Author: Jaci Burton

“Hello?”

“Mr. Richardson, this is Lily West.”

He paused for only a second, no doubt shocked as hell to hear from her.

“Miss West, we’ve been so worried about you after the theft at the museum. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“We assumed you’d been kidnapped. Where are you?”

“Mr. Richardson, let’s cut through the bullshit right away, shall we? I know all about the virus hidden in the artifact, and how deeply you’re involved in all this.”

He went silent again for a few seconds. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes you do. There’s a potentially fatal virus that was hidden in the traveling artifacts. That’s what you hired me to protect, that’s what you were afraid would be stolen because of the lack of adequate security at the museum. And you were right. It was stolen. The good news for you is that I’ve finally stolen it back.”

“How do I know you’re not working for the police?”

She snorted. “I was a cop once, Mr. Richardson. I could have been one for my lifetime and never made any kind of money. Now are you interested, or do I go find another buyer?

I need some cash.”

Another few seconds of silence. This time his voice wasn’t as friendly. “What do you want?”

“One million dollars in exchange for the virus.”

“That’s insane.”

“You want this virus back, don’t you?”

“Where are you?”

“Dallas.”

“I can be there tomorrow night.”

“With the money?” she reiterated, trying to sound impatient, as if she was anxious for cash.

“Yes, Miss West. With the money. You just make sure you’re there with the virus.”

They made arrangements for a time and meeting place, then Lily hung up, her palms sweating and her heart pounding against her chest.

“You did great.” Grange stood and squeezed her shoulder. “Relax now. We have a lot to do before tomorrow night.”

She stood, rolled her shoulders back to ease the tension, and turned to Mac. The others had already filed out, working on their assigned tasks.

“Shall we go join them?” she asked.

“I guess.”

“What’s wrong? You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“I’m trying not to be. I know you’re capable.”

“Thanks. For both the compliment and the concern.”

“I just don’t like this setup. It puts you front and center in the danger zone. This isn’t your deal. You didn’t sign up for this life.”

She shrugged. “This is what I’ve always wanted to do, Mac. This kind of life, this adventure. The hint of danger, the chance to right a wrong—all those things my father kept me from doing when I was on the force.”

“And it’s a part of you I love. When I saw you that night at the museum—how much you’d changed—I was stunned, but I loved how kickass and competent you were. It was like you’d grown into your own skin, Lily, like you were doing what you were born to do. So while I’ll always worry about you, I would never stand in the way of you doing something you love, something you’re damn good at.”

She smiled at him, understood exactly where he was coming from “Knowing what I know now, the danger you’re in, I feel the same way. I’m so proud of you for what you’ve done with your life, the way you’ve turned it around, but I’ll always be concerned when you go on an assignment. I can’t help it, because I’m in love with you.”

“Doesn’t make sense, does it?”

“Actually, it does. If we didn’t love each other, we wouldn’t care about the danger. When I go out there tomorrow night, I’ll feel safe because I know your eyes will be on my back.”

He took her hand and they moved into the lab, watching Pax create the duplicate of the virus, laughing when he called it green alien goo. By the time he was finished, Lily couldn’t tell the difference between the original and the copy, down to the plexiglass container housing the vial. It was a perfect replica, even to the fluorescent green color.

“How very comic book this color is,” Pax said dryly.

They spent time working on the meeting spot. Lily was going to meet Richardson at a public restaurant at a busy intersection, which would give the Wild Riders plenty of places to hide in plain sight. They’d be on bikes and in cars, ready to move in just in case anything happened. Lily’s purse and her car were going to be wired so she could record what went down.

It was late, and they’d gone over the plan several times.

Grange told them they’d review the details again tomorrow, but that she looked like she needed some sleep.

She was tired. It had been an eventful night and it was already three in the morning. Mac led her upstairs and closed the door to his room. She yawned and stretched, ready to climb into bed and pass out, but he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him, covering her mouth with a kiss that stole her breath.

Tiredness evaporated in an instant as he slammed her against the wall, pressing his hard body against hers. Pinned, her senses went on overload as she felt every steely inch of him, from the wall of his chest to his quickly hardening cock sliding against her hip.

Passion exploded as she felt the wild, urgent need within him, as if he wanted this because it could be the last time they would be together. She knew better, but she understood him better than he gave her credit for. And she loved this side of him, this primitive, animalistic side that drove on instinct. His mouth still against hers, he jerked at the button of her jeans, slamming the zipper down and pushing her jeans and panties to the floor. She stepped out of them in a hurry while he unzipped his jeans, drawing them open only enough to pull out his cock.

She reached for it, wrapping her fingers around his pulsing heat. He gripped her buttocks, lifting her onto his cock, then pushing into her until he was buried deep. She whimpered against his mouth, pushing her tongue against his.

