Until Death Do We Part (Sex and Vows #1) (7 page)

“I guess we’ll team up and find the son of a bitch.”

“And then?”

I sighed, having no solution. Only one of us could succeed in our assignment.

“I don’t know, baby. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

We lay in silence awhile, and I thought maybe she’d fallen asleep until she shifted her head to look up at me. “I love you.”

My heart burst with the same warmth it always did when she professed her love.

“I love you too, my Evie. Until death do we part. And forever after.”

F
or a brief moment, when I woke up in the middle of the night with Alex’s body wrapped around mine and the sounds of Rome filling the air, I thought we were on vacation in our villa. I snuggled into his hold, letting my eyes drift shut again and intending to fall back asleep when it hit me
—
my lawyer husband was an operative. Not just your everyday, ordinary spy either. Justice was the guy they called in when The Company needed answers and the target wasn’t inclined to offer any. Considering his reputation and the kind of cases his name was connected with, it was hard to believe we hadn’t been assigned the same target before Heron. Not unless one of the higher ups had been protecting our cover identities from possible discovery, intent on making use of us for as long as they could.

It galled me to know someone in the agency knew we’d married each other and played God with our lives by hiding the truth from us. And yet, I also treasured all the years we’d spent together in the dark. Time we might not have otherwise had if I’d known Alex was Justice. It probably would have messed with my mind knowing I’d fallen for a fellow operative, leading me to think it had all been planned with the intention of keeping tabs on me. What better way to know what your lone wolf assassin was up to during her off time than to insert someone into her life, right? I might have fought my feelings for Alex back then, but I was in too deep to do so after spending four blissful years with him. There was no doubting the depth of our feelings for each other—or the stunned shock in Alex’s eyes when he realized I was Scarlett.

I’d never intended for him to see the darker side of me, but there was no hiding it from him once he knew my code name. My reputation had preceded me, and the silence which stretched between us when we’d reached the hotel almost had me convinced that Alex wouldn’t be able to deal with the reality of what I’d done, even if it was in defense of our country. The relief I’d felt when he’d joined me in the shower was staggering. He hadn’t backed away from me in fear or disgust. If anything, the force of his passion had been stronger than before. More explosive, if that was even possible, considering how amazing it had always been between us.

I’d been helpless to resist his sensual demands last night, as he forced orgasm upon orgasm on me. Not that I was complaining, because I’d enjoyed the hell out of it. I’d enjoyed the power he’d held over me, several times in fact, but I wanted to get a little of my own back. Exert some dominance of my own and drive him beyond reason, the way he had with me.

Shifting out of his hold, I tugged the sheet down his muscular form, savoring the sight of his tanned skin as it was exposed to my sight. Trailing my fingertips down his chest, I kept my eyes locked on his as I moved to kneel between his legs. When I leaned over him, my hair brushed over his chest and his eyes popped open. Holding his gaze, I lowered my head and flicked my tongue over one of his nipples, while rolling the other between my finger and thumb. As I raked my teeth over his nipple, I felt his cock jump in reaction, hot and hard against my belly.

“Watcha doing, baby?” His voice was raspy with sleep, but his eyes were alert and heated.

“I woke up in the mood to play,” I murmured, before moving to the other side and swirling my tongue around his other nipple. It beaded into a tight nub, and I bit down hard. Alex’s hips jerked upwards in response, and he reached out to grip my hair. He didn’t pull my head away from his chest, though. Instead, his fingers slid upwards until they tightened on my scalp as he held me in place. I sucked at his skin and smirked at the sight of the dark red mark I left behind.

“Those four orgasms I gave you didn’t tide you over?”

“I said play, not come,” I corrected him as I moved farther down his body, enjoying the taste of his skin, licking and sucking as much of it as I could along the way. When I reached his cock, I licked the drop of pre-come from the tip, sucking greedily before twirling my tongue around the crown. “You’re the one who’s going to be coming this time around, stud.”

“Who am I to argue with a plan like that?” Alex chuckled, lifting his arms and folding them under his head.

“Resistance is futile anyway,” I breathed onto his wet skin, making his cock twitch. “I’m going to have your come coating my throat one way or another.”

