Edge of Control: An Edge Security Novel (Edge Security Series Book 1) (19 page)

“Ah,” he said, nuzzling the skin again as she arched into him. “There’s a spot I need to remember.”

Her hands ran up his chest, skimming over every ridge of muscle and then down his broad back, wondering how this man, this warrior, could be here with her. She clutched at him as he licked at that spot and desire once again shot through her.

He pulled back for a moment. “Protection,” he said and left the bed to rummage in his bag, coming back moments later with a condom. He ripped it out of the package and she took it from him, seeing her opportunity to tease him a little.

She pushed him back on the bed so his powerful body lay waiting for her. The scar on his leg was a testament to his strength and dedication. She trailed her fingers down it before kissing it slowly. His eyes clouded.

She turned her attention higher. His arousal stood out from his body, strong and thick. She ran a finger down its length and Jake sucked in a breath.

This was for her. She knelt over him, leaning down to use her tongue where her finger had just gone. His chest rose as he inhaled deeply, and his hands fisted in the sheets.

She licked him again, teasing, enjoying how she could make him writhe for her.

“Dani,” he growled.

She smiled and engulfed him in her mouth. His hips lifted and he groaned. The slight salty taste of him encouraged her to suck harder. His hands tangled in her hair as she used her tongue against the sensitive underside.

He pulled her off him. “You make me lose control.”

“Good.” She licked her lips and his eyes tracked the movement. She took the condom and rolled it over him slowly, enjoying his groans.

“Enough,” he said and abruptly rolled her beneath him.

Her eyes widened when he shifted and his cock nudged her entrance. His kiss claimed her and she whimpered. Her legs opened farther in invitation, but Jake waited, kissing her as if he had all the time in the world. He held himself above her with one arm while his other hand played with her breasts, rubbing his thumb back and forth across her nipples until she twisted uncontrollably beneath him. Wetness soaked her legs. He licked the spot behind her ear and her breath shuddered from her. She drowned in sensation, his lips on her neck, his hands on her body and his swollen hardness rubbing between her legs. He pulled back and looked at her.

“I think you’re ready now,” he said darkly.

The heat of his body scorched her as he pushed steadily into her. She panted as her swollen tissues stretched to accommodate him. Her eyes drifted shut.

“Look at me, Dani,” Jake said. His gaze captured hers, not releasing it as he sank in to the hilt. He slowly pulled back and then plunged forward. Her hands clutched at his back, digging into the muscle there, desperate to get closer.

A rhythm built between them, faster and harder, their breaths mingling. The tide of pleasure surged inside her, tightening everything in its wake, until her orgasm exploded. Her world went white as she strained against Jake.

Jake shouted and then plunged deep inside her, grinding against her core, setting off another round of spasms.

A long while later, when her heart beat normally, Jake turned off the lights and pulled her into the circle of his arms. He kissed her neck lightly and she shivered. He pulled the blankets over them and hugged her close.

“Sleep,” he said. “I’ve got you.”

The next morning, Jake showered and threw on a pair of jeans. He came out of the bathroom to see the morning sun peeking around the edges of the hotel curtain. Dani lay sprawled on the bed, her dark silky hair over her face as she slept. He grinned, thinking about how he’d tired her out last night and again this morning.

He rubbed a towel over his damp hair as he shifted a curtain aside. Rush-hour traffic on the street and sidewalks greeted him. Being eight stories up barely muffled the honks and growls of the cars below. It could be any street in any big city. His gaze lifted and the “Mountain” west of downtown reminded him this wasn’t just any city.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” Dani’s voice was groggy.

He turned to her and shrugged. “I don’t need much,” he said. “I’ll order room service while you grab a shower.”

She ducked her head under the pillow. “What if I don’t want to get up?”

He moved to the bed and, unable to help himself, trailed a hand down her arm, feeling the silky smoothness of her skin, remembering her taste. She lifted the pillow from her head and her kissable lips parted. His cock hardened.

“Now I really don’t want to get up,” she said, her voice husky.

“You have to.” He swallowed and forced his hand away. “Briefing this morning.” He backed away, picked up the phone, and ordered food, he wasn’t sure what.

