Special Agent: Austin Read online

  With slow hands, he removed her arms from around his neck and hooked them through the slats of the headboard.

  “My way.”

  Nodding, she said, “Your way.”

  Brushing back the ringlets from her brow, he stared at her, his gaze roaming over her face before trailing down her bare body. Leaning forward, his lips pressed against hers, patient yet laced with need. Over and over, he returned, taking a little more each time, leaving her destitute - and frustrated.

  Lowering an arm to his neck, she tried to take more. He returned it to the headboard with patient hands.

  “My way, Sweetpea.”

  Scooting up, he leaned over her and kissed her – really kissed her – dipping his tongue into her mouth and taking his fill. He tasted of orange juice and toothpaste, of happiness and passion. She welcomed it all, anything that was a part of him, her body responding to his patient seduction with fierce annoyance. Arching upward, she rubbed her hips against his length, his warmth seeping through the last of the Madam’s icy commands, melting all remaining doubts.

  Austin broke away, his breathing labored. “If you don’t stop, this isn’t going to last.”

  “Good,” she said, her nerves strung tight, her patience threadbare.

  Grinning, he said, “Not good.”

  His mouth clamped over her bare breast. She cried out, the moist touch of his tongue like a branding iron, searing her, marking her as his pawn. He suckled her with thorough, lazy strokes, her center ripe and pooling with moisture.

  “Please, don’t stop, Austin.”

  He smiled against her breast before pulling away. Cool air washed over her damp skin, waking her from his mind-numbing ministrations. “My way, Belle.”

  Her lungs struggled to take in oxygen. “I’m so sick of hearing about your way, Austin. Just do it, already.”

  He chuckled, without touching her. At all. “I am.”

  “No, you’re teasing me.” She held the headboard slats in a white-knuckled grip.

  “Are you really arguing with me right now?”

  She stilled. “Well… I’m…”

  “Turned on?” He quirked a brow.

  Her breath rushed out on a smile. “God, yes.”

  His arrogant grin irritated her. “My way.”

  His mouth found her other breast, showering it with the same amazing, toe-curling attention, her body throbbing with desire. She needed something to bring her down to earth, to balance her.

  Calm her.

  Austin paid homage to her cleavage, his lips trailing over every square inch of her bare torso until he found the delicate area below her belly button. Her mind whirled as he moved lower at a slow, torturous pace.

  She closed her legs around his head. “What are you doing?”

  He spoke against her, his breath fanning the moisture there. “Making love to you.”

  She stilled, her thigh muscles quaking. He was making love to her?

  Don’t go there, Belle. It’s not possible. He’s amazing and you’re… dead.

  “I’d like to breathe sometime soon.” His voice vibrated against her center.

  A moan escaped her throat before she dropped open her legs. “Austin, I can’t-“

  His mouth found her then, cutting off all thought, all common sense, sending her into a wild, thrilling tailspin. God above, he was a master. There was no way the man could elicit such carnal, intense desire without loads of practice.

  A wave slowly formed inside her, rushing from deep within, building, heading to his mouth. She squirmed against the covers, wanting it, yet fighting it, her instincts telling her she couldn’t be exposed.

  “Belle, let go.”

  Breathing hard, she stopped, her gaze connecting with his down her body.

  “I’ll catch you, baby. I promise.”

  Shutting her eyes, she laid back her head and let go. A light flashed behind her eyelids, bright, blinding before she shattered, dusting oblivion with shards of surrender.

  Moments later, Belle felt him climb up her body, the head of his manhood dipping into the moisture at the juncture of her thighs.

  “I need to be inside you.”

  Her eyes fluttered open, her body still in the clouds. Austin’s face looked flushed with restraint, a condom stretched over his straining manhood. She knew this part would hurt, but she felt sure she’d been through worse in her life.

  Then again, could having Austin inside her be anything but wonderful?

  Lifting her hips, she invited him inside. He slipped further into her channel.

