All he could think about was that he only had six weeks left to ensure Lara would still be here when he returned. If he returned. Operatives who took the kind of chances he did rarely lived to a ripe old age. What would happen to her if he wasn’t around? She could get into serious trouble, and he doubted she would properly defend herself. She would try to bring out her flipping talking stick and form a trust circle around her attacker.

  “You don’t seem happy.” Roman was studying him, likely using that big brain of his to reach conclusions that Connor didn’t want him drawing.

  “It’s great. I’ve just got a lot to think about. Did Everly have any luck finding our guy in the park?” He needed to get Roman off the subject of his relationship with Lara.

  “Yep. You can calm down. Your girl is being stalked by a pro. The good old Russian mob is back in play. He’s a man named Pavel Sopov. According to the very top secret FBI database Everly hacked into, he’s a low-level member of a syndicate.”

  “Let me guess. He’s a Brighton Beach associate of the Krylov gang.”

  “Absolutely.” Roman leaned against Lara’s desk. “I need to figure out what Krylov wants. He’s making some moves I don’t quite understand. And I still want to know who the hell Sergei is. Krylov’s name is Ivan, so it’s not him.”

  “He runs much of Moscow. From intel the Agency’s collected, I know he’s been a big player in arming jihadists in Afghanistan and the Middle East. He plays both sides. Doesn’t care about politics. If you’ve got the money, you can buy from him. Now we know he had an arm of the syndicate that ran a human trafficking ring. But we have no idea if Sergei had anything to do with that. There’s no higher-ups in the organization by that name.”

  “Why do you think Krylov would spend time and money trying to terrify Lara Armstrong?”

  That was simple. “He believes the same thing we do, that she can lead him to Natalia. The question is does he want to silence Natalia? Or blackmail Zack? My money’s on blackmail.”

  A long sigh came from Roman. “Mine, too. Which is why we have to find out what she knows. Can’t you just fuck the information out of her? What happened to pillow talk?”

  “She fell asleep. Maybe your lovers have the capacity to talk after you do whatever you do, but mine just tend to drop off because I don’t leave them with any energy to talk.”

  The truth was Connor hadn’t even thought about talking to Lara about the case. Before she’d drifted off, he’d just wanted to fuck her again and again. If she’d stayed awake, he would likely be buried inside her again, and he didn’t want those men hearing her. She wasn’t quiet. She let him and likely everyone on this floor know just what a good time she was having. He couldn’t stand the thought of these men knowing how she sounded when she came.

  Roman shot him the finger. “Like I have time to fuck. I swear to god after Zack’s second term I’m going to Vegas and you won’t see me for at least three months.”

  Cameras were always on Roman. He walked a fine line. He dated occasionally, always some model or actress. He stayed utterly away from anyone in politics.

  “I need to get back to Lara,” Connor said. “She wakes up occasionally. I don’t want her walking out here.”

  Roman held out a hand. “I’ll study the information we get, but you have to start asking her questions. I get that you like the girl, but you can’t forget who your friends are.”

  “Funny, I bet you didn’t give Gabe this talk when he got together with Everly.”

  “Everly’s family. She was Mad’s sister.”

  And Lara wasn’t family. Lara was the enemy in Roman’s mind. Roman tended to take out the enemy without blinking. “I’m still in charge of this operation. You don’t do anything without my go-ahead.”

  Roman shrugged and gave him a “who me?” expression he didn’t buy for a second. “Of course, brother. We just need to find Kuilikov and then this can all be over. We can get back to our regularly scheduled lives. We’ll be out of your hair in five minutes. She’s got a safe I want to look into.”

  “A safe?” He hadn’t been able to properly search her place. He’d spent that first night sleeping, and every other night he’d been worried she would find him and kick him to the curb. He tried not to let her out of his sight during the day. So the secondary team had been a necessary evil. And an effective one, apparently.

  “One of my men found it. It’s not standard in these buildings. She must have installed a custom job because it’s in the back wall of her coat closet behind about fifty sweaters. Smart. I wouldn’t have looked there but I told the boys to be thorough. Too bad for her I already found the code. She wrote it in her day planner.”

  It was an amateur mistake. She went to the trouble of having a safe and then was afraid she would forget the code so she wrote it down, thereby letting any thief with half a brain take whatever was inside. “I’ll go with you and see what’s in there.”

  He couldn’t give her secrets over to Roman without even seeing them. And . . . he wasn’t sure he trusted Roman to stick with the plan without someone watching over his shoulder. Roman could be ruthless when it came to protecting Zack.

  “Connor?” A feminine voice cut through the quiet.

  Shit. He rushed out of the office, not looking back. Everyone seemed to have melted back into the shadows. He picked out where the men were hiding, but he doubted Lara would. Still, he had no intention of letting her see a damn thing. He blocked her exit from the hall.

  And the view of any fucker who might see her. She wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. Her body was like a beacon in the gloom.

  She gasped and stepped back. “You have a gun.”

