Stalemate by Rose Sawyer

Stalemate Copyright Š 2016 by Rose Sawyer All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any written, electronic, recorded, or photocopied format without the express permission from the author or publisher as allowed under the terms and conditions with which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution, circulation or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

Stalemate is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and places found therein are either from the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to persons alive or dead, actual events, locations, or organizations is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

For information contact the publisher, Hot Tree Publishing.

Editing & Formatting: Hot Tree Editing Cover Designer: Claire Smith

ISBN 13: 978-1-925448-08-5

Dedication To the women in my life who helped create Ellie, her backstory, and her incredible will to survive.

You have overcome countless obstacles and felt pain that no one should ever experience.

The past and the horrors that exist there have not defined you, but made you strong, incredible women. You are an inspiration to all, proving that no matter how painful, dark, or tragic the past was, the future doesn’t have to look the same. There is nothing in the world that you cannot overcome.

Contents Dedication Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three

Prologue

Ellie "I have a present for you," a familiar voice said as Ellie Collins sat in the stiff office chair the hotel provided her with. She swiveled around and looked at the six-foot-four, muscular blond walking into the room.

"Tell me it's something good." She sighed, using the arms of the chair to push herself up and meet him halfway. "I've been sitting here all day with nothing to do."

"Liar." Her partner in crime—in the most literal sense—rolled his eyes. "You've been playing that damn bird game."

She scoffed then shrugged. "So what if I have? If I want to shoot pissed-off birds at jackass pigs after the week I've had, I will. Give me the folder, Luke."

Two blue eyes rolled in resignation and he handed over a pale blue manila folder, thick with paper still hot from the printer. She slipped it out of

his hands and strode back to the desk, plopping herself down in the chair again.

"What is this?" Ellie asked, flattening her palm over the folder before looking at it. "Rather, who is this going to be?"

"That"—Luke nodded to the file in question—"is your next conquest."

He reached around and pulled a handgun from his waistband, setting it on the bed and starting the process of dismantling the weapon. "I don't know why I have to do all the research for you, but I did and there it is. In short, that is the godson of Thomas Danvers. Now Danvers, as you know, is in fact—" "His business partner," she cut him off, finishing his sentence for him. A flicker of irritation crossed his face at the interruption, but he nodded anyway.

There was no need for her to clarify any further; they both knew who he was.

He was the man who'd put scars on her no one else could see. He was the one who took her innocence before she ever had a chance to understand what that really meant. He showed her life and death was something that could be decided by one human being.

He was her uncle. Joseph Louis Collins.

Joseph Louis Collins was many things. He was a chameleon of sorts. To the outside world, he was a businessman, the sole heir to the Collins fortune after the untimely death of his beloved brother and surgeon, James Collins. He was the former caretaker of a Miss Elisabeth Collins, having taken custody of her after the death of her father. He was also a wealthy, yet surprisingly unknown owner of an investment firm.

To his prey, he was a captor. The devil. He was the cause of nightmares so real they forced their victims to wake screaming, or crying, or vomiting from fear so deep it penetrated the soul.

Seventeen years earlier, Elisabeth Collins had a game of hide-and-seek ruined in the most traumatic way possible. She'd been hiding under the desk when her uncle had shot and killed her father. Her life had changed in so many ways on that day. No matter how many times she tried to suppress the nightmares she'd lived through, she couldn't.

Since then, she'd transformed herself from the victimized six-year-old into the lethal twenty-threeyear-old she was proud of being. It was a life filled with murder, lies, and drugs, but she was proud to have survived it. Her uncle had nearly killed her, but she had endured.

Luke Neison had been with her through most of it. They were each other's life vests, in a way. When one of them got in trouble, the other did their best to bail them out.

That was why, when Ellie decided to take the rocky journey of revenge against her uncle for the things he had done, she'd asked Luke to come with her. He had been irreplaceable. He was the battery that made the clock tick. The bullets for an empty gun. Without him, she would have been dead long before. In their line of work, when people spoke about the calm before the storm, they spoke about them. He was the calm, she the storm. Their partnership had been priceless, but that was all it was, a partnership.

