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Her fingers press against my lips, silencing me mid-sentence. The unexpected touch sends a jolt through my system, my body suddenly hyper aware of her proximity. Her skin is warm against mine, the faint scent of her shampoo—something floral and clean—cutting through the stale air of my room.

“Don't,” she says firmly. “This isn't your fault.”

I gently remove her hand, though every cell in my body protests. "It is, though. Security systems are my specialty. I should have seen this coming."

“Even you can't predict everything,” she counters, stepping further into my room and closing the door behind her.

“I should have seen it coming,” I insist, pacing now. "Anyone with half a brain would have anticipated a data wipe protocol. It's standard procedure for high-level criminal enterprises. I got cocky and?—”

“Alex, stop." Vesper moves directly into my path, forcing me to halt or collide with her. “Look at yourself. When's the last time you slept?”

I wave dismissively. "Sleep is irrelevant. We have forty-eight hours until pickup, and I need to monitor these forums. Someone's asking questions about Charles Blackwood. If they connect him to us…"

“You're dead on your feet,” she interrupts, reaching up to touch my face. “You can't help anyone like this.”

“I'm fine,” I mutter, though my body betrays me with a massive yawn. “Just need more coffee.”

“What you need is sleep.” Vesper's tone leaves no room for argument as she steers me toward my bed. “Six hours, minimum.”

I resist, planting my feet. “I can't. Not with everything that's happening. Those forums?—”

“Will still be there after you've rested.” She pushes against my chest, surprisingly strong as she forces me to sit on the edge of my bed. “Your algorithms will alert you if anything critical happens.”

“Vesper, I appreciate the concern, but I don't have time for this.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don't,” I insist, trying to stand back up. “There's too much at stake.”

Vesper shoves me back down. "You do have time because I'm making time for you. I'm not leaving until you get some rest, even if that means that I stay right here with you."

“That's ridiculous,” I scoff, though my traitorous body sways slightly under her touch. “You don't need to babysit me.”

“Clearly I do,” she counters. “Since you refuse to take care of yourself.”

I open my mouth to argue further, but she presses one finger against my lips.

“Enough, Alex. Bed. Now.”

Something about her tone makes my protest die in my throat. Her voice carries an authority I've never heard from her before. And to my complete confusion, I find myself responding to it, my resistance crumbling.

“I need to check?—”

“The only thing you need to check is the inside of your eyelids,” she interrupts, stepping closer until her knees brush against mine. “Don't make me force you.”

“You're going to force me? How exactly?”

A mischievous smile crosses her face. “Try me and find out.”

She places her palms on my chest and gives a gentle but firm push. Caught off guard, I topple backward onto the mattress. Before I can react, Vesper swings her leg over me, sitting on my hips, one hand pressing against my sternum to keep me in place.

Fuck, she feels good. Her cunt so close to my cock. All that separates us is the thin material of her leggings. Material that would take no effort at all to rip away. To take what I want. What she has freely offered me twice already.

Not the time, asshole.

“See? Not so hard,” she says, her voice softening as she looks down at me.

I should protest. Should push her away and get back to my monitors, but my body isn’t as willing as my mind.