Page 11 of Hard Asset

“I had sex with other people. You watched.” Evan detected the flash of pain in her eyes but she quickly recovered, forcing an impassive expression.

“You chose to do that.”

“They weren’t members of the club.”

“Why did you do it? If you wanted me, was it a message?”

“Not deliberate. But you?”

Raine sighed, trailing her finger over his chest. “I’ve wanted you forever. But we couldn’t… You never attempted to kiss me or anything. And then I saw you with the women. And I don’t know. I questioned if that’s something I want. Not everyone does those things. If I was going to do it…it would only be with you. No one else.”

“What I did, you know it wasn’t serious. I’m not seeing anyone. You know how it is there,” Evan attempted to explain. He’d never given a thought to what he was doing at Club Altura as long as it wasn’t with an employee.

“Things just got to a point where I knew…” She blew out a breath and hesitated.

“Knew what?”

“I’d want more. One night. I get that’s what we said, but Evan…I don’t want to be a one-night stand. I don’t want this to be the end of us,” she confessed.

“It doesn’t have to be.” Evan weighed his next words, careful not to make empty promises. “If Marretta doesn’t kill us both, and the Feds you’re working for spill the truth, then we can see what happens. Whoever it is you work for, these assholes should have come to Garrett and me instead of you. I’m not going to bother asking you any more about the situation, because I get they’ll come down on you, but tomorrow, Garrett and I will find out who it is, and the shit will hit the fan. It’s not like we haven’t cooperated in the past. This is some bullshit. They put all of us in danger.”

“Marretta’s going to try to kill you.” Her voice fell to a whisper. “You don’t know him. I’ve seen things.” She shivered in his arms, calming as he ran his hand down her shoulder. “He’s a monster.”

“I’m not letting you go back to him. I don’t give a shit what agency you’re working for. It’s too dangerous.” Evan released an even breath, attempting to conceal his anger.

“I don’t have a choice.” She sighed. “Besides, I’m close to getting this done, getting names. Dom will respect me for what I did. He’ll question why I went with you, but I’ll lie. He’ll buy it. I’ll get the damn names. They’ll get some shitty dummy file. By the time they run the data, double- and triple-check, I’ll be out of there. You should know, though, if I don’t leave here soon, the Feds will come for me. You’ll be charged with holding me. They’ll make up something. There are dark recesses of our government. Invisible agencies. They report to few and do what they want. They don’t even register with most senators or representatives. No one knows about them.”

Evan considered her words. It was true that there were ultra-secret operations, spy agencies that never surfaced, let alone went public. They’d sooner make her disappear from the face of the earth than allow her to refuse to complete the mission.

“I’ll go with you,” he said.

“I can’t put you in danger,” she replied.

“I may not be able to control what’s going on tonight, but Garrett and I, between the two of us, we can rein this situation in, find out the organizations that are driving this effort and get you out.”

“Do you have any weapons here?” She glanced around his bedroom and smiled. “Wherever here is?”

“More than you’d know what to do with, sweetheart.”

“All right then. We’ll play it your way but you have to stay far behind. If they see you, we’re both dead.”

“You’ll deny that you knew I was following you.”

“I can do that but he’d probably kill us. They’d definitely kill you, Evan. I can’t let that happen.” Panic laced her voice.

“I know what I’m doin’. Not my first time at the rodeo. I’ll be invisible.”

“We’ve got to get out soon. I have a few contacts of my own who expect me to report. And if the Feds show up, it’s not going to be a good situation. We’re going to be fucked. I need to get back on the job. I’ll get the names and get out.” Raine shoved up onto her elbows, attempting to leave.

“Not so fast, sweetheart.” Evan rolled Raine onto her back, and she squealed in laughter as he pinned her arms to the bed. He settled between her legs, his cock lengthening as she arched her back, her breasts brushing his chest.

“Hmm…I like you this way.”

“Vulnerable?” she asked.

“With me. That’s how.”

A broad smile crossed her face. “Me too.”