Target: Hard Target Part 10

Besides, she wants me just as bad. Her nipples are hard and poking through her thin shirt.

"As are you," I point out.

The elevator doors open and I grab her by the arm once more.

"Stop grabbing me-unless we're in danger." Her face pales slightly. "We're not in danger, are we?"

"The only danger you're in at this moment is from me."

"I thought you trusted me," she says, pulling out of my grip.

"This has nothing to do with trust." I hold the card to the door, waiting impatiently for the millisecond it takes for it to unlock. As soon as I hear the click, I shove open the door. "This has everything with you getting in bed."

"We're not waiting until after the package is delivered?"

I lean into her. "Not. A. Chance."

Her mouth forms a perfect O before she licks her lips and says, "What if I don't want to?"

"Then we won't. I've done very bad things in my life, but to force myself on another... that is...." English words escape me as my past threatens to rear its ugly head. "Repulsive. Unacceptable."

She walks inside. "Shut the door, Ben."

I do as she asks, then stalk her across the room. She's trailing articles of clothing on the way, and I'm more than willing to follow that path. As she turns to face me, the backs of her legs. .h.i.t the edge of the bed and she goes tumbling down. I follow after her, rolling us once so that she's on top-for my viewing pleasure. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are full and her hips are gently curved. She has the body of a dancer.

Cupping the back of her head, I pull her down to claim her mouth. She opens up to me easily, sweetly. My hands roam her body, exploring the soft skin I crave so much. Caressing and listening to every gasp, every sigh that lets me know she loves what I'm doing to her. But my Morgan is no pa.s.sive lover. Her hands are just as demanding, just as curious.

"My feisty woman."

"My very jealous man."

I nudge my erection against where she's hot and slick. Welcoming. "Do something about it. Show me that you're mine."

She leans forward to position herself over me, and I seize the opportunity to take her nipple into my mouth, sucking hard. I've learned her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are sensitive, and I'm pretty sure I can make her come this way, but I want inside of her when that happens.

My eyes close in pleasure as her small hands wrap around my c.o.c.k and guide me inside of her. My hands sweep down her back even as I thrust up, cupping her perfect b.u.m to hold her in place. The feel of her warmth surrounding me is almost too much.

"I need a minute," I admit, opening my eyes to find her smiling at me like the G.o.ddess she is.

She rolls her hips, sending me deeper.

Unable to stay pa.s.sive any longer, I guide her movements, give her words of endearment in Russian and French. I don't trust myself to speak her language. To tell her how I'm starting to feel about her.

No good will come of it.

I watch as her hands glide down the center of her body, cupping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and then letting go of one to delve between her thighs where we are joined in the most intimate of ways. Her fingers brush against my c.o.c.k as she slides along her skin.

She cries out as she touches her c.l.i.t, rubbing it so hard and fast that I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with her.

Her hair falls from its small bun to caress her jaw.

I love watching her like this, taking her pleasure and bringing me along with her. I meet each roll of her hips, thrusting to the rhythm she sets. She lets go of her breast and grabs the necklace around my throat, tugging on it until I'm sitting up.

She fists it, using it as an anchor while her breath starts coming in sharp gasps that let me know she's on the verge of coming. I'm on the verge of rolling her to her back and f.u.c.king her, but I can't.

What started out as a jealousy fueled move to show that she belongs to me has turned into something more. I caress the side of her face and kiss her again. This time, savoring her lips and the taste of her.

Nothing exists in this moment, but us. No Bratva, no flash drive, no threat on our lives... nothing. Yet this moment is everything. Something shifts inside of me, cracking in places that I try to keep hidden.

She smiles against my lips and breathes my name.

Her inner muscles ripple around my c.o.c.k. She lets her head fall back, exposing the soft line of her neck as she lets out a low moan. I kiss her there, join my fingers to hers and help her o.r.g.a.s.m along. She's so wet, inside and out, that as she tightens around me, I give a hoa.r.s.e shout.

I come inside of her in hot spurts that nearly take my breath away. She doesn't stop moving until my o.r.g.a.s.m subsides. Her body is slick and hot against mine. The smell of s.e.x and her shampoo fills the air.

I search for her mouth again, kissing her with a pa.s.sion that I can't seem to shake around her. My body knows what my brain refuses to process. I can't blame it really.

"Ben," she says in a breathy voice. "That was the best s.e.x ever."

"For me as well." I lean back to gauge her expression, then realize she's still holding tight to the b.l.o.o.d.y necklace. "Let go, love."

Staring into my eyes, she removes the chain and places it around her neck. The flash drive looks obscene hanging between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "Let me carry this burden for a while, okay?"

