She could see light except one area.
She opened the door and stepped out, screaming Drake’s name when she saw who it was. A foul-smelling cloth covered her mouth and nose.
She passed out.
• • •
Drake heard Selena call out his name. Something was wrong. He raced up the stairs.
“It’s okay. She fainted. I was able to catch her before she hit the floor.”
Drake stared hard as Jeremy carried Selena over to the bed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Jeremy set her gently down. “I had a message you wanted to see me about a leak.”
“You heard wrong. I can take care of any leaks in this house. When did you get in?”
“This morning.”
“I see.” Drake didn’t trust him. Not only did this snot nose kid get this job without earning it, he was butting into his men and his mission. Now he was in his wife’s room. “I’ll meet you downstairs. I’ll take it from here.”
Jeremy looked at her and then at Drake. “She’s a beautiful woman.”
Drake didn’t take the bait. “Yes, but she’s with Donovan.”
As Jeremy left the room, he told Drake, “I hope you don’t forget that. Being taken in by a beautiful woman can be dangerous to your health.”
Yours maybe, Drake thought. He quickly felt for Selena’s pulse. When he found one, he went to the door to see if the hall was clear. He had to get her out of here. His gut told him she wasn’t safe. He started to pick her up but Barry’s voice on his ear piece forced him to postpone moving her.
“You really need to hear this. Andrew’s talking about Selena.”
Drake checked the hall again. Jeremy had vanished. “Where’s Jeremy?”
“Outside talking to the men.”
Drake listened. He didn’t know whether to hug Selena or kick her butt for not telling him.
“Meet me in your room,” he told Barry.
• • •
Jeremy gave it another few minutes before he went back into Selena’s room. His father, Danten, was head of the Agency and had pulled a lot of strings in getting him this job. His father’s private business with Andrew was taking these risks — but did his father take the risks anymore? No, it was Jeremy who had to.
He scowled. They didn’t pay him enough to deal with this bullshit.
It didn’t take long to get to the launch pad and it wouldn’t take long for Drake to realize he had taken Selena. His cover was blown. He was no longer an asset to his father or Andrew.
If he hadn’t grabbed Selena when he had, Andrew would’ve had him killed and buried him like Drake’s brother.
The helicopter pilot was waiting to take off. Jeremy handed Selena over to one of Andrew’s men.
“Hold it right there!” Drake yelled.
Jeremy glanced over his shoulder and saw Drake aiming his sidearm.
“You’re too late.” Jeremy climbed in the helicopter.
The co-pilot aimed artillery at Selena.
Drake let a few expletives out and leaped towards the helicopter as it lifted.
A shot rang out and Jeremy jerked back, taking Drake with him. They landed on the ground.
• • •
Drake shoved the kid off of him, disgusted at the number of betrayals running deep in their team. The helicopter was too high up to try again. He glanced at Jeremy, wanting to beat the hell out of the kid for betraying Selena and the Agency, but if he did, he’d kill him. He checked Jeremy over, finding he had been hit in the shoulder and would make it. Jeremy wasn’t going anywhere at the moment, but Drake wasn’t taking any more chances and handcuffed him to the railing.
Drake called Danten. “I found our leak. He’s handcuffed on the top level. He’s all yours. If you don’t get your kid out of my face soon, I might just have to have it out with him.”
Drake saw the kid had regained consciousness and was listening to the call. The kid’s arrogance drained away. Whatever was running through the kid’s mind terrified him, but Jeremy wasn’t his problem any longer. Drake left Jeremy for his men to watch over until Danten arrived. He had to make it to the meeting and hopefully save his wife.
And their marriage.