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  “So… fucking… good,” Jude groans between quick breaths.

  “You gonna let him come in your mouth?” Gunner asks, his lips and teeth nibbling on my ear. By the husky tone in his voice, I know he’s getting close. “Are you gonna swallow him down?”

  My head is swimming, and I’m in a lusty haze of pleasuring Jude as Gunner pushes my body toward the edge of ecstasy. I give a slight nod and an emphatic ‘mmmph’.

  Jude’s fingers run through my hair and tighten around a handful at the back of my head. “Your mouth is driving me crazy, sweetheart.”

  Gunner’s fucking me harder than he ever has, a stream of dirty words pouring out of him as he whispers to me. “God, you know how fucking hot you are with your lips around his cock? That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. Look him in the eye while you suck his cock.”

  I follow Gunner’s directions, slipping my lips up to the tip of Jude’s cock. I suck down on the head, running my tongue around his shaft, and my eyes drift up his chest to his eyes. There’s a pent-up animal up there. Jude’s nostrils are flaring, and his teeth are bared to me. His chest and arms are flexing as he holds my head to his shaft. His hips sway, moving his cock just a few inches in and out of my mouth. His stomach draws in, and his thighs tighten. His jaw clenches, and Jude’s cock twitches between my lips.

  I run my mouth all the way down to where Jude grasps onto the base of his cock. He strangles back a shout, and his knees buckle. He presses his legs against the edge of the tub as his shaft throbs over my tongue. “Oh, goddamn, I’m coming,” he gasps.

  Salty sweet cum explodes in my mouth, and I keep going, sucking for every last bit. The delicious eroticism of it all sends a concentrated pulse through my clit just as Gunner’s thumb returns to the sweet spot, pleasuring me as I suck down on Jude’s cock again. A rush of heat sweeps through my body, and I moan through a powerful climax, my body shaking, ecstasy burning through every nerve.

  Gunner pants as I come, cursing up a storm, and he pushes me down hard against his pelvis, water sloshing in the tub as his rhythm falters. He holds onto me, biting into my shoulder to muffle a shout as his orgasm hits.

  Jude withdraws from between my lips and stumbles backward, his eyes wide as he catches himself on the sink countertop. “Holy fuck, woman.”

  2

  Emma

  It’s obvious Jude’s done this before. “How much undercover were you involved with?”

  He smirks. “We called it covert operations in the military. I didn’t do much, myself; I stand out like a whale on the beach. We had a couple guys on the team who blended in with the population pretty well, though. They were able to do some light infiltration work for reconnaissance before a mission.”

  “And you coached them like this?”

  “Yeah. It’s more about avoiding saying the wrong thing than actively saying the right thing. A slip of the tongue can rouse suspicions pretty easily when the target is already paranoid.”

  I scoff. “BHC is paranoid? They’re the ones who’ve been hunting me, not the other way around.”

  “Sure.” Jude shrugs. “But you’re not some scared little girl. You’ve fought back, and it’s obvious you’re not the kind to just roll over.”

  “Sometimes I am.” It’s out before I can stop it.

  Jude’s professional demeanor slips away. “If you’re trying to avoid making this phone call by getting me to turn that ass around and have my way with you, I will happily oblige, young lady — but only after you place the call.”

  Holy hell, why is that a turn on? I rub my thighs together and bite at my lip, suddenly shy. Thank God, a distraction. “Look who’s awake!”

  Mabel exits the hall leading to Jude’s bedroom at a trot. Upon seeing us both in his office, her head lowers to the ground and her tail sets off at about eighty beats per second. She gets that big smiley look on her face like she’s about to sneeze, and she comes straight for me.

  Jude ha-ruphs at Mabel. “Traitor.”

  “Hey, we girls have to stick together. We’re outnumbered.” I run my hands over her neck, where the raw skin from that chain has healed, and then over her ribs, which are no longer prominent and emaciated. “She’s looking good, Jude.”

  “She’s always been a good looking girl, haven’t you, Mabel?”

