Reluctantly, Matt broke their kiss. “I want that, too. More than you know. But the colonel says you haven’t been eating.”

  She winced. “The thought of going back to DC, back to Todd… I just want to throw up.”

  “I know.” He kissed her forehead. “But you can’t fight him off if you don’t keep up your strength. Eat something. For me?”

  “Okay.” She sighed unhappily and rolled off the bed, reaching for her nightgown.

  He blocked her with his body. “I didn’t say you could cover what’s mine. I’ll bring you food.”

  “Determined to keep me naked?”

  “Every minute I can. While you fuel up, I’ll just…enjoy the view.” He rubbed his thumb along the seam of her pussy. “Or maybe I’ll eat a snack of my own.”

  A whimper escaped Madison. “How am I supposed to focus on food if you do that?”

  He winked at her. “I’ll let you figure that out. Be right back.”

  “You don’t play fair.”

  Matt turned back with a grin. “When it comes to you, I’ll always fight dirty. You’ve been warned.”

  “You’re insane!” she called after him as he shut the door.

  Grinning, he headed for the kitchen and found Caleb pouring a cup of coffee.

  “She all right?” the older man asked.

  “Yeah. She’s not happy I’m making her eat something,” Matt said as he prowled through the refrigerator and plucked out a container of yogurt, then found a protein bar on the nearby counter.

  Caleb sipped at his brew, his stare full of gravity. “Good. Um…not trying to step on toes. I know she’s an adult, and I know she’s yours. But once a father, always a father. Since hers is too sick to watch over her…”

  “I appreciate that. Given Madison’s situation, I don’t think she can have too many people in her corner.”

  “And she’s far too sweet for the savages she’s about to go to war with.” Edgington sighed. “What do you know about this family of assholes she married into?”

  Until a few days ago, only what she’d told him. After conferring with the bosses and talking to some of his fellow operatives, he knew a lot more. And he didn’t like any of it.

  “Pershing has a reputation for being a very pay-to-play senator. Almost every dirty government and company out there looking for an advocate has figured out that if they line his pockets, he’ll push their agenda. He’s buddy-buddy with some really shadowy, wanna-run-the-world elitists. His wife is shrewd, and she’s particularly good at both bending or bullying the press to her will. She’s destroyed enemies just because she can. When she wants to float a narrative, she reaches out to bootlickers working for small, hungry internet news outlets. Then she strong-arms her sycophants in mainstream media to push the same vicious crap by citing the original stories she helped to create. When the internet outlets get questioned, they just refer back to the big guys who repeated their BS for validation. And people swallow it because the media is so above reproach and would never tell a lie,” Matt drawled sarcastically. “And voilà, the rumor is suddenly accepted as truth. Isn’t it amazing?”

  Caleb chuckled. “Exactly. And Madison’s husband is a particular piece of work. Entitled, mean, vindictive. He’s got short-man’s disease.”

  “Yep, and he’s up to something dirty as fuck. I need to figure out what.”

  “You do, because I guarantee he’s already dug into you, your past, your family, your friends, and your exes. Anything he can use against you, he will. You need to be prepared to do the same.”

  “I had this conversation with your sons and some of the other guys in the office. I’m on it.”

  “Good. You’re staying in Pershing’s place?”

  Matt nodded. “I’ll be watching over Madison, yeah.”

  “You’ll also have access to her husband’s shit—his paperwork, his electronics, his safe…” Edgington shrugged. “I’d mine every bit of it like you’re looking for gold.”

  “I fucking want to, but Todd Pershing’s entire place is surveilled twenty-four seven.” Then Matt remembered something… “Except his bedroom.”

  For more than one reason, he was beyond grateful that Todd and Madison had separate beds.

  “It’s possible he keeps a bunch of his shit in there.”

  “It’s sloppy, but not out of the question.”

  “He’s arrogant. He thinks he’s invincible and that his granddaddy will clean up any dirty situation he gets into.”

  “He’s not wrong. That’s how he got away with murder.”

