Midnight Action (31 page)

Noelle froze.

“I was hoping he might have a copy of your father’s, but Abby didn’t find anything. If there was ever a record of Douglas’s interrogation, Jeremy didn’t have a copy of it. Or maybe it was destroyed when the unit was disbanded. I don’t know.” His deep voice cracked. “I’m trying to give you proof that Douglas sold out his country. But I can’t. I don’t have a tape to show you, or a file for you to read. All I have is my word.”

“I don’t need your word, Jim.” She exhaled slowly. “I have the tape.”

Surprise filled his eyes. “What?”

Her voice cracked too, just as badly as Jim’s had. “I’m not as naive as you think I am. The night he was arrested...he was acting so strange. I didn’t want to admit it at the time, but I knew there was something off about his behavior. An innocent man wouldn’t have acted like that.” She sighed. “I paid your CO a visit a couple years after you and I parted ways. You weren’t off base just now—Thomas
did
keep a copy of the interrogation. It’s in my safe at the Paris penthouse.”

Jim’s jaw went tighter than a drum. “So all these years...this whole time you knew I was telling the truth?”

She answered with a harsh laugh. “Do you really think that made a difference to me? So what if you had good reason to arrest him? You still
used
me. You fucked me, literally and figuratively, just so you could carry out your mission. And there’s nothing you could have said then, or say now, that will excuse what you did to me.”

He shook his head in frustration. “The other night when you went postal on me for bringing up your father...What’s
your
excuse, Noelle? Why fly into a rage if you already knew the truth?”

A spike of agony drove straight into her heart. For a moment it got hard to breathe, but she managed to draw another shaky breath into her lungs.

“That’s not what set me off, and you know it,” she said hoarsely. “What you said...that was something I
didn’t
know. Whether or not my father was a traitor didn’t matter to me. It didn’t affect me. But René...” She swallowed. “Did my father really admit to you that he knew what René was doing to me?”

Jim responded with a slow nod that brought another slice of pain to her heart.

“I didn’t know. I kept it a secret from him because I was certain that if he ever found out, he would kill René, and I was scared he might end up in jail for it. I was trying to protect my dad.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “And then to find out that he knew what was happening to me...and didn’t do anything to stop it...”

“He was a bastard, Noelle. He never deserved your loyalty.”

She pressed her lip together, afraid that if she opened her mouth, a sob might fly out of it. Her silence dragged on for so long that Jim finally slid his hands out of his pockets and took a step back.

“Anyway...” He cleared his throat. “That’s all I wanted to say.”

She trailed after him through the French doors and they stepped into the guest room she’d stayed in last night.

He halted near the bed and turned to look at her. “You know...” He shrugged. “You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.”

His expression was so reluctant she almost laughed. Obviously he didn’t want her to stick around but felt obligated to make the offer, and knowing he didn’t care whether she left or not made her heart ache.

But what had she really been expecting? For him to get on his knees and beg her to stay?

Why would he? They weren’t a couple. They weren’t in love. They could fuck each other for the rest of their lives, and it still wouldn’t make their relationship any less complicated.

And “relationship” wasn’t even the right word to describe what they had. She and Jim, they simply...collided. They burst into each other’s lives every so often and then they went their separate ways.

Except this latest collision had been...different. First and foremost, there was the sex. But there had also been something more, something...different.

Way to articulate yourself there
.

She stifled a groan, wishing she could put her doubts and confusion into words, but she couldn’t for the life of her make sense of what she was feeling at the moment.

She suddenly became aware of Jim’s soft breathing, and realized that he was still there, still standing in front of her, making no move to go.

“Is there anything else?” Noelle cocked her head expectantly.

Her breath hitched when he bridged the distance between them.

“Can I kiss you?” he murmured, dragging his callused fingertips over her cheek.

After a long moment of silence, she shook her head.

Disappointment flickered in his blue eyes. “You’re never going to trust me again, are you?”

When she didn’t answer, he released a heavy sigh, dropped his hand from her face, and headed for the door.

“What, not even a good-bye lay?” she called after him.

He spun around, the heat in his eyes telling her that he wasn’t the least bit insulted by the suggestion. “Is that what you really want?” he said roughly.

She responded by taking off her shirt.

With a soft chuckle, Jim locked the door and made his way back to her. “You know, you’re the most aggravating woman I’ve ever known.”

Yet despite his visible irritation, he wasn’t denying her, and she found that incredibly intriguing.

