There was no sheepish look on his face or even an element of surprise. He was somewhat smug, which accentuated the dimple in his chin. “The man you’re referring to as my boy is a highly trained Marine whose specialty was reconnaissance. Tony served in three tours in Afghanistan, retiring with full honors to then go to work for a security firm specializing in working with high-powered clients. He’s been a good friend over the years, a man I can trust and who I was able to call last minute and he dropped everything to help in your protection.” He crowded my space. “Since you’re standing in front of me, I’d venture a guess that you managed to ditch him.”

  “If you’re trying to make me feel in the least bit guilty, you’re failing. You had him follow me against my wishes. Remember?”

  “Perhaps I decided playing it safe was the best option until we discovered the truth.”

  So he did believe me, at least enough to hire someone to protect me. I wasn’t certain whether to be enchanted or continue with my irritation.

  Somehow, the handsome bastard managed to turn the tide, forcing me against the wall while his massive presence hovered over me. A protective, unwanted, yet overtly sexy blanket.

  “Is that what I’m doing? Using guilt as a form of keeping you obedient?” With methodical movements, he placed first one palm on the wall beside me then the other. The temporary barrier was his way of telling me there was no escape.

  Obedient. The term both excited and floored me.

  “Yes, you are. You made a promise. You lied to me. I don’t like liars.”

  The mischievous look on his face was certainly unexpected. Plus, he placed his hand on his heart as if I’d wounded him. Pu-lease. I hadn’t thought of him as a playful man. He’d been so serious about everything all those years ago, never smiling. Not once. At least not that I could remember. “I never lied to you.”

  Every aspect of his being could be considered oppressive from his size and extreme masculinity to the coldness often displayed in his eyes. Let alone his stealthy actions, like a tiger stalking. But to me, he was exactly what I needed, a perfect representation of both goodness and protection.

  “Yes, you did. You specifically said you wouldn’t hire anyone to follow me.”

  “Not true.” He held up his hand, closing three fingers and his thumb, leaving his index finger pointed in my direction. The same look of ire danced in his eyes, especially when he rolled the tip down the bridge of my nose, tracing my lips then my jaw. “I told you I wouldn’t contract my buddy at the police department.”

  I thought about what he had said and groaned, snagging his finger and squeezing. “You bastard. Using semantics against me isn’t very nice.”

  “I never said I was a very nice man. Now, did I?”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  He took a deep breath, holding it briefly. A heat flash tickled my skin as soon as he exhaled. “However amazing the contract you secured for me is, that’s no excuse for your behavior. Tony was there to protect you. What the hell did you do with him?”

  My shrug was casual. “He’s enjoying a drink with my bestie. Unless she’s already managed to drag him back to her apartment, which she’s been known to do. He seemed very interested in her.”

  His entire jaw clenched. “What happened to being fearful of the person who contacted you?”

  Every muscle stiffened again. “I’m still fearful, Maverick. I’m just being pragmatic. I can’t allow fear to destroy my life.”

  The slow and steady shake of his head kept ripples of sensations dancing down my arms. “Not good enough.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I do.” He was now so close I should feel suffocated instead of the intense longing encapsulating every part of me.

  “I also had a call from our copycat.”

  The news shocked me. “You’re kidding.”

  “No. I think our killer, whoever he may be, believes he and I are suddenly on the same playing field.”

  “As in you’re also a killer.”

  “Maybe so.” His voice was gravelly and he wasn’t denying whatever the bastard had said to him.

  “Are you?”

  He shrugged in such a way that I was struck by how handsome he was instead of being surprised. “I’ve done some things over the last couple of years that would surprise you, Alexia, but in the name of justice.”

  “Two sides of the same coin. At least according to the killer.”

  “Perhaps you’re correct. So you understand, I will locate whoever is threatening you, but you’ll need to trust me.”

  “I do trust you. However, you’re only one man.”