  He let it dangle at his side and used his free hand to smooth back her hair. He tried to make sure he was covering her so no one behind them could see her and every part that fucking belonged to him. He had to force a pleasant look on his face. “I thought I heard something. It was just someone walking in the hall outside. The doors are all locked. But as long as you’re awake . . .”

  She laughed as he maneuvered her back to the bedroom. “You have more energy than any man I know.”

  “When it comes to you, hell yes, I do. Come on, princess. I’m still hungry.” He backed her into her bedroom, shut and locked the door.

  She looked up at him, her hands going to his chest. “I was worried about you.”

  He shook his head. “No need. I can take care of both of us. It’s what I’m here for.”

  She leaned against him, cuddling up. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. I couldn’t stand it.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and pondered the irony of her worry for the well-being of the big bad wolf. He’d never really had a woman worry about him. “I’m going to be fine. I’ve trained to combat danger all my life. Look at me.”

  Her head tilted up and he was awed at the trust he saw there.

  He kissed her forehead. “We’re going to be fine. No matter what. I need you to believe that. I’m going to take care of you. I’m going to make sure you’re safe.”

  No matter what he had to do.

  He lowered his mouth to hers and tried to forget that they weren’t alone.

  EIGHT

  Every muscle in her body was deliciously sore. Lara stretched as she prepped breakfast. Kiki had brought her some eggs for Connor, so he could have a scramble with spinach and peppers, rather than her usual tofu. She might have given on the animal products, but she intended to sneak some veggies into his diet one way or another. She cracked another egg into the skillet. He looked like a man who could eat four eggs. Maybe more. He’d expended an enormous amount of energy the night before.

  She felt a grin spread across her face. He might be a carnivore, but he was the most spectacular lover in the history of time. Now she knew why Kiki giggled when she talked about sex. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling when her whole body felt alive.

  He’d taken over her shower just fifteen minutes before, using his big body to trap her and kiss her until she was breathless. With her hands over her head, both manacled by one of his, she’d been utterly at his mercy and he’d had none. He’d grabbed the soap and washed her off, paying very close attention to his favorite parts. She’d cried out his name.

  Apparently, she was a screamer. Lara had always thought she was very ladylike in bed, but Connor brought out her inner vixen. There was no place for decorum when his mouth was on her.

  She’d even turned the tables on him, taking his erection in her soapy hands and rubbing. She’d watched him, utterly fascinated when his cock had surged and released in her hand.

  She felt a little damp and flushed just thinking about it.

  Lara scooped his eggs onto a plate just as her doorbell rang. She was almost to the door when Connor scowled at her from the hallway.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” He was back in bodyguard mode, wearing jeans and a dark T-shirt, his shoulder holster and gun on display.

  In her mind, she could still see him naked, feel every muscle and indention of his body. And all the scars. What had he been through besides the psychotic ex? Probably a lot. She wanted to kiss all his scars, to let him know he was safe with her.

  She gave him a little smile. “I was just coming to get you so you could answer the door.”

  His eyes narrowed, but he rewarded her with a slight hint of a smile. “Sure you were, princess.” Now when he called her princess it made her warm and happy. He winked as he brushed past her. “Get out of view until I tell you it’s safe. We’re going over protocol this morning. After yesterday, I’m putting some new rules in place.”

  She wrinkled her nose. He loved rules of all kinds when they applied to her. In fact, he seemed to relish them. “That does not sound like fun.”

  “I’m going to have a ton of fun going over all the new boundaries. Can you fix me some coffee, baby?” He strode toward the door.

  At least if she was stuck in the house, she was stuck with him. If he was going to restrict her routine and control her schedule, he could entertain her. She had a list of things she wanted to try. After last night, her imagination had opened up. Now her mind was a veritable Kama Sutra.

  She poured Connor a cup of coffee and took both plates to the table. Hopefully whoever had knocked on the door wouldn’t need too much attention. Their breakfast would get cold.

  She’d gotten an e-mail the night before from a woman named Everly Parker. The Everly Parker. Maddox Crawford’s sister wanted to talk to her about something and she was coming to D.C. today. Lara had already started mentally composing a list of questions to ask the woman. Her brother had somehow been involved in the plot to cover up Natalia Kuilikov’s whereabouts. The conversation would be delicate, but she intended to find out what Parker knew. Lara hoped Crawford’s sister could provide more information about this piece of the very large puzzle she and Freddy had started to fit together a little over a year ago.

  That wasn’t her only problem. She had to figure out how she was going to slip past Connor to meet her informant at midnight. He would bolt if he saw Connor there. Maybe she should think about giving up on this particular story. The idea of tricking him didn’t sit well with her.

  Or maybe she should tell him everything and ask for his advice. He could be her partner.

  The only thing that held her back was the fact that he’d used Zack Hayes as a reference. How loyal was he to the president? How would he feel when he found out exactly why she was investigating the commander in chief?

  “I need to talk to Lara.” Tom’s voice rang down the hall.