When she cupped the bulge in his pants, his head lolled to the side and a groan slipped out of his mouth. “Fuck. I love it when you touch me.”

The hoarse admission sent shivers of desire skimming up her spine. She stroked him over his pants for a moment, before dragging his zipper down and coaxing his erection into her hand. She gave it a squeeze, then wrapped her fingers around the shaft and pumped him slowly, rubbing her thumb on his tip with each upstroke, enjoying the husky sounds that left his throat.

When she quickened the pace, he groaned louder and stilled her hand. “I’m gonna come if you keep doing that.”

She smiled impishly. “I thought you were a master of endurance.”

“Not when the sexiest woman on the planet is jerking me off,” he grumbled, swatting her hand away and taking a step back.

He tugged his shirt over his head, providing her with an eyeful of his bare chest. God, that spectacular chest.

Noelle moved closer and pressed her mouth directly between his pecs, and his breath promptly hitched in surprise.

It wasn’t quite the same as kissing his lips, but this she was willing to do. As her pulse raced, she kissed every inch of his chest. When her tongue came out to tease a flat brown nipple, he shuddered, and she couldn’t help but reach down to grasp his erection again. She stood there in front him, her lips devouring his hot male flesh while her hand pumped his cock in a languid rhythm.

Eventually his hands embarked on their own exploration. He reached behind her and deftly unhooked her bra, then tossed it aside and cupped her breasts.

Noelle sighed in pleasure. She released his cock and grabbed the back of his head, pushing it down to her aching breasts. He immediately captured a nipple between his lips and sucked, sending a lightning bolt of pleasure straight to her core.

Before she could blink, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down on the mattress as his body covered hers. He moved his hand between her legs and lightly stroked her mound over the booty shorts she’d worn to bed.

“These shorts are so sexy,” he choked out. “You look fantastic in them.”

She grinned up at him. “They’d look better off me.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it, baby.”

With that, he peeled the shorts off and threw them aside, and then his hungry mouth roamed her body. He kissed and suckled her breasts until she was writhing with need, and when he crawled between her legs and touched her clit with his tongue, shock waves rocked through her.

“You taste so fucking good,” he muttered as he licked his way down her slit and circled her opening with his tongue. “Like heaven.”

When he speared her core with that wicked tongue, she came hard and fast, the unexpected orgasm curling her toes and sending a rush of intense pleasure through her body. She lay there stunned, too startled to move, unable to believe what had happened.

Jim seemed more amused than shocked as he lifted his head, his mouth glistening. “Seriously? Are you trying to break a Guinness record for fastest climax?”

“Couldn’t help it. I was really wound up,” she said defensively. “I mean, we did jump out of a plane yesterday.”

Laughing softly, he climbed up her body, his cock thick and heavy against her belly.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ll last long either,” he said ruefully. “I need this too much.”

“Then take it,” she murmured.

Heat flared in his eyes. He shifted so that the tip of his erection nudged her opening, and when he slid inside her, they released simultaneous moans.

“Oh yeah, I won’t last at all,” he ground out.

He gripped her hips and rose up on his knees, while she lay sprawled beneath him, his for the taking.

Noelle shivered, then lifted one leg in the air so he could rest it on his shoulder. The position allowed for a deeper angle, his cock filling her so completely that her sex tingled again, the tension building once more.

He plunged into her, his roped arms flexing as he gripped her leg, but he didn’t go fast. He filled her with deep, lazy strokes, absently shifting his head so he could plant a tender kiss on her calf.

“God, that feels good,” she whispered. “Keep going slow like that.”

The only sounds in the room were their soft breathing, the wet glide of his cock sliding in and out. His gaze stayed locked with hers as he slowly rocked into her, and she peered up at him, enthralled by what she saw. Handsome features stretched taut, blue eyes glittering with passion. His powerful chest heaved with each breath he took, and his cock seemed to thicken inside her, pulsing in her core.

“Gonna come soon,” he mumbled.

“Not far behind you,” she mumbled back.

She brought her hand between her legs to speed up the process, rubbing her swollen bud in a circular motion guaranteed to push her over the edge.

Jim growled at the sight of her fingers working her clit. “Fuck, that’s so hot, baby. I can’t hold back anymore.” His tempo increased as his hips started to piston, his cock driving in deep.

Noelle stroked herself faster, getting closer and closer to the brink.