  Mabel’s ears perk, and that tail gets going again. Having had her fill of my attention, Mabel turns to Jude. He leans back in his leather office chair and pats his thighs, inviting her to come right up. Which she does, slowly and surely pulling herself into the chair, then she rests her shoulder against Jude’s chest and leans into him. He wraps his big arms around her, looking every inch a father coddling his toddler.

  “I think she likes you,” I jest with a smile.

  Jude rubs at her ears. “Feeling’s mutual. Not sure I can adopt this one out.”

  “Oh, really? Is Pentabyte about to get a mascot?” I love the idea of keeping Mabel. My family didn’t have any dogs when I was growing up and as an adult, college dorms then apartment living has put a hold on having pets.

  “Trigg took her out for her first jog yesterday. She doesn’t have much stamina yet, but she’s going to need it if Gunner starts taking her out to the dirt track.”

  “Sounds like I’m going to have to keep an eye out for her and make sure she gets lots of pampering and cuddles in between all the high-speed activities you guys are into.”

  “Speaking of watching out for the girl…” Jude flicks his finger at my phone and gives me a firm look.

  I’ve picked it up and put it back down on the desk about a half dozen times now, and even though Jude has run me through practice conversations just as many times, I’m thinking about asking him to go through it once more with me. But it would just be a delay tactic, and he’d know it.

  “Just dial the number and get it over with,” he says. “It’s becoming this insurmountable thing in your head, so you just need to do it. I’ll be right here.”

  I take a calming breath as I fish the crinkled business card out of my pocket. No way I would put that number in my phone as a contact. I punch in the digits and hold the phone to my ear, grimacing as the Ice Queen’s voice comes on the line.

  “Emma, I’m so glad you called,” she says, sounding as cordial as if she was answering a call from an old friend. But her voice is missing genuine warmth.

  A shiver of disgust runs through my veins. So fucking creepy. I make eye contact with Jude, siphoning confidence. I keep it short and to the point, just like he’s told me to. “The program. It’s finished.”

  “And?”

  “I’m ready to turn it over.” I keep my eyes on Jude, his advice about making BHC feel like they have the upper hand coming to the forefront of my mind. “It’s not like I have any other choice, do I? It’s yours. Just let me know when to meet you.”

  The voice on the other end is coldly sweet. “See, isn’t it so much more pleasant when you cooperate? You can bring it to us, and we’ll look over everything to make sure it’s what you say it is.”

  With Jude counseling me that making them explain themselves is best, not only for our own clarity but also for the recording we have going, I dare to push. “You’ve gone through all this trouble with me, but you don’t think my code can deliver what I say it can?”

  The trickle of a frigid laugh comes through the line. “First, it’s no trouble at all. It’s been a pleasure, Emma — at least for me. But secondly…” She lets a silence hang, and my nerves are beginning to jitter. “…we didn’t just arrive in our position as a company overnight. We trust no one, including you and your program. So, let me just remind you, Miss Collins, in case you have any lingering thoughts of being vindictive or using some petty form of subterfuge, I believe you should have learned by now that we are not the kind of people you want to double-cross.”

  Jude rolls his wrist to wave a hand at me, gesturing for me to try to get more out of her. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “Oh, Emma, don�
��t play coy with me,” the Ice Queen sighs into the phone as though she’s expressing disappointment with a wayward child.

  Jude gestures a stabbing motion, and I know what he wants. “If you’re talking about planting some kind of virus,” I say, “I know you have a state of the art system and would be able to detect anything I tried.”

  He wanted me to poke right at the heart of what she was hinting at, perhaps getting her to reveal something about their black vault system. Or if not that, perhaps be more direct in her threats. Anything we can get on the recording.

  “Ah, just the fact that planting a virus is the first thing that comes to your mind tells me that you’ve contemplated such an ill-advised undertaking,” she says, turning the tables back on me.

  I shake my head at Jude. She’s too clever to say anything aloud that might be used against her.

