Black Dawn (20 page)

Yeah, a little breathy and a lot bothered. Maybe angry and confused. Who knew what else? Mostly she sounded like he felt. Totally mind-fucked and turned on.

Trains clanged in the background. Horns blared from distant streets.

“Yeah.” A lump formed in his throat as he released her, dropping his arms and letting her step back.

“I can’t process any of this.”

“What’s there to process?” But even he knew that was a lie. All of this was confusing. How he felt, how she looked, what they thought about the tension they couldn’t ignore, and the work they’d done together for so long without knowing. Silver was anonymous, and his work at Titan was classified. None of this should converge.

He grabbed her hips, and she slammed her open palms against his chest.

“Why are you angry, Lex?”

“I just am.” Her fingers splayed then clutched his shirt.

He jerked her close, and her mouth went wide. The passion in her icy blue gaze rocketed through him. He shook his head. “No reason for that.”

“Go away. I need to think. I thought I had my head right, but now—God!”

His eyes dropped to her hands fisting his shirt. “You’re holding on to me, sweetheart.”

But instead of pushing him away, her fingers bit tighter into his chest. He spun them around so her back was against the wall, his chest pressing against hers with her clenched hands sandwiched between them. Her breaths came quicker. Her tongue darted out and licked her lip, and he groaned, flexing his hips into her.

“You still haven’t let go,” he breathed against her lips.

“I don’t want to.”

His mouth collided with hers, his tongue plunging into her mouth as she gasped and moaned. Her hands tightened, trying to pull him closer though it was impossible. Whatever had happened in Parker’s kitchen was sweet, and even in his Ranger Rover’s backseat, he’d been careful with her. This wasn’t like that. It was harsh and rough and hungry.

Lexi’s legs crawled up his thighs, and he pressed against her, giving her his weight, making sure she knew that all the blood in his body had rushed to his cock. He moved to the slope of her neck, kissing and scraping her soft skin with his teeth. His tongue licked, and as he savored her skin, her hips started a sinful rhythm.

“Wait.” Harshly, Lexi released her grip on him. “Parker, God. Wait… work. I have—” She gasped when he ran his lips to the spot behind her ear. “Work.”

Who cared? He needed her alone. Not in an alley but a bed, where he’d strip the leather off her legs and kiss his way higher until he could delve into that pussy and make her come. But damn the look in her eyes. The second he let go, she would run. He didn’t know why and couldn’t push her to stay.

“Parker, please.”

He had to release her, though not without a warning. “This isn’t over, Lex.”

As he set her down, her eyes squeezed shut, and her erratic breathing might as well have been a stroke to his swollen shaft. He didn’t want to stop, and with her panting like that, those kiss-swollen, pink lips of hers teasing him… he shook his head. He was lust drunk and nowhere near ready to think about the Monarch job.

“I have to go,” she whispered, retrieving her dropped helmet.

“We’ll talk about this later.”

She bit her bottom lip then spun away. Parker let her go, watching as a tightness hit his chest. His arms were empty, and for the first time, his life felt empty too, devoid of a partnership they didn’t even have. Yet. He wanted her friendship, wanted her in his bed. He already enjoyed working with Silver. What a wild combination, maybe making him acknowledge for the first time how much he wanted something substantial outside of Titan.

She hopped over a low cement retaining wall, then she was gone. He was alone in the middle of a maintenance alley. Trains clanged and echoed around him. The exhaust replaced the lemon scent that had made his mouth water. Even as she disappeared from sight, his boots wanted to chase her down. Seconds later, the growl of a motorcycle roared to life then faded away.

Time was drawing near. Monarch would go to auction soon. So even if Lexi ran, Parker knew Silver well enough that there was no doubt she’d be back inside for the auction.

Silver was Lexi was…
his
. That put a smile on his face.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Lexi couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Parker? Phiber? Matt? She needed to get back inside the station. The auction would start on time whether she was next to Shadow or not, but did she really want him to give her hell for showing up late? Nope. Not at all. But then she’d see Parker, and she felt like a damn fool. Running away from him? What was this, sixth grade? But she was overrun with emotions, and instead of crying or screaming, she ran.

Parker and BlackDawn were one and the same. So she’d trusted both without question.

She revved the engine then rode around another traffic-filled corner until she hit the next red light. The unsteadiness in her stomach churned. Looking for whatever made her feel hunted, Lexi checked her mirrors and saw nothing.

There was less than an hour until go time. Less than sixty tiny minutes to replay everything that had just happened with Parker. She let his name roll in her mind. When his brooding eyes had landed on her in the coffee shop, she’d wanted to run. To him. From him.

She shook her head and rested her boots on the asphalt, waiting to move through the gridlocked light. “Come on.”

The light turned red again, and no one had moved. She dropped her head then gave up waiting, forging a path down the street. Cars honked. Taxi drivers edged closer. She didn’t care and couldn’t stay put.

One turn, then a shortcut through an alley, and the arm of the Union Station parking garage gate lifted after she grabbed her ticket. She parked her bike as a text message buzzed her phone. She didn’t look at it, knowing it had to be Shadow and wishing it was Parker. She headed through the cold garage, jogging down the escalators then skipping past the regular entrances to a back door.

She opened the door labeled “Authorized Entry Only” then walked down a poorly lit corridor, where she read the text.