They came at the same time, and she moaned when she felt the warmth of his release fill her throbbing channel. He collapsed on top of her, his soft hair tickling her ear as they lay there gasping, recovering from their respective orgasms. Eventually they both went quiet, their bodies still joined together, their hearts vibrating against each other as their chests remained locked.

But the moment of contentment was interrupted by the buzz of a cell phone.

“I hate phones,” he grumbled into her neck. “Seriously. I wanna go back in time and murder Alexander Graham Bell.” He sat up with a groan. “Or was it Edison who invented the phone? I can never remember.”

She had to laugh. “I’m pretty sure it was Bell.”

With extreme reluctance, Jim climbed off the bed in search of his pants. He swiped them off the floor and drew out his phone, his expression going serious when he checked the screen.

“It’s Sully.” He quickly answered the call. “What’s up, Aussie?” He listened for a moment, then barked out, “Stay there. I’ll call you back.”

“What’s going on?” Noelle asked after he’d hung up.

“Dietrich and Bauer just boarded a private jet at Charles de Gaulle.” He grimaced. “How much do you want to bet they’re on their way here?”

Noelle was already hopping off the bed. “I assume you have a solid exit protocol in place?”

“Yes, but we won’t be using it.”

Her surprised gaze flew to his. “You’re going to risk another attack on your compound?”

“Dietrich won’t attack. Not with Ariana’s daughter on the premises.”

His confidence wasn’t at all reassuring. “So what’s the plan, then?” she asked suspiciously.

“We let it play out. Let them come.”

“No offense, but that’s fucking crazy. We shouldn’t be here when they show up, Jim.”

“You can go if you want.” He shrugged. “But I’m staying.”

“Jim—”

“I’m staying,” he repeated firmly. “If Dietrich wants to come after me, great. I’ll be right here waiting for him.” His mouth set in a tight line. “It’s time to end this, once and for all.”

Morgan decided not to tell Cate about their impending visitors. Instead, he spent the entire day with his daughter and enjoyed every last second of it.

Abby hadn’t been wrong—Cate was a natural with a rifle. Pride had filled Morgan’s heart as he’d watched his daughter hit every target, including the moving ones he’d decided to toss her way when it became obvious that the static targets were too easy. Each time she’d knocked one of the empty bottles out of the sky, she’d laughed in delight, and the impressive display had eventually attracted an audience.

By the time Cate fired her last shot, all of Morgan’s men, along with Abby and Noelle, had congregated at the fence near the edge of the outdoor range to watch Cate shoot. Ash and Reilly had applauded her several times, and Kane had high-fived her when she finally strode back to the fence.

Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, everyone but Cate remained on the alert. Morgan had warned his team that Dietrich was on his way, and they were all on guard, ready to flee if necessary.

But he didn’t intend on running from a fight. He’d already lost one compound to an unexpected attack—he wasn’t about to lose another. His first priority was keeping Cate safe, but he wasn’t cutting and running unless he absolutely had to.

He was surprised that Noelle had stayed, though. She’d helped him bring his daughter home just like she’d promised, which meant she had no reason to stick around. Morgan kept expecting her to leave at any second, but a part of him hoped she wouldn’t.

But why? What exactly was he expecting to happen between them? What did he
want
to happen? He hadn’t let himself think beyond the sex, but now that he was, his thoughts had turned into a jumbled mess, plagued with so many questions his mind was spinning.

Could they ever really have a future together? There was so much bad blood between them, so much baggage, but he no longer felt the burn of hatred he used to feel in her presence. Their time together had chipped away at it, made him realize that he’d been blaming the wrong person all these years.

It was
his
fault Ariana had gotten away. Noelle might have been the catalyst for Ariana’s disappearance, but he was the one who’d set it all in motion when he’d betrayed the woman he’d loved.

As the group headed back to the house, he felt Noelle’s eyes on him, but when he glanced over, he couldn’t read her expression.

“You staying for dinner?” he asked casually.

She tossed her blond hair over her shoulder, pursing her lips for a moment. “I guess I could. My pilot is on standby at the airfield, but I suppose he can wait awhile longer.”

It didn’t escape him that she hadn’t provided a specific time of departure.

And he didn’t mind in the slightest.

Cate sidled up to them, looking happy for the first time since they’d left France. He knew she was still upset about her friend’s death, not to mention what she’d had to do at her mother’s house in order to evade her guards. He knew the guilt must be eating her up inside, but he was hesitant to raise the subject.

