She rattled off the name of a prestigious facility in Houston. “He has no idea any of this is going on. I don’t want him to. He’ll only check himself out to come ‘save’ me.”

  “I’ll take care of it. EM’s Security merged with another firm, the one owned by Jack Cole and Deke Trenton. They have ties in Texas. I’m sure they know someone who will keep your father from harm.”

  “I can’t afford to pay—”

  “Don’t worry about that now. They’re my friends.” None of whom would let her or her sick father be killed over a buck. “Is the incriminating video on the USB drive in that plastic bag?” He nodded toward it.

  “Yes.”

  “Is that the only copy?”

  She nodded. “I offloaded it from my device and deleted it from my cloud. I worried if Todd or Winston realized exactly what I’d captured, they would be more ruthless.”

  “Probably, but it’s leverage. We need to back that up ASAP. I’ll take care of it.”

  “Thank you.”

  He didn’t want her appreciation. He wanted answers. “Why did you come to me, Madison?”

  She hesitated. “Everyone else has children. I couldn’t put them at risk. But if this isn’t okay—”

  “I said I would help you.” He cleared her plate and set it in the sink. He needed to do something with his hands or he’d give in to his terrible need to touch her. “What do you see happening next?”

  “I don’t know. I panicked, and I ran. A thousand times, I’ve questioned my decision not to stay and call the police, but…” She shook her head. “Unspeakable things happen to innocent people in DC. I’ve seen it.”

  That was true, which made him wonder… “Did Todd force you to marry him?”

  “No.”

  Her immediate comeback shot down his hopes that she’d actually wanted a future with him once upon a time. They were better dead anyway. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll stay here tonight. In the morning, I’m sending you into hiding with Trees’s younger brother, Nash. You met him at the wedding, remember?”

  “Yeah.” She looked confused. No, upset. “Why him?”

  Because he doesn’t want to kiss you, strip you down, possess you in every way possible, and find out if any part of you still responds to him. “The Pershings have no idea you know him.”

  “Good point.” But Madison gnawed on her lip like the situation was anything but. “Will I see you again?”

  He hesitated. “It’s not smart.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t come here to be in your way.”

  She wasn’t, and god knew he’d love to take her straight to bed, keep her there, and sink deep inside her body until she forgot her husband—and every other man who’d ever touched her. But that notion was somewhere between unrealistic and ridiculous.

  “What about tonight?” she whispered.

  The way she looked at him tempted him so goddamn much. “Rest. For the next ten hours, I won’t let you out of my sight.”

  Matt probably didn’t mean those words to sound sexy or possessive or like anything she’d ached to hear since the last time she’d been in his arms. But heat rushed through her. Her heart lurched.

  “W-what do you mean? If you don’t have an extra bed, I can sleep on the sofa or—”

  “No. You have serious adversaries. Do I think it’s likely they’ll look for you here tonight?” He shook his head. “We haven’t spoken a word in nearly three years. But they know I’m the last man you slept with before you married Todd.”

  “They do.” Winston Pershing’s political enemies had spread it all over social media mere days before her wedding, and it had been utterly humiliating. Todd claimed it was one reason they were honeymooning overseas, to give the story time to die down.

  “You can’t stay here long without risking yourself.”

  “And without risking you. I understand.”

  He shrugged like his safety didn’t matter. Given what he did for a living and how reckless his reputation said he’d become, Madison wasn’t surprised. “I’m not worried about me.”

  “I am. I won’t darken your door again, I promise.” She leaned onto the counter, linking her fingers together and digging her nails into the backs of her hands, trying not to give in to her desire to touch him. “How have you been?”

  “Fine.”

  The way he answered, she didn’t really believe him. “Liking the job?”

  “Love it. Everyone I work with and for are great. From what I hear, the bosses got off to a rocky start the first year they owned the business. They accused Trees of selling insider secrets and coerced Zy into spying on him, then played one against the other while treating One-Mile like he was special—”

  “Well, Pierce is. Only a handful of snipers in the world can pull off that kind of kill shot, right?”