“I guess I’ll just lay back and enjoy the ride.”

“Mmmmm,” I hummed, sucking the head of his cock into my mouth. Alex continued watching me, his eyes hot with need. His cock thickened and hardened in my mouth, but I didn’t want him to go too soon. I wanted to enjoy torturing him first. Releasing him with a slurp, I climbed up his body and positioned myself so his cock was nestled between my breasts. Squeezing them together, I moved up and down with his cock sliding in and out. Each time it poked out of the top of my breasts, I stuck my tongue out and swirled it around the crown.

“Evie,” Alex hissed. “It feels so damn good.”

Alex’s hips jerked with each of my movements, his fingers tightening on his biceps so hard his knuckles whitened. The taste of his pre-come in my mouth and the burning need in his eyes spurred me on. On the next pump, I drew him all the way into my mouth. Sucking so hard my cheeks hollowed out, his breath hissed out when the tip bumped against the back of my throat.

“Holy fuck, baby. You suck me so good. I don’t think I’m going to last much longer.”

I released him with a pop, making him hiss in frustration. Wrapping a hand around the base, I squeezed. “You’ll last as long as I say you’ll last.”

“Oh, is that how you want to play?” His fingers unclenched as he lifted his head. He moved his arms to his sides before dropping his head back down on the pillow. “Just keep in mind, paybacks can be a bitch.”

“And so can I, stud.” I warned before swallowing him whole once again. I’d never had need to show him my sharper edges, but knowing he knew about the darker side of me meant I had nothing left to hide. Humming deep in my throat, I twisted my head in one direction and twisted my hand in the other. His cock grew impossibly big in my mouth as his fingers delved into my hair. I worked my tongue over his cock, and he wrapped my hair around his fist. His hold tightened, causing a slight sting in my scalp, while his hips jerked up and down in time with my motions. I slid my hand from the base of his cock, down to his balls and felt them tighten as I rolled them in my palm.

“Fuck, Evie. You’re gonna make me come so hard,” he groaned.

Bobbing my head up and down, I quickened my pace. I wanted, no needed, to send him over the edge. It didn’t take long before I got my wish.  Hot jets of come exploded from his body, into my mouth and down my throat. Swallowing them down, I hummed in pleasure. When his fist unclenched and his hold on my hair loosened, I lifted my head and kissed my way up his chest. His head was thrown back against the pillow, his eyes clenched shut. I curled up on his chest, dragging the sheet with me and covering us both. His arms slipped around me and held me close.

Snuggling into his warmth, I felt triumphant. I’d accomplished what I’d set out to do, making my man come in my mouth. Contentment filled me, and I was drowsy again. My eyes slid shut, and I drifted off to sleep feeling more secure than I ever had before during a mission. Alex and I might have opposing orders, but he was still my safe place. My beloved husband, and the only person I would ever truly trust to have my back.

When I woke up a few hours later, it was to the cold light of day. To a reality where our situation couldn’t be avoided. Where we couldn’t screw away the truth. Our missions were fucked, both of them. We had to find a way to work together to track Heron down, and then I was going to have to kill the target in front of my husband and blow his mission sky high. I didn’t want to fuck him over, but I didn’t see another solution that didn’t end up with me burned—or even worse, dead. My division operated under different rules than Alex’s. He could survive a failed mission with his career intact, while I’d be lucky to keep my life. I only hoped he’d come to understand why Heron’s death was necessary when the time came for me to do my job.

“I much prefer the mood you woke up in earlier than this quiet intensity I’m feeling from you now,” Alex whispered in my ear as he lifted me out of the chair where I’d been sitting while I sipped my coffee and stared out the window.

“Me, too,” I sighed, settling onto his lap as he lowered himself onto the seat.

“Everything will work out in the end,” Alex assured me. “Between the two of us, I’m sure it won’t take us long to track Heron down. Then we’ll be able to put this all behind us and head back home.”

“What? No Fiji?” I joked.

“Did you pack your white bikini?”

“I don’t have it with me, but I’m sure I can pick another one up along the way.”