A year and a whole succession of discarded targets later, they were one step away from completing the task they'd set out to do.

"So, what does the godson have to do with anything?" She pulled the file into her lap, sliding her thumb beneath the edge so she could flick it open when she decided to do so.

"Alexander Thomas King, twenty-six years old, six feet one, Harvard Law graduate," Luke rattled off the information from memory. "From what I gather, he had quite the social life. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father owns

King Developments. They buy as much property and land as they can to develop it. Pretty boy was meant to take it over before he went into law and surprised the whole family."

"What does that have to do with his social life?"

Ellie frowned, her dark eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

"I dug a little deeper and did some more research. I found the title to the Maserati he wrecked on his sixteenth birthday and the DUI and reckless driving charges that went with it. Taking a much easier route, I also found his profile on one of those social networking sites. Up until his freshman year at Harvard, there were about 200 pictures of him. Each one with a different woman."

She blew out a breath, causing the shorter hairs that framed her face to flutter. "Damn. You remembered all of that?"

He smirked. "Course I did, Collins. I get paid to remember all of that."

She rolled her eyes and looked back down at the papers in her hands. "Let me read through this."

"Have at it. Everything you could ever want to know about the guy is there." He jerked his chin in the direction of the folder. "I'm going for a run."

"Yeah, okay." Ellie nodded, finally flipping open the folder. There was a thick stack of papers inside

it. Not as thick as some of the files Luke had brought her, but still a significant amount.

She had no doubt she'd be able to find out every little thing about Alex King from the paperwork in her hands. Luke was one of those people who had to be the best at whatever they did. He was obsessive and control hungry in a way, but that did make him the best in his field.

She first laid eyes on a headshot. It looked to have been clipped from a larger shot. He was admittedly good-looking.

Ellie had never been able to pursue a relationship with anyone, but that didn't stop her from looking.

If she'd ever been allowed to have a type, he'd probably have been it. Even though he wasn't looking directly at the camera, she could see the amusement glittering in his blue eyes. He had a grin on his face that appeared natural but well-used, and his hair looked like someone had run their hands through it a few times.

She bit her lip and moved on from the photo to the pages behind it. It was basic background information at first—height, weight, build, etc. The more she continued to read, the more she began to dislike the guy. Luke was right; he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had a half-milliondollar trust fund waiting for him and would take

over King Developments as soon as his father retired.

His education was top-notch. According to Luke's research, he'd had a series of private tutors until elementary school. After attending the nation's best private schools and graduating top of his class, he was a shoo-in for Harvard.

Ellie huffed out a breath and tossed the papers onto the desk. She couldn't help but feel a hint of resentment toward Alex King. He lived the life she was supposed to have. Her father had been a very successful surgeon, and up until his death, she had been the apple of his eye. She was in her second year of school when she'd been forced to leave and drop off the map.

She had a gut feeling she knew what she was supposed to do with Alex King. She hoped she was wrong.

While she waited for Luke to return, she wandered around the room, the largest one in the hotel. The Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons: Seattle, if she was being exact. It was nice. Not as nice as some of the ones she'd stayed in overseas, but she wasn't going to be picky when she'd shown up last-minute and demanded the largest suite.

She traveled for work often. It was crucial that she be able to be there in person when she was

planning the end of someone else's life. Her work took her all over the world and over the years, she had grown used to never being in one place for long.

The hotel had been wary, of course. Ellie was only twenty-three, for God's sake, and she was asking for the Presidential Suite on short notice for an undetermined period of time.

They'd tried her credit card in advance, and when it had cleared the first two weeks' worth of charges on the first swipe, they hadn't asked any more questions. In fact, they started catering to her.

She laughed quietly to herself as she thought about the staff falling all over themselves. More than once, she'd been mistaken for some kind of foreign royalty. From the age of fifteen, she'd been toted all over the world while being trained in the lethal arts. As a result, the accent she'd been born with had morphed into a fusion of dozens of others, leaving her with an exotic sound to her already well-spoken nature.