  Even his grin was impish, which should be perfectly annoying, but on him, the expression was adorable. My hunger was now off the charts.

  Why did I have the distinct feeling there were aspects of his life he wasn’t eager or ready to share with me? Hmm…

  It didn’t matter that we were standing in someone else’s office around people we didn’t know. He couldn’t care less that anyone could walk in on us.

  In truth, if you twisted my arm, I’d say the same thing. That’s why when he cupped my face, lifting my chin, I didn’t bother to try to pull away. Instead, I fisted a handful of his shirt, arching my back as I pulled myself toward him.

  The huge man complied without hesitation, capturing my mouth. I was shocked how tender he could be. We’d been so needy before that his gentleness was almost too sweet for this bad girl.

  But as his lips continued to pressure mine, his tongue sweeping inside, I sensed a complete change within him. His needs became more intense, his desire explosive. Soon the capture became a crush and within seconds, my pulse kicked into overdrive. He swept his tongue inside, dominating my mouth and my mind, every inch of my body and a good portion of my soul.

  I’d been kissed by some very powerful men in my life, but he certainly knew exactly what a woman needed. Soft to rough, sweet to unforgiving. But at the end of the day, his passion was more explosive than anything I’d ever experienced.

  The hunger exploded, sending a wave of sparks shooting across my periphery of vision. I adored being in his arms, experiencing his almost desperate need while becoming intoxicated from his exotic scent, which was his most powerful tool. Well, maybe one of several. He certainly knew how to seduce a lady whether he cared to admit it or not.

  Without realizing what I was doing, I ripped at his shirt while he struggled to tug off my jacket, pitching it to the floor.

  Was this the way it would be between us, so needy that we had no desire or intentions of waiting until a more appropriate time to indulge in fulfilling our yearning? What was so wrong with that?

  Forget gentleness. That was tossed aside as he ripped at my clothes the way I was doing to his. He broke the kiss long enough to yank off his shirt, grinning the entire time.

  Maybe the insane urgency was all about being in another person’s office, but I had to say this was one of the more exciting adventures I’d been on in several months.

  Our lips found each other again, insistent and needy, so much so I couldn’t think clearly.

  We were close to being frantic, laughing while our ragged breathing became a powerful steam maker. I tossed him backward and he regrouped, immediately coming for me. With his hand wrapped around the back of my neck, he dragged me to my toes. My back was in a tight arch seconds later, his lips discovering my aching nipple.

  His methods were rougher than before, keeping me on edge as he sucked and bit down. I had no intention of providing him the satisfaction of winning the moment. Another brutal shove and he was pitched against the wall, the hard thud creating enough noise I was shocked no one had burst into the room.

  The sound didn’t faze him in the least. He also wasn’t the kind of man to accept the runner-up position in any contest. He had me in his arms in a split second, issuing two savage cracks against my bottom hard enough I yelped.

  Somehow, we found ourselves in the middle of the executive bathroom, standing in front of the counter and mirror. While the light was soft, there was no mistaking the yearning on our faces.

  Or his dark and perhaps sadistic intentions.

  Maybe ten seconds later, my tight skirt had been pulled away, my thong peeled down my legs and yanked off. Material had been ripped and I wasn’t certain which piece of clothing would need to be trashed. Did it really matter at this point?

  Hell, no.

  Wearing his jeans and a grin, he lifted me off the floor onto the counter, pushing my back against the mirror.

  “You are so bad.” I slapped the mirror with one hand, the counter with the other, laughing when he split my legs wide open.

  “Mmm… Isn’t that what you were saying earlier?”

  “Yes!”

  He jerked my butt to the edge, spreading my legs wide open. I was slumped against the corner in such a way that I couldn’t move. That’s exactly what he wanted.

  “You know what?” he asked as he rubbed his hands along the insides of my legs. “I don’t feel bad about it. Sue me later, Miss Attorney, if that’s what you feel you need to do.”