“Then Fiji it is,” he promised. “As soon as we clear up this mess with Heron. The quicker the better because it’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed the sight of you in a bikini.”

“It didn’t take me too long to find him the first time around. I’m sure I can do it again,” I answered carelessly.

“Or I could.” A competitive gleam shown from his eyes.

“How long did it take you to track him down to the Rafaello the first time around?” I asked, pretty damn sure I’d been the first agent to locate the Heron at his hotel, since it had taken another twenty-four hours before I noticed anyone else on the scene. Alex had hidden in the shadows, but the signs had been there all the same.

“Three days,” he muttered, sounding disgruntled.

I cocked my head, wondering if he was even better at hiding in the shadows than I realized. “Including travel time?”

“Plus the time it took me to get here,” he admitted gruffly.

“Aha!” I crowed, triumphantly. “Then I beat you to him by a whole day.”

“And yet he’s still alive,” he grumbled.

“We don’t just go around killing people willy-nilly,” I protested, hurt by the implication otherwise. I strode to the window and stared out, unable to see anything through the tears which filled my eyes. “I studied the target and reported back to my boss before he confirmed the kill order stood.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my middle. “That was a low blow.”

“I wish I could say it was uncalled for too, but I guess I can understand how much of a shock it was to learn your wife kills people for a living.”

He dropped his chin onto the top of my head, tightening his hold, as though he thought I was going to try to get away. “It’s not like I can point an accusing finger your way. I’m hardly innocent. I’ve taken my fair share of lives over the years, too.”

I straightened my spine and leaned farther into his body. Running was the last thing on my mind. “We both know your job is different from mine.” Taking a deep breath, I said the words I’d never expected to speak. Not even after finding out Alex and Justice were one in the same. “And that your kill count is much lower than mine. As is every other agent’s in your division and most of the ones who serve beside me in mine. It might not be something you want to hear, but I’m very good at my job.”

“Are you trying to scare me away?”

It sounded like I kind of was, but it wasn’t my intention. “No, just trying to make sure you see me for who I really am and hoping like hell you still want me afterwards.”

“Want you?” He sounded incredulous as he yanked me by one shoulder and swung me around until I was facing him. “Don’t you get it? Want isn’t a strong enough word for what I feel for you. Neither is love. Or need.”

My heart raced as I was filled with hope we’d find a way out of this mess, with our marriage intact. “Promise?”

“You’re mine, Evie. Period. End of story,” he answered. “I meant it when we said our vows and each time I’ve repeated it ever since. Until death do we part. And forever after.”

My nerves settled at the familiar words. “I love you, too.”

“You’d better,” he muttered. “Cause there’s no getting out of this marriage for you.”

“Or you,” I warned. I might have let him walk away from me four years ago, but that ship had sailed a long time ago. I’d hunt his ass down if he tried it now, and I was damn good at finding the people I searched for.

“How about you stop worrying about what I’m going to think about you and focus on proving your stuff instead?”

“Proving my stuff?” I sputtered.

“That’s what I said, baby. I’ve heard about the infamous Scarlett for years. It’s about damn time I had the chance to see her in action,” he teased.

“I packed more ammunition than I need. You want to be quiet or do you want me to start using it?”

“Can you really blame me for being curious?” he asked. “I’ve been married to you about as long as I’ve known Scarlett existed.”

I thought back to how we met, on the tail end of one of my earlier missions. It was too much of a coincidence to think he hadn’t been in London hunting Pierce down too. I’d just gotten to him before Alex’s team had a chance to do a snatch and grab. “London? When we met?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “It was the first time Scarlett interfered with one of my missions.”

“You really shouldn’t complain,” I chided. “I left you the ledger, after all.” My boss knew another team had been sent in and wasn’t far behind me. It was easier to leave the ledger to them after I’d eliminated Pierce and made a clean getaway.

“Gee, thanks,” he groused. “But you also left a mess behind since we had some questions to ask Pierce about his mafia ties.”

“You snooze you lose,” I joked. “If you’d managed to gain access to him before me, then I guess you wouldn’t have had that problem.”
And I would have had a bigger one, since I would have failed a mission
.