  “True, but I meant the kind of special that radiates toxic waste. The Edgington Brothers and Joaquin Muñoz had heard plenty about One-Mile’s attitude, and my buddy didn’t disappoint. Guess it didn’t help that he pursued Brea hard and without apology, despite everyone believing she belonged to a former teammate.”

  “Cutter, right? Isn’t he the guy who married Shealyn West?”

  “Yeah, and they’re happy as hell apparently. And anyone who spends five minutes with Pierce and Brea knows he thinks the sun rises and sets on her. They have three kids now. Can you believe it?”

  “That’s great.” Then she flashed a little smile. “They know what’s causing that, right?”

  Matt grinned. “One hundred percent. I think Pierce takes particular delight in knocking up his wife. Brea says she just wants a girl, but I think she likes it, too.”

  Madison stifled her envy. She’d love to have a husband she adored and a passel of kids. Honestly, after the weekend she’d spent with Matt following Trees and Laila’s wedding, she had hoped he would be her forever man. He’d certainly felt like it. She had surrendered her entire self to him because of that. She’d never imagined that the consuming kiss full of promise up against her crappy little sedan that Monday morning would be their last. “I hope she has that daughter. What about the rest of the gang? I’ve lost touch. They post personal stuff every now and then, but…”

  “It’s been raining baby boys at EM Security. Zy and Tessa have a son together. Knox is almost two. Tessa left the company to be a stay-at-home mom, but you know her… She’s clever and artistic. She started a Mommy-blog thing under another name on social media, and now she’s everywhere. People pay her good money to film videos about their products and recommend them to other parents.”

  It didn’t hurt that Tessa was beautiful and would only ever give her endorsement to products she loved. “Good for her. She’s a great mom, so I’m not surprised. I’ve seen a few pictures Tessa has posted on her personal account of her baby boy with her daughter, Hallie. They’re so precious.”

  “They are. Trees and Laila have three boys now—the oldest barely two and a half. The rest of the guys have a running bet on when he’ll get her pregnant again. You and Todd chose not to have kids?”

  Another hole in her heart. Growing up an only child had been a little lonely, so she’d always wanted a big family. Todd had killed that dream. “He never wanted children. Baggage, he called them. And I never wanted kids with him.”

  Matt hesitated. “Do you want to talk about what happened with you two?”

  Confess everything awful to the man she still carried a torch for? Who was smartly sending her away the first chance he got? “No.”

  “Okay.” His reply said he accepted her answer; his tone made it clear he didn’t like it. “Let’s talk about the Pershings. You know them better than anyone, so you know what they’re capable of. What’s your best guess on their next steps?”

  “They’re tracing my moves. By now, they know I’ve skipped DC. They’ve probably figured out that I took a train to Atlanta. They’ve likely guessed that, from there, I hopped a bus to Louisiana. I’m sure they assume I’m somewhere in town.”

  “That’s my guess, too. Todd wants to kill you. What do you think the rest of the family will do if they find you?”

  “Todd’s parents…” Madison let out a pensive breath. “Let’s just say that Roger does exactly what the senator tells him to or he’ll be cut off. Cynthia is too delicate for a life in politics, so they keep her mostly medicated. Whatever spin they’re running with about my disappearance…that will give us a clue about the family’s intentions.”

  “And Winston Pershing himself? What do you think he’ll want to do about you?”

  She shrugged. “I have no idea. Obviously, it’s messier if they, you know, unalive me, but that impediment isn’t impossible to overcome. I’ve tried to look at how they spun Brent Westbrook’s death, but it’s been eerily quiet.”

  Matt grabbed his phone, thumbed around a bit, then came up cursing. “According to official sources, Brent died this afternoon in an unfortunate car accident.”

  “It’s hard to drive when your head has nearly been severed from your body.” As the humorless joke fell silent, she shuddered. “They’ve made a cousin’s murder just…disappear. I’m afraid of what they could do with mine. Have they mentioned a funeral for Brent?”