  “I assure you,” she continues, “no malware has ever made it past our system, and even if you tried? There would be dire consequences for such a foolish action.”

  The ramifications are real, I know it. As safe as I feel here with Jude, my voice still trembles with a very real fear as I try to push her further. “What could you possibly do to me that you haven’t already?”

  She doesn’t fall for it. “Dear child, we’ve already had this conversation. Needless to say, we expect this transaction to be conducted flawlessly. Understood?”

  I grit my teeth and remind myself that this meeting is the ticket to their undoing. And I’ll be the one handing them their payback. “I understand,” I say as demurely as possible.

  “We’ll text you the time and place of the meeting. You’ll receive your money after we have everything we want.”

  I begin to reply that I don’t give two fucks about their money, but the line goes dead. I toss the phone on the desk as though flinging it from me will erase her voice from my memory. Mabel dismounts Jude’s lap and comes to lay her chin against my thigh. I pet the top of her head absentmindedly, going over in my mind for the umpteenth time how I got myself into this — and how I’m going to get us all out of it.

  Jude rises as well, coming around to my side of his desk. He leans in, taking my free hand in his. “Having second thoughts?”

  Through all my moments of self-doubt and frustration, second thoughts never crossed my mind. “No. This has to be done.”

  His hands encapsulate mine, suffusing me with warmth. “You are a pretty amazing woman, Miss Collins. I’m proud of you.”

  I let out a self-deprecating snort. “I think your judgement has been clouded.”

  “I’m serious. How many times do you think BHC has gone after victims like this? You’re the first one to stand up to them. You never give yourself credit. What you’re doing is brave.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know about that. You guys are going to be there, watching out for me the whole time. How brave is that?”

  Jude places a palm on my cheek, making me look up from Mabel. “Hey, we make each other strong. Stronger than we are as individuals. You never have to be alone again. For as long as you choose us, we’ll be here to have your back. I promise.”

  My attention taken from her, Mabel saunters out of the office. Jude gently grasps both my hands, and I return his grip. “I like that promise,” I tell him.

  He rubs his thumbs over the back of my hands. “I can actually feel you trembling. I’m sorry this has been so stressful. What can I do to help you relax?”

  Oh my God, these guys. They don’t have to promise to take care of me; they already do it every day. I can’t help myself — the soft concern in his eyes, the way he looks after me, how strong his hands are around mine — I lean forward, and Jude meets me in a kiss. He doesn’t grab me or move for something more. He lets the kiss linger, his lips as soft as his compassion. He’s never been great at expressing himself to me in words, but he doesn’t have to. I feel it. Both the gentle restraint of his touch and the passion in his kiss reveal the depths of his love.

  I pull back from him, and I see it there in his eyes as well. But that’s not the only thing I see. There is also a weariness. Everything that’s been going on the last few days — every step of progress, every long-winded discussion, and every single decision, big or small — Jude’s been there. Whether it was listening to Daniel explain how the code has been finalized, or collaborating with Jax on how the BHC information will be transmitted, or running through the buildings schematics with Trigg, or planning multiple extraction scenarios with Gunner — he’s been there to guide us. Even though the lack of sleep and the emotional stakes have challenged him, he’s pulled through for us like a true leader, taking final responsibility for each step, pushing us to stay focused, and keeping the plan moving forward in perfect time. And now, here he is with me, coaching and supporting me.

  “Me relax?” I ask. “How much sleep have you gotten in the last few days?”

  He shakes his head, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a sadness to it. “Don’t worry about me. This is what I do. I can’t relax until you’re out of danger.”

  I withdraw one hand from his grasp and lay my palm against his cheek, inspecting his eyes, trying to read what I see there. There’s something more there now than just normal worry, and it seems to go deep. “You’re not going to lose anyone on this mission, Jude. I promise.”

  Jude swallows and turns his gaze to the floor. “I haven’t always been able to keep the people I love safe.”