I nod, wanting more than anything to s.n.a.t.c.h the d.a.m.n thing from around her slender neck. "But not too long."

Her sweet mouth frowns. "You don't trust me?"

"The burden is too great."

"If we carry this burden together, it won't seem so heavy," she replies softly and lays her head down on my shoulder.

In that moment, I know the truth of everything. I know that I am unequivocally in love with a woman I have no guarantee will live to see the next day.

Later that night while she is asleep, I join Dmitry in the main part of the suite. He pours two shots of vodka and slides one over to me.

"It's not the best, but it will do."

I throw the drink back and gasp a little. "It's horrid."

"Better than nothing."

He's right. We drink in silence and after a while the taste of the vodka doesn't matter at all.

"I need a Plan B."

"Get your woman to safety."

"The safest places I know are with Koyla and Grandfather."

Dmitry rolls up his shirtsleeves, revealing the edge of a spider web. I cannot tell if the spider is going up or down from this angle-or rather if Dmitry will continue to work for the Bratva. "You could send her there."

"I could."

"I could take her for you."

"You could."

"But?" he asks.

"She would no longer be at my side." That is the crux of the matter. I need her more than life itself and yet to admit that...

"Grandfather would guard her with his life."

"You've spoken to him." It's not a question.

"Da. He is impressed with her bravery. She's different, that one, from your brother's woman. Everly is soft, which makes Koyla soft." He doesn't mean this as an insult, but it's not exactly a compliment.

"In some ways, Morgan is more vulnerable than Everly, while in others..." I shrug, but Dmitry knows exactly what I can't put into words.

"Send her to Grandfather so you can concentrate on the problem at hand."

He makes it sound so easy, as if sending her to Grandfather is a foregone conclusion. "If I do this... I trust only you to get her there safely."

Dmitry smiles, revealing white teeth. "That's because I'm the only one who can."

Chapter Nine.

Benjamin The next morning, with less than twenty hours to go, I drive the rest of the way to Paris. Morgan peppers me with questions about Paris, the bank, and what to look for when get closer.

"The bank has a distinctive red cross. You can't miss it." I recheck my messages every ten minutes, but there's still no word from Violet. "Give me the flash drive, love."

Slowly, she removes the necklace and hands it to me. I lift my hips slightly and shove it deep into my pocket.

"I didn't mind wearing it."

Yet another reason why I don't deserve you, but will protect with you my dying breath. "We're too close to the end for you to be caught with it around your neck. I don't want to give anyone ideas." The very real threat of kidnapping Morgan is at the forefront of my mind. "The Wraith Organization, if they are in fact the ones behind this, have no compunctions about murdering innocent women."

"You said that he thought I was Olivia."

"Do you think Olivia deserves to die?"

"No. Not at all." She shakes her head. "She's a real b.i.t.c.h about people stealing her unlabeled sandwiches, though that's not enough to want her fatally hurt."

My mouth quirks. "I take it that you were one of the accused."

"Her brother Oliver said that it was Sandwich Day and gave it to me. How was I to know it's not an official Commonwealth holiday? She yelled at me in front of Mr. Pinter as well as a j.a.panese delegation that was interested in our vaccination strain of R7P."

She has a point. "Not your fault."

"See, even you agree with me. And you were the worst one about the rules. So freaking strict."

"Lower level employees liked to gossip, eh?"

Morgan grins. "They liked to talk about your tight b.u.m and your big... paycheck."

"My paycheck is not for public consumption."

She eyes me. "Am I allowed to confirm that your paycheck is bigger than we all thought?"

If there is one thing I can say about Morgan is that she keeps me guessing with what will come out of her mouth next. "I'll pay for a full spread in The Daily."

She snorts. "You are so conceited."

"Wait. What? You're the one who brought up the size of my paycheck, not I."

"Oh my gosh." Her eyes are full of mirth as she giggles. "Say that again."

"Say what?"

"That."

I give her a look. "That what?"

"You're so posh."

"You're b.l.o.o.d.y confusing."

"I'm sorry." She sighs heavily. "I'm trying to keep a positive outlook and when I get nervous or scared, I like to joke around."

I glance at her, and then back at the road. "I'm the same way. Well, I used to be worse, actually."

"Really?"

"Truly." I laugh a little. "I used to annoy the s.h.i.te out of my brother, but what he didn't know was that I was afraid Grandfather would send me back at any minute because I wasn't cut out to be an a.s.sa.s.sin like Nikolai and wasn't earning my keep. I thought by telling jokes that I would make them like me so much that they'd forget about what I wasn't good at doing.

"Didn't need to worry though," I add.

"Why is that?"