Her hair was thick, long and dark, but her eyes were as green as an Icelander's. Combine all of that with the tan and lean muscle she earned from her running regimen and the curves she'd gotten from her mother, and she was a killer combination.

Literally.

What made her laugh was the falseness of it all.

She was just a girl who'd been lucky to inherit her mother's eyes and her father's hair. The mother who was, in fact, a retired, drug-addicted prostitute—a far cry from royalty.

No, she wasn't royalty. Not in that sense.

Ellie strolled over to one of the suite windows and looked down at the bay. It was admittedly a lovely view. The large windows offered a nearly unhindered outlook over Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains, so she'd spent her fair share of time standing before them. Occasionally, she caught a glimpse of a vessel on the water and found herself wondering about its passengers.

The people below in the town and on the water were normal. They went to work every day, or ran errands, and then went home to their families or their cat. At times, she envied that life. What was droll and boring to them was a novelty to her. She craved normalcy. She wanted love and a family. She desired to be desired and itched to find someone she could be honest with. Those feelings—the cravings —they got her into trouble.

With a sigh, Ellie stepped back. She could never have that life. She'd known that would be the consequence of walking down the path she had. It had doomed her to a life of solitude. A life of lies.

There were times when her yearning for what others had nearly became painful. Like an addict going through withdrawals. A seventeen-year-old itch begging to be scratched.

During those times, she flung herself into her work. It was hard work, too. As an assassin of sorts, she had to be painstakingly careful about every move she made. She had to be in control at all times, and she loathed that.

Lately, her workload had lessened. She and Luke reigned supreme in their field. She didn't have to get her hands dirty anymore, so she didn't. She was letting the bloodstains on her skin fade away in hopes they'd one day be gone for good. It probably wouldn't happen, but she could hope.

There would always be red in her ledger, though.

She was a murderer. She took commands that almost always ended in bloodshed. Just because she finally had the ability to pass the command on to someone else didn't mean she was innocent—it just made her a bigger fish in the puddle the world of assassins called a pond.

As her thoughts turned darker, Ellie forced herself into the real world around her. There was no point in lingering on the things she'd done. If she wanted a glimpse of her past, she could just look

around. Her past just so happened to be her future, too.

Unease settled in her bones and she knew only one way to work it out. Swiping a few items out of the dresser her suitcase had been unpacked into, she changed into the fitted, spandex workout gear and headed out.

The Four Seasons provided an array of exercise equipment. Ellie preferred running on the street if she was going to run, but she would take a treadmill for the moment. She popped her earbuds in her ears and stepped onto the track rim of the machine, setting her pace and distance.

She settled on eight miles. A short distance for her, but she'd do it quickly, just to get the restlessness out of her body.

Guns N' Roses set the pace and she started out slow, just to warm up. By the time she was done, her body was covered in a sheen of sweat and her legs felt like gelatin. As she drained what was left in the water bottle she'd snagged from the suite, she felt eyes on her. She pivoted and found a group of men by the free weights.

"Hey, sweetheart—" one of them started as she began her trek back to her room.

"Don't even try." She didn't bother to stop. "I'm so far out of your league you couldn't hit a strike even with the juice you're on."

Her exit was followed with a chorus of chuckles.

It was a shame she had to turn everyone down. She wouldn't have minded being free for a night.

Luke still wasn't back when she returned to the suite. It wasn't really a surprise, though. He was a long-distance runner like she was and was probably still out. She'd often joked that they should enter a marathon. They'd kick ass.

She turned the shower on and let it steam the bathroom up while she stripped out of her clothes.

The hot water pounded her tired muscles and washed away the sweat.

Her mind drifted back to Alex King, who was likely to end up as a pawn in her game of chess. She needed to find a way to get to his godfather without being conspicuous. Maybe there were other ways.

She knew she could probably just insert herself into his life on her own, but that would bring attention to her. If she used Alex, she could move in slowly, which would be a lot less noticeable.

Ellie was fine with that. It was the way she'd have to play him that she wasn't fond of. She had a gut feeling that she was going to get a taste of the life she'd always claimed to want. The catch was it

would all be fake and lead to nothing except betrayal and murder in the end.