  “Maybe I will.” When he blew across my pussy, I was lucky enough to bite back a scream just before it breached the surface of my lips. I could only imagine what the employees would do if they found us in such a compromising position.

  It might make the evening news.

  I grinned until he flicked his tongue around my clit, then I couldn’t care less what they did or didn’t do. Or if we were seen. I slapped my hand against his head, holding him in place as he teased me, alternately sucking and licking until my little nub was swollen and aching.

  Maverick wrapped his arms around my legs, spreading my legs even wider. I was going nowhere until he deemed it acceptable. Damn the man. He had a magical tongue.

  Closing my eyes, I tangled my fingers in his hair, tugging as I would a lifeline.

  His fingers dug into my skin as he dragged his tongue all the way down the length of my pussy, yet to breach my swollen folds. He continued tormenting me, alternating between sucking on my clit and darting the tip of his tongue just to my entrance. When he finally slipped two fingers inside, I almost lost it, jerking up from the counter. Both hands slapped the surface, my mind spinning from the extreme pleasure.

  My toes were pointed, my entire body quivering from the sweet rush of vibrations pulsing through me. The moment was sensational. I was lightheaded, scratching the counter to keep my body from slipping off the edge. With a dark laugh, he propped me in the center of the sink, my butt fitting perfectly into the bowl.

  The switch in the angle was enough I came close to climaxing. While I tried to reach him, every muscle ached to the point I had no strength in my hands. Panting, I lay limp, my head lolled to the side, my eyes unable to focus.

  He settled in, lifting my pelvis off the counter as he feasted. With his tongue and fingers dancing in perfect unison, I lost all sense of embarrassment. So what if someone saw us? I had nothing to prove to anyone.

  I was aware steam continued to rise, his actions now pushing me to the point of no return. When he dared issue a single crack of his fingers across my pussy lips, the pain awakened the last darkness nestled inside of me.

  The orgasm was wild and free, pounding into me with wild abandon. Whatever noise I was making echoed in the small room. At least that brought another smile to my face.

  I don’t know when I finally realized he hadn’t closed the bathroom door, but I had a direct line of sight to Carter’s office door.

  As he’d done before, he captured my face, forcing me to look at him. Only this time, the playfulness was hiding behind a shadow of darkness, the serious look in his eyes unnerving.

  “This isn’t a game, Alexia. I don’t doubt you’re in danger. Whether you want to hear this or not, your instincts were correct. I might be the only man capable of keeping you alive. In order to do that, you need to learn about obedience and rules. And I’m just the man to make that happen.”

  CHAPTER 14

  Maverick

  I’d been around awe-inspiring women my entire life. I’d firmly place my mother in that category. I preferred their wit, strong opinions, and intelligent banter over entitlement or easy-breezy any day. Except when formidability shoved aside common sense, which was what had occurred in the case of Alexia sending Tony away.

  Maybe surveillance wasn’t in his skillset, but his only job was to keep her safe and to relay details of anyone he believed to be following her. I’d obviously underestimated her. That needed to change.

  What also needed to shift was the portion of our relationship where she believed she had even limited control. She didn’t. Or maybe I should say she couldn’t. With no clear-cut evidence, I wasn’t about to divulge the existence of Raven Intel. The members had been sworn to secrecy, vital for our protection from the prying eyes of law enforcement as well as a bullet from any number of criminals on our ever-growing list of those who should be eliminated from this earth.

  In that regard, her ignorance about the existence of our group was in her best interest.

  “You need to be punished.” I made the declaration as if by doing so, she’d accept without fighting me. Maybe I could add naïve to the groups of words used to describe me. The spark in her eyes alone allowed me to see she had no intention of allowing me to punish her willingly.

  “We’re in your agent’s office,” Alexia purred.