The ride was wild and harsh. She tore her fingers through his hair, pulled at him as he thrust deeply inside her with relentless strokes. He demanded, and she responded, knowing she wasn’t going to last long, feeling the insane rush to completion tunneling through her.

Mac tensed, shuddering against her.

“Dammit,” he said, “Come.”

Knowing he was so close so fast was her undoing. She shrieked as she came in a lightning burst of sensation that ended their play all too quickly.

Oh, but she was wrong. It wasn’t over, because he wasn’t going to let her off that easily. He kept at her, still holding her up with his hands as he powered inside her. She poured over him she was so wet, mindless with ecstasy as he brought to the brink again. This time, he went with her, yelling out as he came, pushing her back against the wall and groaning against her sweat-soaked neck.

She felt limp as a dishrag when he finally set her back on her feet. Good thing he kept his arm wrapped around her. In fact, he didn’t seem to want to let go of her, just stepped backward, stumbling over whatever was on the floor and fell onto the bed, carrying her with him.

He kissed the top of her head, pulled her next to him and yanked the covers over them both.

She smiled and sighed in utter contentment. If this was how the rest of her life played out, she’d be one happy woman.

Chapter Sixteen

By the time evening hit the next day, Lily had gone over the plan so many times she could recite it by memory. The route was lined out, she had practiced every possible conversation and scenario that could go down with Richardson.

She knew which way she could turn and run if she got into trouble, not that she’d even have to, because one signal from her and someone would be at her side in a second.

Since they’d be in a public place, the chance of Richardson pulling a gun on her was very slim. She was going to be fine. In fact, she wasn’t worried at all. Excited, yes, but not scared.

Mac had been pacing like a caged animal all day, making her repeat the plan, role play potential scenarios so she’d know what to do in case Richardson did something unexpected. She’d never been so well prepared. She was so ready, in fact, that she was about to scream if they didn’t get moving.

She’d eaten, showered and dressed, and Mac had shadowed her every step of the way. She loved him, she really did, but if he didn’t give her some space and soon she was going to have to shoot him. Though she understood his protectiveness, he was starting to annoy her.

And the other guys had noticed it, though Mac was so coiled with tension even they kept their distance, didn’t offer up any teasing comments like they normally would. Lily just shook her head and told him to relax.

“I am relaxed.”

“You are not. You’re so wound up you’re liable to shoot some poor senior citizen who walks out of the restaurant and crosses in front of me.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Give me a little credit, Lily.”

She laughed. “Just trying to get you to lighten up a bit.”

“You worry about your part. I’ll take care of my own.”

They had an hour before they had to leave, because Grange wanted everyone in position well before Lily was due to meet Richardson, just in case he showed up early or put some of his people in strategic positions. Lily picked up a book to read, the rest of the guys were otherwise occupied.

Mac paced.

“Does he always do this before a job?” she asked AJ.

“Hell no. Usually he takes a nap.”

“So it’s me.”

“Yeah, babe, sorry. It’s you.”

She sighed and resumed reading, trying to ignore the man attempting to wear a hole in the wood floor in front of her.

Except his boots squeaked, which made ignoring him impossible.

Squick, squick, squick.

She heaved a disgusted sigh and dropped the book in her lap.

“Mac, I’m armed,” she said, glaring at him in the hopes he would understand her utter frustration. She had reached the end of her rope. “If you don’t stop that goddamn pacing I’m going to conduct target practice on your feet.”

It wasn’t just her, either, because the others in the living area were staring at Mac too, and not in a nice way.

“Fine,” he shot back, dropping into the nearest chair.

“Thank you.” She just wanted quiet. A few minutes of silence to relax and get her thoughts in order. She knew the next several hours were going to be intense and she didn’t want to get nervous now. Calm was essential because if she fell apart in a jittery mess when this went down, they were going to lose everything, including the chance to bring down Richardson and Delor Pharmaceuticals.

Fortunately, Mac calmed down, she dove into her book and felt the tension melt away. At least until Grange walked out.

“Everyone ready?”

So much for relaxing.

She stood and nodded as Grange approached her and Mac.

“Don’t worry about anything. We’ll all be there to take care of you.”

“I’m not worried.” Much.

She slid into a vehicle they’d equipped with a tracking device, just in case. The guys following in cars had her monitored on GPS. Every contingency had been planned for, ‘just in case’.

She drove slow, the others hightailing it out of there, some on bikes, others in cars. A couple drove muscle cars, one in a pretty fancy Lexus and another in a beat up Impala. They’d all blend in one way or the other, though the bikes weren’t going to be parked where Richardson could spot them. Since she and Mac had left the museum, he didn’t want to give him or, if Belanfield happened to be there, any reason to think this was a setup.

They wanted Richardson to think Lily was doing this on her own.