He still couldn’t believe Walther had kept Ariana alive for all those years. It was...sad. That was the only adjective he could think of, and yet when it came down to it, he knew he shouldn’t be surprised. Walther Dietrich had worshiped his daughter—it made sense that he would refuse to let her go.

Morgan unwittingly glanced at Cate, realizing that he and Dietrich had at least one thing in common. They both refused to give up their daughters.

He didn’t miss the way Noelle had quickened her pace when Cate had joined them, and she was already walking ahead of them, as if she was eager to get away from the teenager. It might have grated, if not for the fact that Noelle was like that around
everybody
. The woman always went out of her way to make sure nobody ever got too close.

Though he supposed he was to blame for that.

“Your girlfriend doesn’t like me.” Cate’s low remark confirmed that she’d noticed Noelle’s hasty retreat.

He sighed. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“No? Because it sure seems like it.” Cate reached up to play with the bottom of her braid, which he’d noticed was a nervous habit of hers. “I can’t decide if I like her.”

Morgan had to chuckle. “Yeah, most people have that problem. She’s a difficult woman.”

“No kidding. She’s beautiful, though. Like crazy beautiful.”

Another sigh slipped out. “That she is.”

“What exactly does she do for a living? Nobody will tell me.”

He thought about it for a moment, then said, “It’s complicated.”

His daughter snorted. “That’s your go-to answer, huh?”

“Pretty much.” He flashed her a grin before turning the tables on her. “What about you? What do you want to do for a living? Do you have any plans for after you graduate?”

“Honestly? I have no clue. I like to write, but I don’t think I could cut it as a novelist. But I think I’d be good at writing scathing editorials, so maybe journalism is the way to go. Or photography. I’m obsessed with taking pictures.”

“I’ll buy you a camera,” he said immediately.

She blushed. “Oh. You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.” He shot her a sheepish look. “But I should probably buy you some clothes first, huh? That way you don’t have to keep wearing Abby’s.”

Speaking of Abby, Morgan discovered that she was the center of attention when he and Cate joined the rest of the group on the terrace. Everyone had already settled around the large wrought-iron table, and the three dogs that lived on the compound were circling Abby’s chair, whining with excitement as they shoved their wet noses in her direction in a plea for attention.

“Jesus Christ, leave my wife alone,” Kane grumbled. His green eyes flickered with disbelief as he looked over at Cate. “You know I have to kick them out of our bed every night? They refuse to leave her side.”

From the other side of the table, Reilly wiggled his eyebrows. “Clearly the pups have good taste. Your wife is hot, mate. Deal with it.”

Morgan sat down at the head of the table and reached for the bottle of Bud that Inna had placed next to his plate. Their Russian housekeeper had gone all out for tonight’s dinner. She’d set the table with their finest dishes and silverware, arranged a row of pretty tea-light candles down the center of the table, and even prepared an elaborate centerpiece consisting of fragrant purple wildflowers, flowing white ribbons, and what looked like pieces of bark from one of the trees beyond the swimming pool.

It seemed like a lot of effort for a run-of-the-mill dinner, but Morgan had come to expect that from Inna. Times like these, though, he really missed Lloyd, their previous housekeeper, who had been killed during the attack on the Tijuana compound. Lloyd had been a former Mafia enforcer, a giant man with simple tastes and an efficient, no-nonsense way of running a household, and he would never dream of picking flowers and peeling the bark off a tree and sticking them in the middle of the table.

But despite her girly tendencies, Morgan couldn’t deny that Inna was growing on him.

“Boss, you listening to me?” The question came from Kane, who was looking at him with an amused expression.

Morgan shifted his gaze off the fancy-pants centerpiece. “Sorry—what?”

“I was saying that Ethan and D checked in about an hour ago. They finished debriefing the officials in Quito. They’re heading home tomorrow.”

“What about Trevor and Luke?”

“Wrapped up the security gig and are making their way home to their women as we speak.”

Morgan nodded absently, mentally debating whether he should reroute Trev and Luke to the compound instead. They might need the manpower, depending on what Dietrich had in store for them.

Just as the thought entered his head, one of the compound’s security guards appeared in the doorway that separated the terrace from the kitchen.

Morgan’s shoulders tensed as he met the other man’s eyes. “Everything okay, Bill?”

The dark-haired man shook his head, a grim look on his face. “We’ve got visitors.”