In the Still of the Night:Sexy Romantic Suspense (Book 2 The Blonde Barracuda's Sizzling Suspense Series) (31 page)

Lexie sat up straighter, testing the limits of Jake’s grip. While she chafed at his restrictive hold, she knew in her gut she didn’t want him to let her go. If she could burrow against him and never let go, it would be too soon. But she had to make sense of the evening.

She fastened a frown on Peter.

“Who are you?”

Peter raised a brow at her direct question. He glanced from one to the other, and shrugged.

“Given the company I’m in, dissembling isn’t in order.”

He sipped thoughtfully on his whisky, as though weighing how much he would reveal.

Seeing his hesitation, Jake broke in. “Peter, in addition to being world class fighters—and I include Lexie in this circle—we are the most secretive bunch of SOBs you’ll ever meet. Moreover, not that I’m into ‘dick length’ contests, but Brady and I have seen and done more than any man should in several life times. They’re things that you couldn’t torture out of us. We’re only interested to hear in as much as you choose to reveal.”

At Peter’s nod, Jake added with a grin, “Oh and by the way, if you are interested in that ‘dick of the year’ contest, bring it on.”

Peter chuckled. “I’ll save that for when I’ve had a few more glasses of Master Wan’s ‘good stuff’.”

He included them all in his thoughtful gaze. “I’m officially NIS, the Korean National Intelligence Service. I came on board when it was the ANSP, a more aggressive agency than the current NIS. I’m sorry that I missed the heyday of the
Angibu
. That organization would have been a better fit for me. Although most of the abusive acts that brought down
Angibu
are not condoned in the NIS, you understand from your experiences that the world often demands ruthlessness. That’s when certain elements of the NIS bring me in. At a top secret level, of course. As you intimated, Jake, I’m about as far off the grid as you can go and still work with the NIS.”

Sipping on his drink, he added, “I was grateful that you understood my reference to
Anjibu
, Jake. I needed that small reassurance that I was dealing with a simpatico warrior before I revealed my true status.”

Lexie saw that the two men understood each other, but she needed to know more.

“Peter, I know you overheard my warning to Brady, specifically that Dalila was mine. Why… why did you break in?”

Peter’s smile widened. “Other than the fact that I happen to know that Dalila is a trained marksman and given your attire, I didn’t see a weapon hidden anywhere, I thought it wise to participate.” He held up his hand stopping her protest.

“You need to understand, Lexie. I couldn’t leave witnesses to tonight’s adventure. None. It has taken me nearly two years to gain the confidence of Young-soo. I know you and Brady know this, Jake, but Young-soo is the mastermind behind much of the human trafficking that originates in Korea. He has operatives in each of the major cities. Dalila was a low-level informant working in Immigration. She used her significant talents in the ‘dick arena’ and convinced Young-soo that she could handle a bigger role. I knew it was only a matter of time before her insatiable ego would bring us to a standoff. With Young-soo’s support, I planned to take her out, although not as spectacularly as tonight. Dalila was also working to convert my
Kkangpae
guards to her camp—again using her prodigious talents. I regret that I needed to kill all of them tonight, but I had no other options. My cover is essential.”

Lexie struggled to square the man she thought she knew with the high level, ruthless double agent he’d just revealed. And, she realized with a start, revealed things she didn’t know about Jake. Knowing that she wanted to work with Peter in the future, she needed to know where he stood.

“Is your business real? Or is that a charade as well?”

“It is very real. Both the NIS and Young-soo pay well. I don’t mind milking them both. And I have a gift for investments.”

Looking from Brady back to Jake, he added, “Seeing that your accouterments are almost as outrageous as mine, I presume you also have multiple streams of income depending on how many angles you are working.”

At their shared laugh, Lexie was annoyed with their camaraderie that excluded her.

“Let me be blunt, Peter. Will you work with me in the future? Help me bring down Young-soo? At least expose his work here in the Bay area.”

Peter regarded her quietly for a moment and then looked to Jake.

“That is a serious question, Lexie, and one that requires further discussion. Amongst us all. At least from my experience, you are… well, a bit of a loose cannon.”