She watched him from under lowered lids, her green eyes dark, and licked her lips. He lowered the phone and sat beside her on the bed. He stroked his hands up her arms and then down her chest, taking the sheet with him. Her golden skin felt like warm velvet under his hands. She gasped when he tweaked a nipple. He loved the sounds he could draw from her.

“We have to wait for the food anyway,” he said, lowering his head.

Dani enjoyed the latte Jake had gotten her while he drove them to the E.D.G.E. offices. As they approached, he turned sharply right, to an entrance Dani had never seen used. He stopped the car before the metal door. A small control pad stood beside his window. He pressed his thumb on the pad and the door rolled up.

“Huh,” Dani said, sipping her coffee. “I never knew we had our own parking.”

Jake smiled. “It’s only for the operators and top brass. The range is down here too.”

“Range?”

“E.D.G.E. has a lot of nifty toys, and many more underground floors.” He gave her a glance before maneuvering into a parking spot. “Have you ever shot a gun before?”

“A couple of times,” Dani said. “I’m not fond of them.”

Jake nodded. “They’re not for everyone. But if you’re serious about being an operator, then we should get you up to speed.”

She shook her head. “I don’t think I can become an operator. I don’t have the military background or training that seems to be needed. And even if I did, I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”

“You handle yourself well under pressure and you have useful skills. You don’t need to be in the field to help, Dani. You could be IT or comms support on missions. Mike doesn’t have a military background.”

IT or comms support. Yes, she could do those jobs. She smiled slowly as her future started to look a little brighter and a whole lot more interesting. Maybe she would have a chance to do something good with her life after all.

 
“Come on,” Jake said. “The briefing started five minutes ago.”

Upstairs, they headed straight for the war room. Chuck, Rhys, Koven, and two other operators, a man and a woman she didn’t know, sat around the table. Derrick Blackwell stood in front of them with his arms crossed.

“You’re late,” Blackwell said.

Jake stood beside her, his shoulder touching hers. “Sorry, sir, I—”

“It’s my fault,” Dani piped in. She held up her coffee. “I needed a latte.” She didn’t mention that it wasn’t the latte that had made them late.

Blackwell’s gaze narrowed. For a moment panic seized her. Did they all know that she’d slept with Jake?

She flushed.
Seriously, Dani
, she berated herself.
How could they know?
She needed to breathe and control her red face, or it wouldn’t be long before they clued in.

But if it wasn’t that, then what? There was a distinct air of tension in the room. Chuck looked up from where he’d been staring at his hands. Some emotion she couldn’t read flickered in his eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay, kid.”

She nodded. He didn’t seem that glad. None of them did. Chuck turned away and refused to look at her again. Her stomach rolled over when she realized no one was looking at them. Well, her, anyway. Rhys nodded at Jake and she saw his lips firm. That couldn’t be good.

“Sitrep,” Blackwell said.

Jake stepped forward. “Two of Rusakov’s men entered Everett’s apartment last night. They didn’t see us. We overheard them talking. Apparently, Vladimir wants her to work for him.”

Blackwell arched a brow. “I assume you’ve taken care of protection for her.”

“Yes, sir,” Jake said. “It’s covered.”

Blackwell nodded. “Good. Now, Ms. Everett…or would you prefer to be called Ms. Kashnikov?”

Dani’s blood drained from her face. He knew. In fact, none of them seemed surprised at the use of her real name. They all knew. She swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. “Either is fine.”

“Well, Ms. Kashnikov, please hand over your passkey to Lieutenant Harrison and listen to everything he tells you. Your life may depend on it. We’ll talk more after the briefing.” He looked at Jake. “Escort her to the fifth floor and we’ll finish the briefing when you return.”

Dani frowned. Hand over her passkey? That meant she no longer had access to any of the operator floors. The fifth floor was where all the civilians worked. “I don’t understand,” she said. “Aren’t I helping with this case?”

Blackwell looked up, his icy eyes pinning her. He obviously wasn’t used to anyone questioning him.

“No.”

“Why not?”

Blackwell drew himself upright and crossed his arms. “Unfortunately, Ms. Kashnikov, in light of your performance recently, I’m unsure whether you’re fit to be a team member or even to continue working at E.D.G.E.”