  “Friday. They’re delaying a bit for the Independence Day holiday.”

  “Any comments from Brent’s parents?”

  Matt scanned and scrolled. “His father called the accident ‘tragic and terrible. He asks the press to respect the family and their privacy at this time.’ Blah, blah, blah.”

  “So the Westbrooks took Winston’s money, and they’re going to sweep their son’s death under the rug. Damn it. They were the only people who might have pushed for the truth. If they’re not going to, no one will. Any mention of me in the article?”

  “There usually isn’t,” he said offhandedly.

  He looked through news clips for information about her? Because he wanted to bask in her misfortune? Or because she mattered?

  Madison couldn’t wonder about that. Down that road lay a mind fuck that would only mess her up.

  He darkened his phone. “I’ll keep watch.”

  “Based on what you’ve said, Winston will prefer to explain away my absence, at least until Brent’s funeral is behind them and any gossip or speculation has died down. After that…I’m a problem he would prefer to do without. I’ve been more of a hindrance than a help since Todd and I married.”

  Matt clenched his jaw. “I’ll start thinking of ways to deal with them. Why don’t you get some rest? Since my guest room is more of an arsenal, you can have my bed.”

  Lay on his mattress, her head on his pillow, and wrap herself in the sheets he’d slept on—all of which undoubtedly smelled like him? Madison shook her head. “I can’t take it from you.”

  “There’s a big chair in the corner. I’ll doze there. Nothing will happen,” he vowed.

  Meaning she was safe from the Pershings—and his touch. His refusal to come near her shouldn’t hurt this much. “I don’t want to impose any more than I already have.”

  “You’re not. Follow me.”

  When he headed down the shadowy hall, she grabbed the bag with the USB drive and fell in behind him. Nothing about the house felt like Matt. Since the property was a rental, that explained the blandly traditional elements of the older home. But once upon a time, he’d claimed he liked it for the big yard and the distant neighbors. And it was comfortable, so even if his vibe seemed more rustic than classic, she understood why he’d remained.

  At the end of the corridor, he veered left and flipped on a light. Madison saw Matt all over the master bedroom. Clearly, this was where he’d put his stamp.

  He’d tossed a striped area rug over the original wide-plank, blond hardwoods, then accented the wall behind his massive king-size bed and rattan headboard with shiplap a slightly darker shade than the floor. Weathered, off-black furniture dotted the room, adding weight to the homey space, echoed by black plantation shutters covering the windows. A stone fireplace with a matching mantle dominated the far side of the room. Above, he’d used the antlers from a deer head he’d surely bagged on a hunting trip to hold the cowboy hats he often wore. To the right, sat bookshelves with all kinds of hardcovers, mostly about fishing, farming, and other outdoorsy pursuits. The mussed blue, black, and white bedding with its slightly geometric pattern added the only modern touch to the room.

  Despite the fact she’d once been in love with Matt, she had never seen his personal space. Knowing she would spend the night here nearly made her teary and weak-kneed.

  He eased into the cozy plaid recliner across from his footboard and nodded at the mattress. “Get in.”

  Madison wanted to protest. Once she fell asleep, morning would come. They would be separated again, probably forever. While that seemingly suited him, her heart ached. She’d managed the last three years by fantasizing that, someday, she would be free so that she and Matt could rekindle what he’d cut short after that magical weekend. Instead, tonight had put a final period on their relationship. He wasn’t happy she’d come here, and he couldn’t wait to get rid of her. Because he was involved with someone? She hadn’t asked about his love life. She didn’t want to know. Was that the same reason he’d never asked why she’d married Todd?

  In the end, she also didn’t want to make Matt’s life difficult. She cared about him too much, so she set the USB drive on the nightstand and slid between the covers, trying not to smell him on the sheets, and rolled away from his probing gaze.

  He killed the overhead lights. The squeaking of the chair told her that he sat again. She peered across the room to find him typing something into his phone.

