Page 50

With our eyes locked together, she slipped her hand between us, guiding the tip of my cock against her wetness.

The scent of her desire was powerful. My nostrils flared, the fragrance more intoxicating than ever before.

I rolled my hips, slipping the full length of my dick inside.

The feel as her muscles clamped around my shaft was incredible, the sensations almost overpowering.

Her sigh was slight, the sound full of happiness as she gripped my shoulder and arched her back. I pulled out, driving into her again, keeping my throbbing cock buried deep inside for a few seconds. There was nothing quite as incredible as having her wetness slickening every inch.

She licked her lips playfully and dug her fingers into my skin, smiling as I pulled her other leg around me. Together we rocked, our bodies becoming one, heated electricity soaring through us both. I pushed up on my hands, peering down at her without blinking.

Even before, when I’d had another life, I’d never felt this close to anyone. She could read my thoughts, could feel every emotion even before I did. I allowed my gaze to fall to her breasts, every muscle tightening. She was mine. All mine. There was no chance I could let her go.

The thought created darkness in my mind. She sensed something was different, sliding one hand to my cheek. As she rubbed her fingers across my jaw, she nodded as if knowing I needed encouragement.

This was something I’d never forget, the closeness and heat so rare and so beautiful.

She wiggled under me, her eyelids now half closed. I could tell she was close to an orgasm. With long, deep strokes, I picked up the rhythm. Mewing, she tossed her head from side to side, panting as her lips formed a perfect O.

“Yes. You are so… big and…” Her words were clipped and she reared up from the rug, tensing from the throes of ecstasy.

I continued pumping into her, doing what I could to make this last. Every nerve ending was alive, the jolt of current explosive. She squeezed her muscles and there was no way I could hold back any longer.

As I lowered my body, nuzzling against her, I allowed myself to erupt deep inside.

Juliette wrapped her arms around my neck, holding me close.

Maybe it was her whispered words that had the strong effect or perhaps the way her body felt molded against mine, but for the first time in years I was able to feel a sense of peace.

“Thank you, Kage. Thank you for bringing me back to life.”

If she only knew that’s exactly what she’d done for me. She’d brought me back from the dead.

The knock on the door wasn’t surprising.

I’d stood by the window with a mug of coffee in my hand watching as Gray had eased from a rental vehicle.

While I wanted information just like Juliette did, I also realized that the information could destroy her tenuous hold on the relationship she had with her father.

While I didn’t want that for her, she deserved the truth. No one should go through life believing a lie. What ironic bullshit.

Tank had awakened early, doing his best to ignore the injury. As soon as he’d sensed someone had driven up on his property, he came rushing to the door. His bark was louder than normal. It would seem he didn’t like Gray and he’d proven to like almost everyone.

Except the asshole who’d tried to hurt Juliette.

She walked in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her jeans. Her hair was still slightly damp from a shower and her face flushed, my guess was from nerves.

We’d gotten little sleep, although I’d held her in my arms when she’d finally closed her eyes, and I’d noticed her regular breathing.

As soon as there was a knock on the door, she shifted her eyes to mine. She was trying to ascertain if everything would be alright. If only I could promise that it would be.

I headed for the door, Tank immediately barking as soon as I pulled it open.

Gray threw his hands up as if in mock surrender, but in his hand was a dog treat.

No injury or distrust of the man would keep my boy from jumping on Gray’s legs, stretching his long neck until he was easily able to snatch the treat from the man’s fingers.

I chuckled when Tank limped off.

“What happened to him?” Gray asked, giving me a strange look before I allowed him inside. He glanced toward the police car positioned just off the driveway.

“Casualty of war,” I told him and closed the door. “Just keeping a watchful eye.”

“What happened?” He noticed his goddaughter and stopped walking. “Juliette. You’re safe.”

“Because of Tank and Kage. I wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t saved me.” Her voice was clipped.

Gray looked at me, obviously curious to hear the entire story. Right now, what was needed was the truth about why. “We were ambushed. They knew exactly where to come. What happened, Gray? Why was everything suddenly pushed into overdrive?”

“Because of the picture you emailed me. Unfortunately, my system was hacked. That’s how the information was retrieved. That’s how they knew you were leaving for the airport in Bermuda and how to get your address.”

“What picture?” Juliette asked as she moved closer.

I took a deep breath, scrubbing my jaw with my palm. “The photograph showing Randolph and the man who’d obviously been following Juliette?”

“The very one. That is the first photograph captured of Juan Degardo’s firstborn son.

I think the men in Bermuda and the ones attacking you here worked for either him or his father.

After breaking down the corporate veil, the Feds learned the house in Bermuda belonged to Degardo. My contact allowed that to slip.”