  “You’re beautiful, Belle.”

  He shoved inside her, the sting of his invasion no more than a pinprick of admittance. Filling her, he seemed to swell inside her, fitting perfectly, forming a unique bond only the two of them could create. With it came a wanton passion, bone-melting heat, like he had lit her narrow canal one match at a time, illuminating her from the inside out.

  “Are you okay?”

  Nodding, she thought it impossible to feel anything more glorious. “Are you?”

  A slight grin flashed on his face. “I will be.”

  It made her happy to see him take his own gratification.

  Then he moved.

  Sliding out of her slow and easy, his length seemed to go on forever as it glided through her thick juices. He slipped back inside, moaning as he increased his tempo, in and out, finding a rhythm that resurrected the need she thought she’d slaked a few minutes before.

  It struck her then that they were united, closer than any two people could ever be. The beauty of their lovemaking, the intimate wonder, could never be anything but genuine. This, this… gift was mystic, a connection with another human bonded in complete trust and exposure.

  A tear ran down her temple and into her hair. Thank God she’d experienced it before she died.

  He pumped into her with renewed vigor, his thrusts growing wild and rough. Climax mushroomed inside her again, deeper, more powerful, as her name tore from his lips, pulling them both into his whirlwind of rapture.

  Rolling onto his back, Austin pulled her against his side, his body lax along her length. A sob escaped despite her attempts to stifle it. He jolted awake, twisting to face her.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  Shaking her head, she shut her eyes, the magnitude of what had just happened hitting her like a blow to the chest. She’d waited until the end of her life to find him, to discover the beauty of human nature.

  To love a man.

  His thumb caressed her cheek. “Why are you crying?”

  Sniffing away her melancholy, she lifted her chin. “I’m just being stupid.”

  Frowning, he studied her a moment before laying back and pulling her on top of him. That hint of leather seemed to come with his body, a permanent scent on his skin. He rubbed her back with feather-light strokes, calming her.

  “I want to go home and get my sisters’ DNA samples.”

  Lazy undertones laced his voice. “Not happening.”

  She looked up, her chin resting on his chest. His eyes remained closed.

  “Now you think you can tell me what to do?”

  He shook his head against the pillow. “No, I’m trying to inject some common sense into the situation. You already said she, whoever she is, will kill you. It’s suicide.”

  She turned her cheek back to his chest. “My death is inevitable. I’ve accepted that.”

  He bolted upright, her heart racing in genuine panic.

  “Well, I haven’t, Belle. I’m not going to let you die. You might as well get that through your thick head.”

  His brown eyes glittered with an anger she hadn’t seen in him before. His shoulders seemed to grow before her eyes, his lip curled in hostile derision.

  Yet, despite his threat, she knew he based it in an honest truth, an honest intent.

  An honest bravery.

  She had seen too many fall against the Madam and her timeless arsenal to risk him. Somehow, she had to confiscate the samples
without Austin finding out. She had to know he would live in safety after she was gone.

  “If I can get them to you, you can ensure my sisters know the truth.”

  His dark eyes subsided, his shoulders relaxing. “You owe me answers. Tell me how to find them and I’ll go in.”

  Shaking her head, she gave a patronizing laugh. “Now, you think you’re a D.I.R.E. super agent? You’ll get killed, Austin. I won’t allow that to happen. Besides, I was going to ask my sisters to take out all of your old girlfriends. I wouldn’t want you to interfere.”

  He shook her by the arms. “This isn’t funny, Belle. You promised me answers and I’m going to get them. We’re going to Mitchell and we’re going to figure out how to do this right.”

  The weight of her death hit her like a slap to the cheek. If she died, who would protect him? Once the Madam found out she’d slept with him, had fallen in love with him, he would be a target.

  So, where did her loyalties lie? Her sisters deserved a better life, deserved to know the truth. They’d gone through all of the Matheson’s experiments together, all of the Madam’s training.