  “We really do. There’s something freaky going on with Freddy,” Kiki chimed in. “Not that there isn’t always something freaky happening with that guy, but this is even weirder than normal.”

  Despite Connor’s warning, she stepped into the hallway. Freddy had issues, but she could usually talk him down. “Come on in.”

  Kiki set Lincoln down and he immediately started jumping up on Connor’s leg. Traitor. Her dog had turned on her for a little beef. Connor scooped the pup up and then turned, giving her a stare that could have frozen a blazing fire. That stare promised retribution for misbehavior.

  She shivered but not in fear. Connor was rapidly turning her into a sex-crazed woman.

  “Later,” he mouthed as he let her friends in.

  “Your breakfast is on the table and I brewed fresh coffee.” She gave him a smile she hoped would calm his savage beast a little.

  “I’ll get him some water.” He leaned over, kissing her right in front of her friends. “Behave until I get back. And if you set foot out of this apartment or unlock that door while I’m gone, you won’t like what happens when I catch you.”

  His dark tone sent another shiver down her spine. She watched him until he disappeared into her kitchen.

  “Holy shit, you slept with him.” Kiki’s eyes were wide.

  Tom shook his head, his jaw hanging slightly open. “No. She wouldn’t do that. She’s got better taste in men. He’s a barbarian and she knows it.”

  “He’s wonderful,” she said with a sigh. She didn’t want to get too into it with Tom. As far as she knew he wasn’t dating anyone. He’d gone through several woman right after they’d broken up, but no one in the last year. “Yes, he’s different from my normal dates, but that’s okay. We get along really well. We’re very compatible.”

  Kiki leaned in. “How compatible?”

  “Multiple times compatible.” She was fairly certain the grin on her face was a mile wide.

  “I can’t believe you slept with him.” Tom was staring at her like she’d grown two heads.

  “I know it’s soon, but we’ve already spent more time together than a lot of people who’ve been dating for weeks. The twenty-four seven thing can really make you get to know a person fast.”

  “Do you?” Tom asked. “Do you really know him? Or do you see what he wants you to see?”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means that he’s obviously using you and you’re too naive to know it,” Tom spat.

  “It isn’t obvious to me.” Connor sipped coffee from the mug she’d left for him, his eyes steady on Tom. “Just how am I using her?”

  For just a second, she thought Tom would back down. She hoped he would. Naturally he found his backbone and squared off against the much more muscular man.

  “You’re using her for sex,” Tom accused.

  “Hey!” Lara flushed, embarrassment flooding her system.

  “Maybe it’s the other way around. Maybe she’s using me for sex,” Connor said without a hint of humor on his face. Lincoln bounded back through the door and Connor scooped him up again. He looked simply delicious standing there with her dog cradled to his chest and drinking her coffee. He didn’t need to shout. His deep voice reeked of authority. “I don’t see anyone standing up for me.”

  Kiki nodded his way. “I will. The way she’s using you is terrible. You deserve so much more. It’s easy to see you’re more than just a hot body.”

  “I like to think so,” he said as innocently as a man wearing a gun could.

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Tom had turned red in the face, his eyes narrowed. “She doesn’t even like sex. You tricked her into bed.”

  Embarrassment turned to flat-out humiliation.

  “She likes it with me and she’s absolutely the best lover I’ve ever had in my life. She’s giving and passionate and I’m lucky she’s with me. Now get to the reason you came here because my breakfast is getting cold.”

  Just like that the humiliation fled. She moved close to him, trying to let him see how much she appreciated him. “It’s okay. You go ahead and eat. I’ll be there in a little bit.”

  “No. We had a very important night. I believe I performed heroically given your inexhaustible appetites.” He winked her way. “I want my intimate breakfast for two. I’ll wait.”

  For a man who didn’t say much, he really knew how to get to her. She turned to Tom, whom she’d had just about enough of. “What did you need?”

  Tom shook his head. “I can’t believe you would fall for his bullshit. He’s not what he seems. You think he’s a good guy, but he’s lying to you.”

  And they called her the conspiracy nut. “About what?”

  “About what he wants,” Tom sputtered. “And he’s some kind of pervert. Don’t expect me to clean up the mess when he breaks your heart.”

  Tom stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

  Kiki frowned. “I would never have brought him with me if I’d known he would react like that. I’m so sorry.”

  “Why was he with you in the first place?” Connor asked, cool as a cucumber.

  “I’m helping him write up a brief on a case. I know more about the legal precedent than he does. He fell asleep on my couch last night. He was there this morning when Freddy showed up.” Kiki reached into her bag and handed her an envelope. “He wanted you to have this. He said it was information you need to know in case he doesn’t come back.”

  She took the envelope, but it was in Connor’s hands before she could open it.

  “No,” he corrected her, setting the coffee mug on the bar and letting Lincoln run free. “You have no idea what’s in this thing.”

  “Very likely it’s a treatise on ancient aliens.” Freddy had a little bit of an obsession with them. Lara frowned. “What do you think could be in there? It’s an envelope, so I don’t think it’s carrying a bomb.”