Anything? My heart beats faster, and butterflies flutter in my belly. What is this feeling? It can’t be love… Can it? His arm wraps around my waist, and my breath stalls in my throat.
“I can see your pulse pounding in your pretty little neck.” He proceeds to kiss a trail from the sensitive area behind my ear to my collarbone. I shiver in his hold and feel him grin against my shoulder.
“I should…” I can’t finish that thought as his hand creeps under my shirt and he cups my breast.
“Should?”
“Go look for those albums,” I answer shakily.
His hand retreats, and he kisses my temple before stepping back, and we make our way down to the garage, where all the albums were stored in a big black tote. I spot the tote at the top of the shelves. “Can you pull that down for me?” I reach my arms up, but I’m far too short to reach it.
He lifts up on his toes and grabs it easily. The deep V leading to his cock is on full display when his shirt lifts as he stretches. My mouth waters at the sight. I want to lick him all the way down till I free his…
“Here you go,” He says, setting the tote on the concrete floor.
“Thanks.” I fidget with my fingers nervously. He gives me a knowing look, as if he caught me staring. “I’m gonna take these back to the house with us,” I say, hooking my thumb over my shoulder, gesturing to the car in the driveway.
He picks the tote up, we exit the garage, and I pull it shut behind us, entering the code to lock it.
We’re cruising down the interstate when he finally asks, “So, what do you need those for?”
I shrug, watching the trees speed past us out of the window. “Curiosity, I suppose.” I really just want to see if Linda was in any of my baby pictures, like I thought, or ifthere is another woman, potentially my birth mother, so I can stop thinking about whoshemight be.
I’ve stressed every single photo searching for the slightest hint. Even the photos from my birth were only of me and my father or me lying in the hospital bassinet, bundled up in the hospital blankets. Whoever my mother is, didn’t want me from the beginning. Butwhy?And why did my dad work so hard to cover it all up? I just pray to God it isn’t who I think it is. The universe can’t possibly hate me that much.
Ryder
My phone rings in my back pocket as I stand at the counter, reading through emails from my team. I have groups all over the United States and in Aruba keeping watch on Lilith. I receive ample updates daily with photos and voice recordings of Lilith. My guys installed hidden cameras in all her properties, which I have access to, but I don’t have the time to sit and watch them.
I answer the phone before it goes to voicemail, “What’s up?”
“She took the bait. She’s meeting our rat tomorrow at four in the morning.”
“Took long enough.”
“I know, I know, but you roughed him up pretty bad, man. It took a while for those bruises to heal enough that we could cover them up and make it believable.”
“As long as she took the bait, that’s all that matters. Make sure the guys know where to stage. Do we know who she’s traveling with yet?”
“We have confirmation that she is in Aruba. The team has sent you footage. They will update who she is with once she boards her jet.”
“Perfect. Thanks, man.” I hang up and shut my laptop.
I glance at my Rolex watch and realise Kelsey’s been upstairs looking through pictures for over two hours. I run my hands through my hair and step over to thefridge, pulling out two energy drinks before heading upstairs.
“Find anything?” I ask as I hand her one of the drinks.
“Nope, but thanks,” She says, taking the drink from my hand.
“The mission is set for early in the morning. I’ll have Hawke stay here, but I have to go with the team.” I take a seat on the edge of the bed.
Kelsey beams up at me through thick lashes, “She believed him?”
I nod subtly, “Yeah. I didn’t think she would either. I just knew the piece of shit would fuck it up somehow.”
“Well, why can’t I go with you?” She asks, disappointment crossing through her greenish-blue eyes.
“No, and I mean it. It’s too risky, and I can’t have you there potentially getting caught up in the crossfire.”