She reached backward and shut the water off, wringing her hair out. As she redressed, she heard the main door to the suite open, knowing it was Luke. When they'd moved into the suite, they'd taken precautions, which included tampering with the room keys so only certain people could enter.

She and Luke were the only ones with access, and they weren't using maid services.

"Ellie?" Luke called from the main living area.

"I'll be out in two minutes," she yelled through the door, dressing then running a brush through her long hair. She needed to cut it soon; it was already falling to her waist and got in her way.

"Sorry, I went down to the gym for a while and needed a shower," she explained as she walked out.

"I need one, too." Luke nodded for emphasis. He was shirtless, which wasn't uncommon. They were used to each other and really didn't have many restrictions. Hell, there had been times when they'd acted as a couple to finish a job. It never went further than the act, though.

Luke was good-looking—beyond that, even— but Ellie just couldn't bring herself to see him that way. He was practically celibate. She'd seen women drool and throw themselves at him, but he was

colder than a marble statue in winter and always brushed them off. She had a feeling there was someone, though. Every once in a while, he had a far-off look in his eyes before he would jerk back to the present.

"Did you read through the information I gave you?" He walked to the mini-fridge and pulled out a water bottle.

"Yeah." She sat on the edge of the couch and let her eyes stray out the window to the water below.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like the plan you're about to suggest?"

"You probably won't," he said from behind her, and she could practically hear him shrug. "Come on, Ellie. It's just until you get close enough to his godfather to take care of things."

She huffed and brushed a wet piece of hair behind her ears. "You want me to buddy up to Alex King."

"No, you need to be more than buddies." He came around the couch and leaned a hip against the side of it. "You need to wheedle your way into his life and stay there until we can get what we need from Danvers. After that, you can brush the dirt off your shoulder and we'll head after the target."

She shifted and stared out the window again. "I finally get free reign to throw myself at a man and

start a relationship, and it's going to be fake and with a man I strongly dislike—at least on paper."

He shrugged. "Get over it."

"Get over it?" She looked over at him with raised eyebrows. "I'm a decent actress, Luke, but this could take months. He's going to want to be physical and intimate and serious. That's if I can even convince him to give me more than one night."

He just hitched up a shoulder again and tipped his head like he was acknowledging her problem, but wouldn't comment on it.

"Would you do it?"

A muscle in his jaw ticked for a split second. "If the end result meant enough to me, yes."

That faraway look touched his eyes and he stared out the window. She wondered who he was thinking of, but didn't bother asking.

"Run me through it again." She strengthened her voice, steeling herself and letting her mind fall into the haze of what she considered her 'work' mode.

"You have to seduce Alex King. You need to make him so enamored by you that he has no choice but to introduce you to his family. When he does, you find an 'in' with his godfather. Go in, get what you want, break the spoiled rich boy's heart, and leave him in your wake. He's just a pawn in your game, Collins."

It was time. She wanted to get to her uncle, and she needed Alex King and his godfather to do that.

If she had to step on Alex's heart to do it, then so be it.

She nodded matter-of-factly. This was the ticket to the 'check' in her game. One more step before she got to claim checkmate. First, she had to take out the King.

Chapter One

Ellie Ellie was primped and polished to perfection. She'd spent an hour and fifteen minutes on her hair, makeup and wardrobe in an attempt to outshine every other woman in the club without being overt about it. Yes, it was rare she spent time on herself outside of work, but that was what she was doing: working. It was also one of the few times she'd had a job to do at a club, so she was a little out of her element.

It had only been about half an hour since she'd slipped past the elephant of a man at the door and hit the bar. Luke had tried to convince her not to drink, but she knew she'd have a migraine by the end of the night if she didn't take in at least a little alcohol. With her drink in hand, she'd settled off to the side of the mass of gyrating bodies on the dance floor, waiting for him to come in.

He hadn't disappointed.