  Caleb nodded. “Yep. So what’s your plan?”

  “I’m forming one as we speak.” But he needed a little more time to think it through. And unfortunately, he’d have to confer with Ethan. For this to work, the little prick would have to cooperate.

  “If you need an ear before you go…”

  Matt stuck out a hand. “I appreciate the offer. I’ll let you know.”

  “Who’s your ride and what time are they coming for you?”

  “Hunter will be here at four-thirty.” And Matt hated cutting short his time with Madison for subterfuge, but Todd probably was having his place watched.

  Caleb glanced at his phone. “You got just over four hours. Feed your woman, then make the most of every second.”

  “I intend to. Thank you for watching over Madison. I felt better knowing that she was safe and wasn’t alone.”

  “My pleasure.”

  With a last nod, Matt headed back to the bedroom. He ducked inside to discover Madison on the mattress, a vision of silky, dark skeins, pouting lips, and pretty fucking nipples that begged for his mouth.

  He kicked the door closed, then approached her, handing her the food, a spoon, and a bottle of water. “Get this down, honey. Once you do…”

  As she took the container of yogurt and prepackaged bar from his hand, he raked her body with his hungry stare, unable to hide how badly he wanted her. “What will happen?”

  In answer, Matt smiled. “Eat. Then…you’ll find out.”

  Sighing, Madison opened the bar and took a bite, then unscrewed the cap on the water bottle and washed it down.

  “Tell me about your visit with your dad,” he said into the silence.

  “It was good. He looks better than I expected. I wish he wasn’t so down, but I understand. He hates the hospital.” She shrugged, then dug into the yogurt. “I just don’t want him home alone. Not only does he not have anyone to look after him following those tough treatments, he couldn’t defend himself if…you know, a Nash-type situation happened.”

  That had occurred to Matt, too. “Todd would only send someone to off your father if he was desperate.”

  “Well, a sane man wouldn’t. But can Todd really be classified as sane? He’s unpredictable. If I piss him off at all—something I’m prone to doing—he might send someone to hurt Daddy.”

  Hospital security was no guarantee of her father’s safety, but Todd might think twice about sending thugs or assassins into a public place with lots of surveillance. “You’re right.”

  “The rest of the trip itself was pretty uneventful, except Haisley and Nash. The tension between those two… If I didn’t know better, I’d swear something is going on. Nash didn’t say anything to you, did he?”

  “No.” But Matt hadn’t asked. Other things on his mind. “Haisley didn’t say anything? You’re her best friend.”

  “We barely had a minute alone, and when we did, she was tight-lipped.”

  Matt shrugged. “They’ll work it out. Tell me what you think we can expect tomorrow when we reach DC.”

  “It will be Sunday. That means family dinner. Rich foods on heirloom china and barbed conversation. Tons of fun… I’m worried they insisted I be there for dinner because Todd or Winston—or both—have something up their sleeve.”

  Probably. “I’ll be there, too.”

  She paused midchew. “I don’t know if Todd has told his family about my bodyguards. If he hasn’t, I don’t know how I’ll explain you.”

  “That’s his problem, not yours. Where you go, either Ethan or I go. End of conversation.”

  “What’s up with you two, by the way?”

  “Damned if I know. Garrison seemed okay when he first joined the team. A little young and wet behind the ears, but not douchy. Then you came, and it was like he couldn’t wait to come onto you.”

  “But he really didn’t. He only acts that way when you’re around. I mean, when he first showed up at the motel, he looked. Then he just…took care of me. He asked if I’d been hurt, if I’d been followed, if I needed anything. I had an adrenaline crash. He held me while I shook, gave me water, and helped me to not throw up. Eventually I fell asleep. You know the rest. So I don’t think this is about me. It’s about you.”

  Maybe. But Matt couldn’t figure out why. And right now, he didn’t care about the punk. He’d have three months to work that shit out. He only had tonight with Madison.

  “Finish up, honey. Almost there.”