Chuck made a strangled noise, but quieted under Blackwell’s glare.

“My performance?” Her voice rose on the last note. “Are you referring to me being kidnapped? How is that my fault?”

Blackwell’s voice got softer and colder. “Not the kidnapping. Rather, it’s the information you failed to provide to E.D.G.E. I know your background, Ms. Kashnikov—that you used to work for the Rusakovs and, in particular, that you were rather
intimately
associated with Vladimir Rusakov.

“The issue I have with you isn’t that your ex-boyfriend is under investigation, but that we didn’t learn this information from
you
. You’ve had the opportunity to trust us as we’ve trusted you, and yet you chose again and again not to.”

“But—” Dani said.

Blackwell held up a hand. “Did you read secure files on the E.D.G.E. database? Did you attempt an illegal and unsupervised hack from one of E.D.G.E.’s computers? Did you break and enter a building under E.D.G.E. surveillance in order to secure information that E.D.G.E. needed, but then didn’t offer up that information until you’d been caught in the act?”

Dani’s insides twisted. “Yes.”

“At least you’re being honest with us now,” he said. Then he sighed. “Until I know that I can absolutely trust you, I need you off this team. I don’t have time to second-guess whether anyone working for me is sharing all their information with me.”

Only years of keeping her face impassive let her stand still while it felt like he ripped off layers of her clothes and exposed her naked, cold body to the world. She wanted to hunch and shiver as shame washed over her.

He knew everything. From her twisted relationship with Vladimir, to every mistake she’d made since this whole mess had started. But it was the way he revealed her past with Vladimir that made her want to hide.

How had Blackwell found out? Chuck knew her past, but he’d never tell that particular secret. No one else knew about her relationship with Vladimir.

Her insides turned to ice. No one except Jake.

She turned to him and his jaw clenched, but otherwise he didn’t react. Had it all been a lie? Had he been playing her this whole time for information? God, had he slept with her to see if she had anything else incriminating to say?

She tore her gaze from his and backed toward the door. She felt hemmed in by Blackwell’s critical gaze and the operators’ sidelong glances.

Arguing would be useless. Blackwell had already turned away. She compressed her lips to stop them from trembling, squared her shoulders, and left the room.

She could hear raised voices behind her and wondered if only Chuck had her back. Did they all condemn her? Part of her wanted to run, far and fast, but she shook her head. Tassia was the important one. She had to stay, even if she could only help out with information. She’d do everything possible to rescue Tassia.

And then she’d leave. She’d take her savings and find somewhere new to settle and someone new to be.

A footstep behind her alerted her to his presence. “Get away from me, Jake.”

“Dani, wait.” He touched her arm.

She spun toward him, flinging off his touch. “No. I can’t believe you told them what I said. Why would you do that?”

“I’m sorry. They needed to know. I believe Vladimir has a personal grudge against you and he seems obsessed. I didn’t realize Blackwell would drop you from the team. I don’t think it’s your past he holds against you. None of the rest of us do.”

“Oh, really? You don’t hold it against me, but you don’t actually trust me, either.” Her fists clenched, trying to hold it together. “How long have you known about my past, Jake? You knew before we talked at my place, didn’t you?”

Jake held up his hands. “I suspected you had a shady past. You have a file, but I didn’t have access. I spoke with you that night because I needed to know everything in order to protect you. And I wanted you to tell me yourself. I wanted you to trust me. Without that, we couldn’t work together in the future.”

“You did this so we could work together,” she said, her voice carefully even. His admission deflated her anger, leaving her drained. Did he only see her as a colleague?

“Why did you sleep with me?” Had she really asked that? Her life was crumbling, but somehow that was the question that had escaped. And now that it had, she wanted it answered.

“Dani, don’t do this.” Jake ran a hand over his buzzed head. “We don’t have time to talk about this now. I have to get back to the briefing.”

“Right. Of course.” Tassia took priority. Her shoulders slumped. She handed over her passkey, but looked away from Jake’s compassionate gaze. “I’m going to the fifth-floor lounge. Let me know when there’s something I’m allowed to help with.”