  “I find it highly amusing you broke into his office, which is a crime and could get you arrested. You proceeded to act in the capacity of my attorney, which is a lie, and I could have you disbarred. Then after your egregious behavior, you decided getting a little kinky after tossing the man from his own office was perfectly acceptable. I wonder how his security guards would feel about that. Or the evening news.”

  She was the single woman who brought out a mischievous side of me. Even my personal assistant, while cunning and masterful with my emotions, had yet to unlock the mischief door. I had to remind myself just like I’d done with her that this wasn’t a game, even if the caller pretended it was.

  “You wouldn’t do any of those things.” Her tone was full of urgency because she didn’t know anything about my personality or what made me tick.

  “Try me.”

  She wasn’t certain of my intentions. Good. I’d use that to my advantage. A lesson did need to be provided. Perhaps then she’d think twice about putting herself in any kind of danger. I needed time to investigate and with her unpredictable behavior, she was only managing to place a significant target on her back.

  She licked her lips out of frustration. “You want to punish me in exchange for keeping my tirade a little secret.”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “I never joke about acts of discipline. Never.”

  Groaning, she shoved her face into her hand before spinning around to face the mirror. “Get this over with.”

  My throat was parched and the only thing that could quench my thirst was her sweet juice.

  I reminded myself she was masterful in the art of playing people. “You defied me.”

  “Yes.” And she was proud of doing so.

  “You won’t do that again.”

  “I guess we’ll see.”

  I fisted a handful of her long hair, jerking back her head. “No, you will not. I’ll do this every day if necessary.” My cock twisted, the ache building. “Lean over the counter and spread your legs.” Backing away, I gave her room, raking two fingers down the length of her spine as I did. Her shudder kept my balls tight as drums.

  Her expression full of contempt, she took her time facing the mirror, even making a face after doing so. Very slowly she lowered herself across the counter, spreading her arms and gripping the edges. I waited until she moved her legs apart, taking several deep breaths at the sight of her glistening pussy.

  She was enjoying this. She wanted the harsh punishment. The ache in my groin escalated, my heart thudding. She was no longer terrified of what I would do to her but was craving my darkness. My God. Something broke inside of me, my needs completely unleashed. I rubbed my jaw, slowing my breathing. If I wasn’t careful, I’d hurt her in my exuberance and that couldn’t happen.

  I ran my fingers down her spine for a second time, delighting in the betrayal of her body. While her mind remained uncertain of our intense connection, every touch of my hand increased the same yearning coursing through me.

  “Thirty strikes will be your punishment today.” What I craved more than spanking her was fucking her tight pussy. That would come. I only hoped Carter stayed away. If he didn’t… Well, he’d get an eyeful. Maybe that would be good for him.

  Alexia took several deep breaths, studying me in the mirror before pressing one palm against the tempered glass. I’d be damned if she wasn’t calculating her control around me.

  I caressed her bottom, my fingers enjoying the warm touch. I opened her legs even wider, sliding my fingers down the crack of her ass to her swollen pussy lips, darting two fingers just inside.

  “Oh,” she whispered, her single moan invigorating my senses, piquing the cruel man who’d been born inside of me the night I’d captured the fucking bastard. After rescuing her, it had taken almost forty-eight hours to follow the trail of breadcrumbs, finding the killer sipping a tall glass of bourbon on the deck of his ocean front home in Naples.

  He’d only been somewhat surprised I’d found him. But he’d known me by name, even offering his hospitality. With his grand surroundings, his extreme wealth highlighted in every detail of his opulence, a bad taste had formed in my mouth. I’d learned exactly what I was made of on that night, the man I’d become. Cruel and without remorse.

  Yes, he’d tried to sneak away, but I’d captured him after a short chase. He’d enjoyed every moment, insisting he’d been testing my skills. The fucking bastard.

  After his capture, I’d lost all sense of humanity as well, almost allowing my extreme desire to slit him from ear to ear to take over. If it hadn’t been for Max, who’d remained vigilant as any partner would, I likely would have crossed more than one line that fateful night.