At Jake’s disgusted grunt, Peter added, “You don’t seem to have a sense of the danger you are in, Lexie. I tried to warn you repeatedly. I also knew that Dalila was sending you threatening messages. She bragged about them to Young-soo in our conference calls. She loved the idea of frightening you. In the beginning, I wasn’t concerned. I hoped that they would scare you off.”

At Brady’s loud guffaw, Peter gave him rueful grin then turned to Jake.

“At the very least, I assumed she’d show them to you. Again, a mistaken assumption.”

Jake’s expression darkened and his voice roughened.

“That is but one of many issues that Lexie and I will be discussing, Peter. Until we have that conversation, it is premature to discuss her work with you.”

Lexie tossed her head and smiled sweetly.

“We’ll see about that.”

She shoved the quilt aside and pushing away Jake’s arms, attempted to stand.

Jake’s arm flew out and he jerked her back on his lap. He tossed her a devastating grin that sizzled straight to her core. She felt the heat flood her face when his grin widened. His voice was deep, husky.

“Yeah, Darlin’, we sure as hell
will
see about that.”

He rose to his feet, a looming presence. Tossing her over his shoulder, he held her in place with a firm hand on her bottom.

Lexie shrieked and beat on his back.

“Dammit, Jake. Put me down. Now! This minute!”

Jake strode toward the door, ignoring Lexie pounding on his back and threatening him with a thousand ways she planned to pay him back. Turning to the amused men, he said, “Tell you what, Peter, Lexie and I will get back to you after we’ve had chance to ‘discuss’ the issues.”

Peter arched a brow and grinned. Brady spoke for all of them including Master Wan when he said, “Wish I could be in that discussion, Jake, but I assume you’ll make all of
our
points as well as yours.”

Jake laughed as he headed out the door to her quarters.

“That I will, Brady, and many more. Good night, all. It’s been an interesting evening.” He chuckled. “And it ain’t over yet.”

Chapter 31

Jake locked the door behind himself, and lifted Lexie off his shoulder. With a low growl he pulled her tight against his hard body. Pressing her against the wall, he buried his face in her hair. Lexie gasped at the shock of erotic sensations flooding through her. Coupled with the adrenalin she knew was swamping them both, within seconds she was panting, gasping for breath. His strong male smell drove her desire to a fever pitch. She ached to hold him, touch him. She didn’t want to wait. She wanted him now.

His breath was hot, heavy on her neck. Weaving his fingers in her hair he jerked her head back exposing her neck. He nipped at the sensitive space beneath her ear and chuckled at her cry. His voice was low, husky, more like a growl.

“Let’s run through our little conversation again, Lexie. I believe you said ‘we’ll
see
about that.’ What are we gonna
see
about, baby? This?”

He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and bit down. She cried out at the slight pain, stunned when the sizzling sensations shot to her core.

“Or this?” ran his tongue along the tops of her breasts, licking then nipping at the heated flesh.

“Answer me, baby. Just exactly what are we going to see about? Maybe these clothes?”

Jake stood her on the floor against the wall. Without his weight holding her up Lexie was sure she would fall, her legs were worthless pieces of rubber. He jerked the obscene top down exposing her breasts. She cupped her breasts in her hands and offered them to him, begging for his touch.

Instead Jake covered her hands with his, holding her in place, and licked the valley between her breasts. His tongue was a devilish tormentor, licking, lapping at the moist skin but not touching her throbbing nipples.

“You’re sweaty, baby. You taste salty. Sweet. I was gonna put you in the bathtub, wash off all the smells, the crap from tonight. But I changed my mind. I’m gonna lick it off you, Darlin’. Off every part of you—starting here.”

He grabbed the flimsy halter top in both hands and ripped it from her body. Lexie moaned and arched her back raising her breasts to his mouth. God, if he didn’t kiss her nipples, suck on them soon, she would die from need.

“Please, Jake, please. I need you!”

Her plea turned to a wail when he ran his tongue around one tight nub. He pulled it into his mouth and sucked on it. When it was long and swollen he pressed it against the roof of his mouth. At the same time, he rolled her other nipple between his fingers and thumb then pinched down hard. She screamed at the sensations ricocheting over her, clinging desperately to him.

He snarled holding up the torn material.