Shadow:
Where are you? Thought you were here early. I want you to meet BlackDawn.

That made her snort-laugh. Today was going to be absurd or epic. Her money was on a little bit of both.

***

Parker settled in diagonally from Shadow after discreetly nodding hello. Shadow had a good instinct, but what he didn’t know, or hadn’t shared with Parker, was that there’d already been a piss-poor attempt to steal the hardware—at
his
house. He wanted to shake his head and growl at the guy who should have read him in on all the concerns.

Jared had barely signed off on the job. Shadow was a good point of contact, though right about now, he was on Parker’s shit list. He shifted in his seat, resisting the urge to text Lexi, and instead he tapped his fingers, unsure of how much leeway to give Shadow for not sharing all pertinent intel.

A race of excitement slid down his back as he heard the click of her heeled boots. His muscles bunched, and his hands clenched. Staying seated was a task when all he wanted to do was drag her to him. Her ass swayed as she walked to Shadow. There was a gentleness in her voice as she said hello and gave him a half-hug, making Parker jealous of the old bastard who had her attention.

Shit. He needed to focus. On something beside her voice, her walk, the memory of her taste and how she smelled. Parker groaned.

Shadow nodded as if he were signaling to Parker who the woman was. He could read her expression somewhat. Nervous curiosity. Apprehensive excitement. Lexi shifted in her chair, casting her eyes across the crowd. She was looking for him. God, he liked being the person she wanted her gaze on.

Shadow motioned discreetly, and Lexi pivoted, landing a sexy glare on Parker. The heat in her eyes reached his groin. Even his heartbeat picked up the pace. But he kept all that to himself as he casually acknowledged her with a small chin lift.

As if she’d been caught, she dropped her head and fidgeted. Her fingers knotted then retied. Was she still mad? Why was she nervous? Because of him or the auction? Their security threat? His nightmare was her in danger, but the threat would soon be over. After all the Monarch file transfers were complete, it’d be magic. Threat averted. Poof, danger gone. Someone else would be in possession of Monarch, and their worries about stolen technology, or worst case, a kidnapping where she’d be forced to reveal the coding behind the exploit, would be over.

Assuming he knew everything he needed.

Which he didn’t. If he knew everything he needed to know, Parker could’ve put together a statistical likelihood of almost any situation happening. But nope, not with the limited intel shared. He bunched his fists. Everything about this job had changed now that Silver was Lexi.

Parker picked up his phone and sent her a text.

Parker:
I didn’t say before, Monarch’s incredible. Proud of you.

Her fidgeting hands picked up the phone, then her head shot toward him. He wanted to laugh. No one had apparently told her the intricacies of not drawing attention to the undercover guy. But then a smile she tried to hide rolled onto her lips, and her fingers worked the phone.

Lexi:
No one has told me they are proud over anything I’ve done. Ever. Except maybe Shadow but he doesn’t count. ;)

His heart seized, then his phone showed another message from her.

Lexi:
So thx. That means a lot.

He kept his eyes up but responded.

Parker:
Second time it’s come…

Lexi:
2
nd
time what?

Parker:
That I learn you haven’t been told what you should.

Lexi:
*blush*

Parker:
Prepare yourself, sweetheart. That’s all about to change.

Lexi:
Oh yeah?! :)

Parker:
You should know, you’re…

Parker:
Smart.

Parker:
Gorgeous.

Parker:
Sexy.

Parker:
Crazy intelligent <— guess that’s smart, huh?

He watched her stifle a laugh and Shadow give her a questioning glance.

Lexi:
It’s easier for me to talk like this.

Parker:
I get that

Lexi:
I’ve msg’ed you a thousand times.

Parker:
Yup

Lexi:
Sorry I ran out on you earlier.

Parker:
Are you gonna explain??

Lexi:
Shadow’s looking at me funny

Parker:
Let him look

Lexi:
Everything I ever wanted was so close. I never saw it.

Parker:
The auction?

Lexi:
No

Parker:
Monarch?

Lexi:
No!

Parker:
Hanging w Shadow, drinking crappy coffee?

Lexi:
No!!

Parker:
What then?

Lexi:
YOU

Parker:
;) I know…

She laughed out loud then texted him a smiley face. Now it was his turn to smile, but he hid it from the world while sipping his coffee.

Lexi:
Yeah, this is easier

Parker:
For some things. Agree. Tell me what you’re not telling me IRL

Her head tilted, and she put the phone down. Picked it up. Put it down. Then she typed out something. Nothing came through though.

Parker:
Hit send, sweetheart

She picked up the phone to read the text, and he took his eyes off her to gaze around, looking for who knew what. Shadow really should’ve given him more of a heads-up, or even an idea of what was really going on. His phone showed a text message from her, and he opened it.

Lexi:
I’ve so fallen for you

His stomach jumped into his throat. But he had an easy answer for her.

Parker:
Good. Glad ur right there with me. Cause I’m in deep.

He checked the time. Shit. Thirty minutes out. He really should be on patrol for whatever lurked.

Parker:
Eyes up, stay alert. After this is over, I’m taking you out to celebrate

He saw her nod, and he powered away thoughts about just how he’d show her a good time. Parker powered on his tablet and opened the app to monitor all nearby electronic communication and external cyber activity. He tucked his chin and kept his roaming gaze on the lookout, watching and waiting, ready for who knew what.