“I’ll hold you to that, brother.” Connor slipped into the room. He stood there as though utterly unsure of his welcome. It was the only time she’d ever seen him looking vulnerable, but in that moment, she had to wonder what it had been like for him to be the scholarship kid, the only one without money among the incredibly wealthy.

  He’d come. She couldn’t help but smile. She’d known he couldn’t resist finding out what was really on that SD card. She walked right up to him and gave him a hug.

  Connor stood there for a moment. “I am unsure how to handle this.”

  Gabriel finally laughed. “Give in. She wants you in the family, and Everly gets what she wants.”

  Dax smiled brightly. “My man. It is good to see you.”

  Slowly, Connor hugged her back.

  After a moment, she stepped away, and some of the tension had left the room. She hated the fact that she was about to amp it up again. “I decoded the diary.”

  She’d discovered that the diary had been written in code and in Russian code at that. When she’d pieced together all the information, she’d found a single item—a handwritten book that had been scanned in. She’d worked for a full week to decode the thing, then given it to a confidential Russian translator.

  “I’m sending you all a copy of the translation. The diary begins almost a year into her tenure with the Hayes family. She talks about being happy and how much she loves Zack.” The next part was the one she didn’t want to get into. She wished she could leave it there.

  “And?” Zack had one eyebrow raised as though he knew what was coming.

  “She mentions at one point how scared she was when the head of her school had come to her and told her she was being placed. She talks about a mistake she’d made, some sort of shame she brought on the school. Apparently the headmistress told her that by working for the ambassador, she could make everything right again. It’s a little cryptic but she writes about work being the only way she could protect something we can’t quite decipher. The translator thinks she’s talking about protecting her own life. I think someone threatened her.”

  “Shit,” Roman said, his head shaking. “Her school? Tell me it wasn’t a foundation school.”

  “I can’t.” That was where the real scandal began. It all went back to that day when a poor Russian girl had been told it was time for her to work.

  “Damn. Zack, you were raised by a girl who had been trafficked,” Dax said, his voice hoarse.

  “The question is, did your parents know?” Gabriel asked.

  “I wouldn’t put it past them. So this was all about embarrassing me?” Zack questioned tightly. “Is this about the next election cycle?”

  “I intend to find out,” Connor replied with grim resignation. “I think Natalia is alive.”

  That stopped the room.

  “Is she in Russia?” Roman asked.

  Connor shook his head. “She came to the States fifteen years ago on a Visa and disappeared. I think she’s still here and I think Lara Armstrong knows where to find her. I’m going to figure this out, Zack. I’m not going to let her be used to bring you down.”

  Connor sat with Zack, Dax, and Roman. They started to plan.

  Which was Everly’s cue to leave.

  She’d made it to the door when Gabriel caught up with her.

  “Hey, you don’t leave without a kiss,” he said, brushing his mouth against hers. “You don’t have to leave at all. You have a stake in this, baby.”

  But some things were meant for the boys. She’d done her part and was happy to put her mind to other things.

  She twisted the big engagement ring on her finger. “Nope. Your sister should be here any minute and we’re going over arrangements for the engagement party. Hint, I hope you like Asian because Sara’s got some crazy cravings going on.”

  He stared down at her. “I love you.”

  She didn’t hesitate anymore. He was her guy. “I love you, too.”

  Everly stepped out because sometimes the Perfect Gentlemen needed a little time together.

  • • •

  Deep in the night, Connor Sparks sat in front of his computer, his head buzzing.

  He’d almost lost them all. That night haunted his dreams. When he did manage to sleep, he kept seeing Dax dead on the floor, Gabe and Everly riddled with bullet holes.

  He hated this. He needed to pull away from them all.

  It had been right there, the impulse to let the Russians take Everly so he could follow them and play the game he’d been born to play.

  If his superiors ever figured out what he’d done, he would likely find himself in a cell somewhere. He would definitely find himself burned, disavowed, and all the other things that happened to an agent who chose his friends over his country.

  They made him feel. Dax, Gabe, Roman, and Zack. They were the only ones left who could.

  He kept a grainy old picture of the six of them on his desk. He settled in, poured himself a shot of bourbon, and studied it for a moment. Six kids, five of whom hadn’t figured out how shitty the world could be yet. For a long time, it had been Connor’s job to keep it that way.

  Just like it had been his job to make sure Gabe Bond got to keep the woman he loved.