  Brainwashed with all of the lies.

  Did she just allow them to live in oblivion to protect Austin?

  He, of all people, deserved none of this. She’d brought him into this web of danger for her own gain, had manipulated him over and over. When he asked for answers, she should’ve said no. She should’ve thought of him first, instead of her own needs and desires. Now, it was only a matter of time before the Madam found him.

  She had no choice. She had to join forces with D.I.R.E.

  They had the resources to find her sisters’ families and protect Austin. Teaming up with the Madam’s enemy was her best shot at accomplishing both.

  Climbing from bed, she went to the restroom to clean up. “Call Mitchell and tell him I’ll answer all of your questions tonight. But, only after I eat something. I’m starved.”

  Chapter Six

  Under the cloak of night, Austin held Belle’s hand as he led her into the D.I.R.E. San Diego office, Dylan McCall and Teague Hamilton behind them. He’d arranged the late night meeting as she’d requested, knowing she feared the woman who controlled her.

  Mitchell had foregone an evening of rubbing elbows with the current Air Force brass to meet with Belle. Somehow, Austin had to show her they were a united front without giving away his new position with the agency. As far as Mitchell and the others were concerned, he’d slept with Belle to get information.

  As far as Belle was concerned, it had become more than that.

  As far as he was concerned, he’d royally f’d up.

  “You must be damned good in bed,” McCall said in a low voice, over his shoulder.

  Staring at Belle across the room, he decided she was the one that had been damned good in bed. The assassin had been all woman, hot and responsive like no other before her. Her openness, her willingness to expose herself to him, had humbled him in ways he didn’t deserve. Though he knew she could protect herself and him, he would never allow her to do that. She had become important to him in ways he didn’t want to contemplate at the moment.

  Thus, the f up.

  “I’m just doing my job,” Austin said, the lie churning in his stomach like bad Mexican food.

  Dylan gave him a clap on the shoulder. “Don’t tell Mitchell you fell for her.”

  He swallowed down his gasp. “Who said I fell for her?”

  “That what-the-hell-have-I-done look on your face.” He walked past Austin to help Teague into a chair at the conference table.

  Standing on the opposite side of the conference room, Belle looked like the orphan she’d believed herself to be, her blue eyes wide in her pale face. He’d come to San Diego to work with Jaydan, to prove his loyalty, to prove to himself he could make the agency.

  Now, he’d risked all of that by sleeping with Belle. How could he let down Jaydan again? Risk his newly-found position with D.I.R.E.?

  Risk Belle finding out he’d manipulated her for his own gain?

  No, he couldn’t fall for her. He’d slept with women without falling for them. He could do it again. This meeting would put everything into perspective, put him back in the mindset of making a difference with D.I.R.E.

  He met her halfway across the room. “Are you ready?”

  Lifting her chin, she nodded before taking a seat in the chair adjacent to Teague. Austin sat beside her. A moment later, Mitchell walked inside and powered up the computer.

  “Monica, the team working on your computer tells me your people are looking for you.”

  Resting her elbows on the chair arms, Belle linked her fingers in front of her. “Yes, I haven’t checked in. They’ll send reinforcements soon, if they haven’t already.”

  Mitchell gave her a belittling grin. “We’ve taken care of it. They aren’t suspicious.”

  If D.I.R.E. hacked into Belle’s computer, it was only a matter of time before they knew where her home was located and who ran things. It was good for her to hear her life was coming down around her ears. She deserved to move on in peace.

  Mitchell said, “I’m going to videotape this meeting. Our computer system is unlike anything in existence and therefore, un-hackable. You have no need to worry about the video being leaked to the internet or to your superiors.”

  Her smug mouth twisted. “Too bad you couldn’t say that about Riordan St. James or Jaydan Rose. I hear their videos have reached over two million hits.”

  Dylan raised his hand, his tone proud. “Not me.”