“Interesting,” I said, although I wasn’t certain what it had to do with Juliette. Whatever the hell was going on, the photograph had managed to open a can of worms.

“What are you talking about? You sent my photograph off my camera to my godfather?” There was no mistaking Juliette’s tone. She was pissed.

Nodding, I turned my head. “I did. The fact the man I showed you appeared in three photographs was something Gray had to know.”

“That was one of my private pictures. Did you do that on purpose? Did you keep information about my father from me?” She was leveling both her accusations and her gaze on me.

Gray danced his eyes from one to the other of us before clearing his throat. “Juliette, I know this is difficult for you. Everything. The kidnapping, the not knowing, but I wasn’t allowed to provide Kage with all the information. It was deemed classified.”

“Classified?” she repeated. “Why?”

Gray looked uncomfortable as he turned to face her. “Because your father has been under investigation for various federal crimes, including obstruction of justice.”

Juliette swallowed hard, her face paling. She didn’t respond right away, folding her arms and walking toward the back door.

I stared at Gray, angry he hadn’t provided me with an opportunity to soft sell the news. “What now?”

“Juliette will need to come with me to Washington where she’ll be faced with questions about her ordeal and what she knows about her father’s company.”

“I’m right here,” she snapped. “Talk to me. Since everyone has been keeping the truth from me, I’ll be eager to hear all the formal charges placed against my father.”

“I’m sorry, Juliette, but with the information Kage provided, the justice department finally has enough evidence to place formal charges.”

“And since your computers were hacked, that’s why we were attacked?” I demanded, as angry as I could tell Juliette had become.

“Exactly. I wish I could have prevented what happened.”

“You could have if you’d trusted me enough to return my goddamn calls!”

Gray sighed. “I was detained by the justice department during the times you called. But when I received your email, I acted as quickly as possible. I’m sorry for the delay.”

Juliette laughed. “I thought I could trust you, both of you. But you were both gunning for my father. Did you just use me to get to him?”

How the hell could I respond?

“That’s not what happened, Juliette,” Gray insisted.

She spun around on her heel again. “Why did you and my father have a falling out?”

Gray looked away, shaking his head.

“Why?” she hissed.

“Because he betrayed the unit when he was a SEAL. That’s why. I was angry with him, furious to the point I couldn’t stand talking to him any longer. That’s why.”

The information was too close to home. I thought about Maddox. The reality wasn’t lost on her. She slowly shifted her heated gaze in my direction. “It seems both of you have secrets and axes to grind. Well, doing so to incriminate my father isn’t acceptable.”

I’d rarely seen Gray angry, but he was. He took two steps toward her, his body tense. “I didn’t want to find the need to tell you this, but you leave me no other choice. The envelope in that picture? That was money paid to your father for his cooperation as well as something else.”

He was faltering, something he also never did.

“What the hell does that mean?” Her voice was tight, her chest heaving.

My old commander looked at me once again and I threw him a furious look. “Tell her. Whatever the fuck it is, just tell her. She deserves to know every scrap of the truth.”

“Yes,” she hissed. “Tell me.”

“Your father was being funded by the Degardo Cartel, paid well for communications systems that allowed them to listen in on trade secrets in every law enforcement agency, every crime syndicate. What your father created was a powerful tool. In order to keep his secrets, he was forced to turn over the most valuable treasure he owned as collateral.”

“What was that?” she spit out.

Gray took a deep breath before answering. “You. You were to be married to Degardo’s son. That’s why you were kidnapped so your father wouldn’t be implicated.”

“You’re lying to me!”

I moved toward her, noticing her body was swaying. I’d never been as furious as I was right now.

“Get away from me!” She threw up her arms, taking a step backward.

“I’m not lying to you,” Gray insisted. “When we land in Washington, I’ll provide all the proof you need. I’m sorry, Juliette. I truly am. I didn’t want to believe that about Randolph. He was once my friend.”

I could tell the rug had been ripped out from under her. She locked eyes with mine, just like the night before when we’d made love. Only on this sunny morning, there was nothing but hate in her lovely eyes. Pure. Hate.

She abruptly turned, heading for the stairs.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

“To get my things. I can see I have no other choice.”

“Are you coming back?” I asked even though I knew the answer.

She stopped on the bottom stair, giving into full body shakes. “What in God’s name do I have to come back to? More lies? That I can’t take, especially from you, someone I thought I… What does it matter?”

As soon as she headed up the stairs, I took two long strides toward Gray, throwing a hard punch to his jaw.

He stumbled backward, pressing his palm against his face. “I guess I deserved that.”

“Yeah, you did. Don’t call me for any other missions, Gray. That involves trust and the absolute truth, neither of which we have in this toxic relationship.”