  Despite the quiet solemnity of his words, my heart stutters at the word love, and a thrill runs down my spine, turning butterflies in my stomach. It was indirect, but when is he ever blatant with his feelings? I pull his chin up, making him meet me in the eye again.

  “Well, what’s important is that the people who love you feel very safe with you.”

  Jude’s eyes come into sharp focus. He breathes in deep and quick, and his jaw clenches. There’s a hint of moisture at the corners of his eyes, but he blinks it away. “I’m glad I make you feel that way.”

  I give him a smile, and it must be contagious, because he reciprocates. “Did you just express yourself, Jude Turner?”

  He lets out a laugh of surprise. “I guess I did.”

  “I like it.” I tilt my head and give him a proud grin.

  His lips retract into a smirk. “I’m not good at it, but I’m trying.”

  Leaning closer, I whisper, “It’s okay. You can show me. I like that way, too.”

  Planting two hands on the solid wooden surface behind me, I hop onto the desk. Jude shifts toward me, and I spread my legs to accommodate his thighs between mine. His lips are soft and tender as he leans down for a kiss, and I wrap my arms around his neck. Jude lets out a quiet groan, one that is full of need and longing, and he runs his palms over my thighs firmly, grabbing at my jeans.

  I sink into the kiss, pouring my feelings out through the touch of my lips to his. After a minute, I gently push him away and slide off the edge of the desk, standing to my feet as I pull my shirt over my head. Jude’s lips part, his face lighting with anticipation. I unfasten my jeans next and push them down. Jude’s nostrils flare as I reach behind my back, unclipping my bra and letting it fall.

  With one finger, I pull at the waistband of my panties, but I pause and look to him. With slow movements still, Jude acquiesces to my silent request, dropping to his knees and pulling my panties down my thighs then past my calves so I can step out of them.

  I move to hop back on the desk, eager to undo Jude’s own jeans and help him release some of that nervous energy he’s holding onto so he can finally sleep, but he slides his hands up the back of my legs and grips me tight, holding me in place. Slowly, he pulls me close, and I move forward, letting my legs spread wider as I do. He breathes in, consuming the scent of my arousal. And then he opens his mouth and takes me, strong and fierce.

  My thighs tense at the sudden onslaught of sensations, and I run my hands over the short stubble of his hair as he eats my pussy with a deep hunger. Jude’s hands wrap aroun
d my ass, and he holds me to him tightly, a wonderful moan escaping his lips as his tongue strokes inside of me.

  My knees are already becoming weak, my senses clouding over. Good God, Jude is amazing with his mouth. His lips push in, and he kisses me hard, his tongue moving through my folds and up to my clit. Arousal floods up my core and heats my chest.

  I tip my head back and put my hands on the desk to brace myself as my thighs tremble. My body responds to his every movement, and I let him take me straight past go, right to ecstasy, an orgasm welling inside me already. With a last quiver, I cry out, and my legs give way as his talented tongue brings me to climax. But Jude holds me strongly, not letting me fall.

  He rises, his firm hands moving up my body as I catch my breath, nestling his lips against my neck, warming my skin with his breath. He pulls me into a tight embrace, and I lay my head against his shoulder. We stay there like that for several moments, just holding each other fiercely, clinging to what we have right now in this moment, our fears mingling, unspoken, in how tightly we hold onto each other.

  “Can I stay with you tonight?” I murmur, moving a hand to run my finger down the line of his jaw.

  His voice is quiet and solemn when he replies. “Only if you’ll let me hold you like this all night.”

  I wrap my arms back around him and let out a long breath, a sigh of contentment and pleasure at being encircled by Jude’s arms, but it’s also a sigh of release, an acknowledgement of all of our fears at what may come.

  “Never let me go,” I whisper.

  3

  Emma

  “This one’s for Mabel.” Daniel pulls another oversized cushion from a massive plastic bag and unfolds it to reveal a beige dog bed.

  Mabel lifts her head from my lap as Daniel displays her new bed for her approval. He lays it next to the fireplace, but Mabel just lays her chin back on my thigh.