  McCall’s copper and gold armbands gleamed in the recessed lights, an intimidating image. Belle studied him with keen interest, a shrewd scrutiny in her narrow eyes.

  Austin had freaked out when he saw Jaydan’s armbands for the first time. They were fused to his flesh, his strength enhancement tied into his brain and central nervous system. The idea of Jaydan’s life at risk like that scared the shit out of him, but his brother was meant for this work.

  “There are positives to the exposure, too, Monica,” Mitchell said in an even tone. “It shows criminals a formidable adversary, a power no one in the world can match. Not even your Madam.”

  Belle’s leg shook beneath the table. “Underestimating the Madam is the biggest mistake you could ever make.”

  Austin laid his palm on her active thigh, stalling it. She gave him a half smile.

  Mitchell said, “I want you to know that your decision to divulge information puts you under D.I.R.E.’s protection. We take care of our own.”

  Frowning, she said, “I don’t belong to you, or anyone.” Her hand covered Austin’s where it sat on her leg.

  “You belong to this Madam, don’t you?” Teague said in a logical tone.

  Belle’s glare was all the answer Teague would receive. “I came to you because of Austin, and because you revealed the truth about my family.” Her grip tightened on his hand. “The Madam stole my life from me. I want revenge and you’re my best shot at it.”

  “Very well.” Mitchell gave a brief nod before hitting a button on his keyboard. “Tell us how you ended up at the party last night.”

  She swallowed hard. Austin could see the pulse pounding in her smooth throat. Despite her brave front, she was scared shitless.

  “The Madam learned Riordan St. James was getting married and knew the D.I.R.E. agents would be in attendance. It was just a matter of acquiring the guest list and finding out who declined an invitation to the party. Congresswoman Norton’s servers were easy to hack.”

  “What was your purpose in attending the party?”

  “To find a chink in your armor while your defenses are down. The Madam wants to destroy you.”

  Mitchell didn’t so much as blink. “Do you know why?”

  “Besides the fact that you ruined Cyrus’s cloning operation, no I don’t.”

  Dylan gave her a sidelong glance. “You say that like it isn’t enough.”

  Her round eyes were serious when she looked at M
cCall. “She had D.I.R.E. on her radar long before Cyrus was arrested.”

  Austin took a deep breath and let it out. So, she did have old resentments. “How is she tied to Cyrus?”

  “I know she worked with his grandfather, Clay Matheson, before she worked with Cyrus. That’s the only tie I’m aware of.” Grabbing the glass pitcher from the center of the table, she poured herself a glass of water and took a sip.

  Mitchell said, “Tell us about your life growing up.”

  Dipping her head, she said, “After my family was supposedly killed, I was taken to Mrs. Burnett’s girl’s home in Sacramento.”

  “When was that?” Teague said, her hands folded on the table.

  Frowning, she thought a moment. “A few years after you went through.”

  Teague cocked her head, her brows high. “So, you know who I am…”

  Belle was a pro at patronizing grins. “Yes, you were selected as protégé to the now-incarcerated Dr. Capri. You’re the intelligence behind Cyrus’s cloning operation.”

  “Selected?” Teague said, reciprocating her patronizing grin. “Interesting choice of words considering they murdered my parents and took me.”

  “You were – are – integral to their plans. I can see why they did it.”

  Dylan jumped up from his chair and started to pace. Disbelief drove Austin to spin Belle around.

  “Are you saying you condone it?”

  “No,” she said, in a defensive tone. “But, I understand why it was done.”

  “You act like they hacked into her Facebook account, Belle. She was a child and they murdered her parents.”

  Her face paled to ghostly white, tears at the corners of her eyes. “I… I’m an assassin, Austin. Murder doesn’t affect me.”

  “So, why are you crying?”

  Her fingers flew to her face. Her eyes widened when she came away with tears on her fingers. Swiping them from her cheeks, she cleared her throat and turned to Mitchell.