  She sighed. “This isn’t going down really well. Can’t I finish later?”

  “The yogurt, no. Eat the last of that. We’ll try the rest of the protein bar in a bit.” And if her stomach was this nervous before she even stepped foot in DC, he was going to have to help manage her once she was under Todd’s roof and thumb.

  “Fine,” she grumbled, then finished the last of the berry blend and set it aside before washing it all down with more water. “Happy?”

  Not really but he didn’t chide her. She’d done her best, and their time together was ticking away. “For now. Come here, honey.”

  When he held out his arms, Madison flung herself into them and lifted her face for a kiss. Matt happily obliged her, sinking into the sweet depths of her mouth, flavored by berries and her own particular taste. He cupped her nape and lost himself in her until he was eating at her lips hungrily, like a starving man in front of a five-star meal.

  She pressed her world-class tits against his chest and moaned into his mouth. After the local girls in his hometown had avoided him like the plague—unless they were looking for a hard fuck—the devotion in Madison’s kiss went straight to his heart. He suspected she loved him, too. If they could just make it past the next three months, he would do whatever it took to make her his forever.

  Matt rose over her and used his leverage to topple her onto her back. He uncurled his hand from her nape and worked it down to her breast, thumbing her hard nipple until her breath caught. He slid the other hand to the button at his fly.

  “Still not on birth control?”

  She shook her head. “I couldn’t really fix that in a couple of days while I was hiding out.”

  His head knew that. His cock wanted to cry. He pulled a condom from his pocket. “We’ll find you a doctor in DC.”

  “The minute I do, Todd will know. Winston Pershing has lackeys and spies everywhere.”

  “I’ll figure out something.” Surely someone he knew could hook him up with a doctor willing to write her a simple prescription. “Because I’d love to fuck you bare. Todd is already going to come between us until the midterms. I don’t want anything else in our way.”

  “Me, either.”

  Setting the wrapper on the bed next to her shoulder, he shoved his pants to his ankles and kicked them away before kneeling between her deliciously spread thighs. “Bend your knees.”

  “Yes, Matt.” She complied instantly.

  “Good girl,” he murmured as he settled himself over her body, kissing his way down her neck, toward her nipples now stabbing the air.

  As soon as he sucked the first rigid tip, she arched and moaned, offering him more. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Oh, honey, I’ve missed you, too. Your skin is so fucking soft. Everything else against my body just irritates me. And the way you smell.” He inhaled her with a groan. “I don’t know if it’s your soap or perfume, but you’ve gone from delicious to intoxicating. Jesus, I can’t get enough of you.”

  He plucked the stiff peak, tonguing it, then he pulled back with a little nip of his teeth. Madison hissed, her spine twisting as she gripped him tighter. “More. I can never get enough of your touch.”

  “Because you’re mine.”

  “Yes.”

  “Say it.”

  “I’m yours.”

  “Who do you belong to?”

  “You. The feminist in me would have cringed to admit that I could belong to any man…until I met you.”

  “I don’t want to own you like a possession, honey.” He kissed his way from the underside of her breasts, down her abdomen, licking her hipbone, and dragging his lips over the baby-bare skin at the top of her clean-shaven mound, then settled his mouth just above her pussy. “I want to value you. I want to care for you. I want to treasure you.”

  “Please,” she whimpered as he breathed on her sensitive flesh. “Please.”

  “Be a good girl and scream for me.”

  “But the colonel…”

  “Give that worry to me.” He laid his lips on her slit. “Give me your trust.”

  Beneath him, she writhed. “Yes, Matt.”

  “Perfect. Now, let’s make your throat raw.”

  Any patience he’d once had to draw out her response and torment her until she begged was gone. The second he inhaled the scent of her cunt and tasted how wet she was for him, it crushed his fortitude to do anything except wring orgasms out of her before he worked himself deep inside her and hammered out another climax.