  “Fuck you, Mad.” There it was, that wellspring of hated grief that seemed so close to the surface these days. He drank the amber liquid down. “You weren’t supposed to die. I was supposed to go first.”

  He’d always thought he’d die in some stinking hellhole, and the five of them would be left wondering what had happened.

  Surviving was worse than dying. But then he’d figured that out a long time ago.

  His computer beeped and he turned with a sigh.

  Skype. His heart rate ticked up in an oddly pleasant way because only one person instant messaged him at that particular address. Niall Smith had one friend in the world, though if she looked him up online, she would find a diverse selection of leftie friends on his completely fake Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. Of course she would also see a picture of some intern at the Agency they’d used to set up Niall Smith’s life so Lara Armstrong wouldn’t question him when he wrote to her.

  Niall? Niall, are you there?

  Her picture popped up beside the words. There she was. Cute, sweet little thing with dark hair and blue pixie eyes. A little rich girl who thought she could change the world through tabloid reporting. Oh, he knew how she justified it. She’d told him she used the scandalous headlines to bring in readers and then hit them with real stories, but he knew the truth. She was a spoiled rich princess with daddy issues. So why did he get hard every time he saw her picture?

  Yeah, he needed to get laid.

  I’m here. What’s up, sweetness?

  He wasn’t sure why he’d started calling her that, but it was all part of his cover, right? Lara Armstrong had something to do with Deep Throat, and he was going to find out what. She might know where to find Natalia Kuilikov. If she did, he would find out. He would protect his friends and his country. If he got a little blood on his hands, that was all right, too.

  Niall, I’m scared. I’ve gotten involved in something and I think someone is trying to kill me.

  A slow smile crossed Connor’s lips. Now he had her. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you, sweetness. Tell me everything.

  He sat back and let the game begin.

  Connor and all the Perfect Gentlemen will return in

  SEDUCTION IN SESSION

  Privileged, wealthy, and wild: they are the Perfect Gentlemen of Creighton Academy. But the threat of a scandal has one of them employing his most deceptive—and seductive—talents . . .

  Recruited into the CIA at a young age, Connor Sparks knows how dirty the world can be. Only when he’s with his friends can he find some peace. So when an anonymous journalist threatens one of the Perfect Gentlemen, Connor vows to take down the person behind the computer, by whatever means necessary—even if it means posing as his target’s bodyguard.

  Publishing a tabloid revealing Washington’s most subversive scandals has earned Lara Armstrong the ire of the political scene—and a slew of death threats. To keep herself from ending up a headline, Lara hires a bodyguard, a man as handsome as he is lethal.

  When the bullets start to fly, Lara is surprised to find herself in Connor’s arms. But as they begin to unravel a mystery that just might bring down the White House, Lara is devastated when she discovers Connor’s true identity—and finds herself at the mercy of forces who will stop at nothing to advance their deadly agenda.

  Coming soon from Berkley Books

  Don’t Miss the Next Wicked Lovers Novel from New York Times Bestselling Author Shayla Black

  WICKED FOR YOU

  Ever since he rescued her from a dangerous kidnapper, Mystery Mullins has wanted Axel Dillon. When he returned her to her Hollywood father and tabloid life, she was grateful . . . and a little in love. Mystery wasn’t ready to let Axel go, even after the soldier gently turned her away because, at nineteen, she was too young.

  Now, six years later, Mystery is grown, with a flourishing career and a full life—but she’s still stuck on Axel. Disguised, she propositions him in a bar, and the night they spend together is beyond her wildest dreams. Mystery steels herself to walk away—except the sheets are barely cold when her past comes back to haunt her.

  Once he realizes Mystery isn’t the stranger he thought, Axel is incensed and intrigued. But when it’s clear she’s in danger, he doesn’t hesitate to become her protector—and her lover—again. And as the two uncover a secret someone is willing to kill for, Axel is determined to claim Mystery’s heart before a murderer silences her for good.

  Coming soon from Berkley Books

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances produced via traditional, small press, independent, and audio publishing. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music. Shayla’s books have been translated into about a dozen languages. She has also received or been nominated for the Passionate Plume, the Holt Medallion, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Readers Choice Award. RT BOOKclub has twice nominated her for Best Erotic Romance of the Year, and also awarded her several Top Picks and a KISS Hero Award. A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every new book. Find Shayla at ShaylaBlack.com or visit her Shayla Black Author Facebook page.

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem. Find Lexi at LexiBlake.net.

  Looking for more?

  Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.

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