“Is this what we’re gonna
see
about, baby. This four-inch scrap that was supposed to cover your breasts? Contain them? Gotta tell you, it didn’t do its job, Darlin’. Your breasts were bursting out of it, driving a dozen men to distraction, including my partner and the guy who saved our lives. Shall we see about
that
, Lexie? About whether you are going to saunter out dressed like this flaunting your beautiful body, enticing every fucking asshole that sees you?
Or
Darlin’, are you gonna save these for me. Just me, goddamn it!”

Lexie sobbed pressing his head against her breasts. “No, Jake, only you. Ever only you. But please don’t stop.”

He groaned, his body trembling.

“Oh, no, baby. I’m not gonna stop. Uh uh. Not now, not ever. But we’re not done talking, Lexie. Let’s discuss these!”

He tugged at the hip hugger boy shorts that barely covered her ass cheeks. Lexie was ashamed, knowing how it must have wounded him seeing her dressed the way she was. Leered at by those hideous men.

He barked, “Another useless scrap of material. Only these are supposed to cover your ass. That beautiful ass of yours, Lexie, that makes me hard just thinking about it. Feel me, feel my cock. Do you feel that?”

Lexie pressed her hand against his erection feeling it thicken, throb at her touch. His groan shuddered through his body. He pulled her hand away from his cock and pressed it against his belly.

“No, wait, baby. Later, Darlin’. I want you all over me. Your mouth, your lips, your sweet sheathe clasping me tight. God, yeah. But now Darlin’, let’s talk about your ass and this fucking bit of material covering it. You know what this does to me, don’t you? And when you prance across the room, every guy there feels what I do. You know what I want to do, Lexie? Me and all the rest of the lecherous men? I want to pull these pants down and turn you over my knee. Like this, baby.”

He put his foot on the edge of the footboard and lifted her up over his knee. To her shock, he positioned her with her head and legs hanging down over his knee, her ass high in the air. When she struggled to free herself, he barked, “Hold still!”

Holding her in place with one big hand, with the other he pulled her pants down. Lexie choked in surprise, feeling the rush of cool air on her bottom. She yelped when he cracked one bare cheek, then the other. Once, twice, he smacked each cheek, then rubbed the pain away with his hand. It surprised her more than it hurt. But what was shocking, and made her cry out, were the searing sensations flooding her. Oh god, now she wanted him to spank her? What was happening to her, to her unruly body? The adrenalin rush from the dreadful events was coursing through her. That and his big hand rubbing her flaming skin drove her to the precipice.

She wailed a low, almost guttural animal sound that she couldn’t believe came from her.

Jake was incredulous. “Damn, Lexie! You’re gonna come from me paddling your ass? Christ, honey, how much more can you do to me? God, Darlin’, as if you didn’t already have the most beautiful ass in the world. But baby, to see it a gorgeous pink from my hand? Hot damn, Lexie, I’m like a crazy man I want you so bad. But here Darlin’, come up here. Let me help you. My baby needs to come, don’t you, Darlin’?”

Her harsh groan was all the answer he needed.

Spreading her legs, he lifted her up on his knee. He chuckled when she threw her arms around his neck and ground her throbbing clit against his hard thigh. He moved her back and forth, rubbing her swollen folds against the rough fabric of his jeans. Precisely when she thought she would explode, he sucked her nipple in his mouth and bit down hard. She shrieked as wave after wave of agonized pleasure flooded her. He brought her down gently nuzzling her ear, nipping at the damp skin on her neck and chest. She clung to him as tremor after tremor shuddered over her.

Jake‘s voice vibrated with excitement. “Jesus, Lexie, that’s good to know. You like it when I spank your ass? Hell yeah, baby. Do you have any idea how much this pink ass of yours turns me on? Oh honey, we’re gonna work that little trick—often!”

When she could breathe again, she whispered “Jake, I need you.”

“Yeah, baby, I know you do. We’re just getting started.”

“No, Jake I need
you
.”

She rubbed her hand against his erection, her voice was a husky murmur.

“Let me let me touch you, Jake. Let me love you the way you love me.”

Jake shuddered and shook his head.

“Ah, Lexie. You don’t want to do that. I’m a fucking jet engine. It’s all I can do just looking at you to keep from exploding in mid-air.”

She struggled out of his arms and sunk to her knees. Tugging at the button on his jeans, she shoved his hands away, freeing the zipper. Gazing up at him, she licked her lips and grinned at his agonized groan.