  Matt opened his mouth over her pussy and used his whole body to kiss the most female part of her, licking her from opening to clit before shoving a pair of fingers inside her and drawing her bud into his mouth. She shrieked, her hips lifting, her back contorting again. Her breathing turned uneven, and she thrust her hand into his hair. “Matt…”

  “Guess I need to up my game, since you’re not screaming my name yet.”

  Then Matt ignored her pleading and spread her wider with his hands, drinking her in until he swore she intoxicated him like a fine bottle of booze. She gripped the bedding and squealed in pleasure. He laved her thighs, nipped at her knees, and trailed his lips down her shins to finally knead her insteps as he bit playfully at her toes. When she giggled, he worked his way back up and latched onto her swollen clit again.

  Suddenly, Madison wasn’t laughing.

  Time ceased to have meaning as he got drunk again on her flavor. He licked and slurped and engulfed her until he wrung a second orgasm from her, this one coming from somewhere so deep inside her that an ear-piercing wail ricocheted off the walls and around his head, filling him with savage satisfaction.

  “Stop. Stop!” She panted, shoving at his head and trying to close her knees. “I can’t breathe.”

  Matt backed away—a little—doing his best to be patient. She was sensitive, and he needed to stop acting like a demanding caveman. He settled for dragging his tongue along the curve of her waist before he dipped it into her belly button. She gasped, her body seeming to melt into the mattress. But as if they had a mind of their own, his lips started wandering down, down…down. Her scent filled the air, and he swore she’d gotten sweeter since he’d last tasted her pussy at Jack’s cabin. That probably wasn’t true; he’d likely just missed her so much that he couldn’t stay away.

  A groan tore from his throat as he fitted his hands under her perfect, pert ass and raised her to his mouth. He dove into her again, instantly drowning in her.

  “Matt.” The desperation in her voice pinged around his head.

  He didn’t bother answering, just shoved his tongue into her opening and drew in every bit of her flavor he could. It wasn’t enough. He still wanted more, especially since her pussy was swelling like a ripe peach and the juices flowing from her only got sweeter. He could tell from the way she whimpered and wriggled that she was damn close to orgasm number three. The thought drove him to compel it from her.

  “Matt.” Madison shoved at his head. “Matt. I can’t…”

  “Fuck that. You can come for me again.”

  “Inside me. I need you inside me. Please…” she whined. “Please. Deep. Now. I’m dying.”

  The intensity of her high-pitched entreaty had him lifting his head and scanning up her body. Her cheeks were a shock of red. Her nipples distended, beyond hard. Her glassy eyes had never looked more desperate.

  “But you’re close.”

  She nodded vigorously. “And I’d rather have every inch of you filling me when I come again. Please.”

  As much as he wanted to keep lapping at her and make her feel good until the end of time, he wanted to fuck her more.

  “Goddamn it,” he swore as he reached for the condom at her right shoulder, peeled it open, and shoved it down his length with one hand. With the other, he held her swollen cunt open for him and aligned his sheathed crest against her.

  Madison wrapped her legs around him and lifted to his savage stroke, tossing her head back when he impaled her to the hilt. Passion softened her face and parted her lips as she held him tighter and spread herself wider. Matt gripped her tightly and set a slow drag of a pace, feeling every inch of her, every gasp, every goose bump, and every clench of her silent plea for more.

  “Matt… Matt! Oh, god. Oh…yes. Yes! You’re everything. You’re…”

  She was his everything, too, and if she went over, he wouldn’t be able to hold back. He’d missed her so damn much. He’d thought about her nearly day and night. Concentrating on work had been fucking hard. Nash had ribbed him. Hunter, Logan, and Joaquin had chided him. Ethan had rolled his punk eyes. None of it mattered, only Madison. And only knowing that he had to be her safety net against Todd had kept him from telling his well-meaning bosses and peers to fuck off so he could track her down and make her his again.

  “Yes, honey,” he crooned. “Mine. You’re mine. Come for me.”

  The moment he quickened his strokes, she bit her lip. Her nails dug into his shoulders. The world as he knew it stopped. She was his light. His reality. His pleasure.