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Yeah. I’m just telling the bosses that I need to borrow Nash for a few days. He just came off a gig, so they probably won’t mind as long as he manages his paperwork and follow-ups.”

  “What about you? Do you have an upcoming assignment?”

  He shrugged. “I’m supposed to go out soon, but we’ll see what sticks.”

  Madison wasn’t sure what he meant. Maybe it was better if she didn’t know. The thought of him in danger terrified her.

  “Whatever happens…be safe. Please.” Then she rolled over, closed her eyes, and tried furiously to blank her mind and sleep.

  But Matt’s scent surrounded her—musky, woodsy, manly. For three years, she’d ached to share even a zip code with him. Now they were alone in the same room. All she could imagine was him losing his shirt while she threw back the covers to welcome him before they melted into the mattress together.

  That wasn’t going to happen.

  “Do you ever think of us?” he asked in the dark, shocking her.

  His voice was so low she wondered if she’d imagined it.

  If this was the last night they might ever be together, she should be honest. After all, she didn’t have any pride left to salvage. The Pershings and her never-ending pining for Matt had stripped her of that.

  “All the time. Other than marrying Todd, you’re my biggest regret.” She huffed bitterly. “Not that it matters. I know you didn’t really want me.”

  “Oh, don’t kid yourself, honey. From the second I laid eyes on you, I wanted you more than my next breath.”

  She frowned in the dark. “But you just disappeared. You ghosted me…”

  “Because it wasn’t going to work.”

  So he’d hurt her. She’d deserved it after all her rash decisions. And maybe he’d been right. They would never know. It was too late for them now; Madison was horribly aware of that.

  She should close her eyes and leave Matt in peace. But after the harrowing twenty-four hours she’d endured—not to mention the horrible years since she’d last seen him—she needed him so badly. He made her feel safe and sexy. He reassured her. He’d pleasured her like no man ever had. Would it be so terrible if she asked the person who held her heart to take her in his arms one last time? She wouldn’t ask for promises or forevers. Just this moment.

  The memory would have to last the rest of her life.

  Slowly, she slipped from his bed. Instantly, his head zipped up from his phone. By the light of the device, she watched his eyes narrow when she stripped off his flannel and the air conditioning hardened her bare nipples. He didn’t speak, but the groan that slipped from his lips spoke volumes as she untied the shorts. Slowly, she shoved them down, walking out of them and straight toward him—not wearing a stitch. As she stopped a mere foot from him and unwound her shoulder-length hair, she stared at him unapologetically. “Come to bed with me.”

  Other than setting his phone aside, he didn’t move. “Madison…”

  “I’ve missed you.” If they only had tonight, she would shelve her dignity and beg him. It wouldn’t be the first time. “You don’t know how much. Please.”

  “Goddamn it.”

  He was going to reject her. She shouldn’t be shocked, but tears still stung her eyes as she bent and reached blindly for his clothes. “Never mind. I’m asking for too much. I’m sorry.”

  Matt stood and grabbed her wrists. He stared his way down her body, almost too still, as if he exercised every shred of his self-control. The moment reminded her so much of their first kiss all those years ago…

  Chapter Three

  June 6

  Three years earlier

  Matt sat at the back of the wedding reception, wondering how much longer before he could bail. He was happy for Trees and Laila. Their road to happily ever after had been fraught with danger, difficulty, and heartache. He’d never imagined that such a wisp of a female could demolish a six-foot-eight badass.

  If he knew what the fuck to do with love if he ever fell in it, Matt might have enjoyed the sentimentality of the day and celebrated the bride and groom’s forever with more gusto. But this kind of shit wasn’t for him. His father had made damn sure of that.

  Women are only good for one thing, son. Don’t ever let one sink her claws into you…

  He never wanted to see desperate clawing, pitiful pleading, or tears of despair again. But since the apple never fell far from the tree, Matt figured he was better off not even trying the whole death-do-us-part thing. He’d only ruin some nice girl’s life.