She'd been scanning the crowd for him. There were plenty of kids who'd probably used fake IDs to get in, and several girls who looked like they were professionals at seducing men, but there was no sign of Alex King for the first half hour. When he finally showed up, she'd known. Almost subconsciously, her gaze had fallen to him. He was dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans and a T-shirt.

It looked perfect on him, though, especially the way the shirt clung to his chest.

He was more impressive in person than the headshot had shown. He had a presence about him that sort of took over a club. Both male and female heads turned. Everyone knew who Alex King was.

His father was an extremely well-known businessman, and Alex was independently renowned for his work in law.

She didn't make her move right away, as she knew that would be too forward. Instead, she settled back and waited. Fending off drunk college boys making half-assed passes at her grew irritating, but she dealt with it. When it came to working, she had the patience of a saint. That was how chess worked.

It was important to be patient and intelligent when making a move, and she was good at both of those things.

Her moment appeared after an hour of being at the godforsaken club. King was leaning against the bar with the guy he'd come in with, and a woman had been throwing herself at him for fifteen minutes. Twice, Ellie had watched him try and politely turn her away, but she didn't get the message.

Ellie quickly worked out a plan in her mind. She really wished things didn't have to happen that way, but she knew the other alternative was wildly illegal. At least this way, the only collateral damage would be a certain King's heart.

She had doubts about the plan for seducing King, unsure if she was capable of it. Sure, she'd used her body to lure men into a trap, but she'd never had to try and feign a relationship. Relationships were completely foreign to her.

What she did know was how to work people to her advantage. She was a chameleon, becoming whatever she needed to be whenever she needed to, and that was exactly what she was about to do.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself against whatever would come her way, and pushed herself away from her waiting place. It was time to make her move.

Alex "I love lawyers. They make me so—" Alex groaned internally and barely listened to the girl leaning against the bar with half her chest hanging out. She'd been babbling about how much a power suit turned her on for fifteen minutes already.

He'd tried multiple times to tell her he wasn't interested but she just didn't get the message, and he was about ready just to walk away from her.

He shouldn't have even been at a club. He had a case he needed to be working on. It was a slam dunk, but that didn't mean he would spend any less time on it. His best friend, Phil, had been dogging him to get out of the office for weeks, and he'd finally agreed.

"You could always read me my rights, you know."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Not a cop, sweetheart. That's not my job."

That answered his question about the woman.

He'd been wondering if she actually knew who he was or just knew his name and face. Obviously, she recognized him from some of the press he'd received and was digging for gold.

It was time to quit being nice. He was about ready to tell her flat-out that he wasn't interested, but his words died on his lips. Someone's hand slid into his back pocket, and a distinctly feminine body pressed against his side.

"Hi, love. Sorry I'm so late," an odd accent purred up at him, and he finally looked over to see who had come to his rescue.

The first thing his eyes landed on was a pair of full, pink lips. Dragging his eyes up, he found emerald green ones looking back at him.

"Thanks for keeping him busy." The mystery woman turned to the girl he'd been ready to tell off.

"It's nice for him to be reminded he's got it good."

He chuckled again, and the girl just blinked a few times before apologizing and darting off into the crowd. The woman on his arm smirked and shook her head, causing a few long, dark curls to fall over her shoulders. His eyes were drawn to the dark tresses then in turn shifted to the thick swells they surrounded.

He cleared his throat and lifted his gaze to hers once again. "Thank you. I owe you my life."

"Mm, I think I'll settle for a drink." She quirked an eyebrow at him and removed herself from his side. When the warmth of her body disappeared, he

was surprised at the sudden cold. She looked up at him, a little bit of surprise on her features, too.

"What can I get you then?" He quickly recovered and waved the bartender over.

"Just vodka on the rocks, please." Those green eyes flickered over to the bartender, who quickly got the point and went to work making the drink.

Alex took the few seconds to look over the mystery woman. She was definitely something to look at; he was actually surprised he didn't notice her sooner. She had curves in all the right places and the tight, dark blue cocktail dress she was wearing emphasized them perfectly.

The bartender slid her vodka across the smooth surface of the bar, and she lifted the drink to her lips. His eyes fastened to the way her lips touched the glass, and he felt the desire to taste the vodka on them.

