Bad Men - Piper Stone Page 0,59

to see. I hungered to chain her to a bed for hours, days until I’d have enough of my fill of her, even though I’d start all over again. I longed to dominate every inch of her, requiring her complete surrender. I was drunk on her essence, the sweet scent that couldn’t be masked by dirt or grime. My entire body tingled from the thought alone, my balls tightening.

As I moved into the main room, I could feel her eyes burning a hole in my back, could hear her breath skipping.

I was a very bad man and she was an angel who deserved someone better.

When I grabbed one of the glasses off the table, I noticed the box of hair color was missing. Maybe she’d come to realize that disobeying us wasn’t in her best interest. Or maybe she was just exhausted from the constant bickering.

I checked the door once again before flipping off the light and moving toward the set of thick drapes covering a set of French-style doors. I pulled a chair close, allowing me to see the comings and goings of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

While I wanted to say we would be safe for now, I knew it was only a matter of time before the nightmare started all over again. There would be no safety net until we were out of the country. Even then, I had a sick feeling that someone was out to get her or using her as a bargaining chip for a dangerous and potentially lucrative situation.

I sat in the chair, staring out at the lights from the street, the intensity of the events causing a hard ache in my joints. As I sipped on the cheap tequila, my mind wandered to the past, a place I’d promised myself I’d never go again. Maybe this particular assignment was all about karma finishing me off or forcing me to face my demons. I’d long suspected that Dante had known about Teresa, which meant the Specialists kept track on the whereabouts of their operatives, even when they were on hiatus. That pissed me off.

I eased the Glock onto my lap, swirling the liquid in the glass as I thought about the time spent in the French Riviera. I’d selected the spot simply because I’d once seen a brochure. After working on a difficult case, one taking several months instead of weeks to conclude, I’d shut down for six weeks, indulging in a little R & R. And I’d met a beautiful woman. Not just beautiful. Teresa had been the kind of woman that would upend any man. Just the way she sashayed into a room lit up the entire place.

I’d been the one to shut her down at first, but our connection had been inevitable. She’d been determined to find out why I wanted nothing to do with her. The electricity was instantaneous, exactly like what had occurred with Lindsey. I chuckled and rubbed my eyes as images flowed into my mind.

Including the last time that I’d seen Teresa all those years ago.

“What do you mean you have to go?” Teresa asked as she stormed in my direction.

“I have a job.” My answer was curt, but not because she’d asked. I was furious with Dante for calling me in, demanding that I end my vacation abruptly. All because a Saudi prince had lost a precious necklace meant for his wife. However, I couldn’t tell her that. We weren’t allowed to tell civilians anything about our work, especially about our clients.

“But I don’t want you to go,” she insisted, her eyes shimmering from tears that had formed. “I’m falling in love with you, Jack. I thought you wanted to be with me.”

As I took her into my arms, pressing her head against my chest, I loathed what I did, the long months spent undercover. I was tired and angry, prepared to find something else to do. As if I could be hired by anyone. I’d simply disappeared, my former existence crushed out of all databanks. That helped with our anonymity yet meant we could never go back to our former lives. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“How long will that be?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

Teresa pulled back, darting her eyes back and forth. “A week, two?”

“Several months.”

“Wait. Months?” Hissing, she jerked out of my arms altogether, taking long strides toward the open door, staring out at the ocean. “That’s not fair, Jack. That’s just not fair.”

“I understand, but this is what I have