Once again, he was forced to pull his eyes away from her. Over her shoulder, he caught sight of Phil staring intently at her. They were good friends with a similar taste in women. It was expected that they'd both find the woman attractive—hell, even a monk would be tempted by her.

'Mine,' Alex mouthed.

"No." It wasn't Phil who had spoken, though; it was the woman.

His lips pulled up in a half-grin, knowing he'd been caught. It was a subconscious reaction he'd developed to get out of trouble with the female sex.

And it worked, judging by the way he saw her green irises expanded and soften just a bit.

"I got what I wanted from you." She lifted the drink in gesture. "I'm not yours."

"Mind if I object to that?" He raised an eyebrow, twisting so he partially blocked her path back to the dance floor.

"That's your job, isn't it?" She tipped her chin up, though still having to look up to see his eyes. Even with the heels she had on, he was taller than her by a few inches. "You'll have to present a convincing argument, counselor. I'll forewarn you, I'm not easily swayed."

He could feel the part of him that he'd tried to push away throughout school rising when she challenged him. Women were his weakness. Always had been. Once he'd started school, he'd left his socalled 'player' ways behind. The woman before him had just issued a challenge, however, and it called to that part of him. It was the piece of him that wanted a woman who could test him.

"Should I give you something to work with?"

She looked at him over the glass of vodka she was

nursing, her sparkling eyes challenging him. "My name's Ellie. That's the only freebie you get."

He smirked. "Alex King. Although, judging by the way you knew my occupation, I take it you knew my name already."

"Maybe." A delicately sloped shoulder hitched upwards in half a shrug. "I keep up with the news.

You just so happen to be in it occasionally."

He couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that his reputation had preceded him. At the same time, he was impressed she actually watched the news. That was a step up from most of the women he'd tried to schmooze into his bed.

"Before I start pulling out all my tricks to impress you, I have to ask if you're alone." He shifted and rested his elbow on the bar, leaning against it.

"I wouldn't be standing here if I weren't." She took another sip of her drink.

"Can I be honest with you?" Alex asked, and she looked back up to meet his blue eyes.

She narrowed her eyes by a fraction, but nodded anyway. "I'd hoped you would be."

He shifted so he was standing next to her, although still leaning against the bar and facing the crowds gyrating on the dance floor. He was close

enough that he could smell the intoxicating scent of her perfume.

"I'm not exactly here by choice." He bent toward her so his lips were closer to her ear. "Most would find it hard to believe, but this isn't my scene, by any means."

She turned to face him abruptly, and Alex held back his smirk when her breath caught in her throat when she realized just how close they were. Their lips were barely an inch apart and their noses almost brushed. Her eyes met his, her pupils dilating.

"Let's get out of here," he said huskily. He denied the urge to close the minute space between them and kiss the hell out of her like he suddenly wanted to.

Her eyes widened and those full, pink lips of hers parted. "I don't—" "We'll go get something to eat. There's a place down the street." He didn't know why he'd jumped in to reassure her. A few years back, if he'd been entertaining a woman who looked like her, he'd be chomping at the bit to get her in bed. Instead, he was offering to leave the club and take her out to eat.

She just blinked at him for a second before nodding shortly. He stepped back from her, and the electricity in the air between them dissipated. As he

cleared his bar tab and said good-bye to his friend, she tried to reorganize herself.

"Ready?" he asked close to her ear, and heard her take a deep breath.

"Of course." She slipped her tongue over her painted lips achingly slow, drawing his attention.

His hand came up and cupped her elbow, and he was acutely aware of the warmth seeping into his skin, as well as the softness of hers.

They meandered through the crowds until they reached the exit and stepped out into the night. He felt her skin rise in goose bumps at the sudden change in temperature. The night wasn't exactly cold, but the cooler temperature made him all the more aware of where his hand was on her elbow.

"Do you want to walk or drive? It's only down the street," he asked, slowing as they reached the turn-in for the parking lot.

"Let's walk." She flicked her gaze to the parking lot.

"Walking it is." He seemed to startle her out of her thoughts again.

Once they had a bit of a distance between themselves and the club, things became much quieter. Her heels clicking against the sidewalk and the occasional car passing by were the only sounds.

They were acutely aware of each other.

Alex's body heated and reacted to the woman at his side. Internally, he attempted to come up with a game plan to either seduce her or see her again. The thought alone startled him. Despite his body's desires, he had the feeling he'd be sleeping alone tonight, so he leaned more toward trying to see her again.

"So, you know I'm a lawyer. What do you do?" he asked, breaking the silence between them.

She ran her finger over her temple, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, and looked over at him. "I work in threat removal."

"Threat removal?" he parroted, sliding his hands into his front pockets. "What exactly does that entail?"

"Well, it depends on the situation. And that's a broad term, by the way," she pointed out. "My partner and I are contracted out for different jobs.

Sometimes, we're helping a housewife with a pesky mistress and other times, we're conducting complete investigations on Fortune 500 companies to seek out a threat."

"Sounds interesting. How long have you done it?" He looked over at her, taking the time to admire the way her dress slipped up her thigh a tiny bit and lowered again each time she took a step.

"Years. I started young because a friend of mine got me the job. We've been working together ever since." She shortened her tone toward the end, and he understood that she didn't want to talk about work.

"Here we are." He slowed and nodded to the building next to them.

She looked over and he saw the surprise register on her face when she noticed they were standing next to a traditional diner rather than an actual restaurant. He had no doubt she'd expected him to go all-out to impress her. Most people anticipated something different from him.

He read her expression and hesitated as he reached for the door. "We can go somewhere else.

This place was close, though, so I just assumed it would be okay‌."

"Oh, no, it's fine." She shook her head. "I was just a little bit surprised, but no, this is fine."

"They've got killer milkshakes. The burgers are a little greasy, but I think that's to be expected when most of their customers are half-drunk and hungover from binge-drinking down the street." He pulled the door open and a little bell jingled above them.

She looked around the place. The 50s-style diner was practically empty with the exception of a few

kids who looked like they'd been turned away from the club. She was extremely overdressed in her expensive cocktail dress and heels. It probably wasn't how she'd planned her night.

He led them to a booth, and she managed to slide in without allowing her dress to completely ride up her thighs, much to his disappointment. Sitting across from him, she looked up and just shook her head, laughing quietly.

"What?" He couldn't help but be amused by the musical tittering escaping her throat. She was even more beautiful in the light.

"Do you realize I'm wearing a designer cocktail dress right now?" She glanced up at him from beneath her thick, black eyelashes. "Don't get me wrong, I don't care. I'm not the kind of girl to worry about her clothes, but when I put this on earlier, I did not expect to end the night wearing it in a diner."

He grinned at her again. "We don't have to end it in the diner, you know. I was just trying to be a gentleman."

A row of white teeth sunk into her bottom lip and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What makes you think I'd ever let you get that far?"

"What makes you think I was implying anything inappropriate?" He raised an eyebrow.

She sat back against the booth, crossing her arms beneath her full breasts. "TouchĂŠ, Mr. King."

He shrugged. "I was implying something dirty, though, just in case you were wondering. I'd be concerned for my manhood if I weren't thinking about that when there's a woman like you across from me. I fully plan on walking you back to your car and letting you go home alone tonight, though."

"Well, aren't you just a modern rarity, a man willing to turn down the chance to take a woman home for the night." She smirked, her green eyes sparkling. She was probably a little surprised by his forwardness.

"Were you offering to come home with me for the night?" His body responded to the mere idea of getting to bring her home.

"No, I wasn't." She shot him down with a brilliant smile. "I'm not that easy, King."

He laughed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the laminated wood of the table. "You're different, aren't you? I don't place you as the type to be into the club scene."

"It depends on what you consider different." She looked down, glancing over the menu that had been handed to them by a passing waitress. "And no, I'm not really into clubs, either. It was a spur-of-the-

moment choice to get away from work for a few hours."

He opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated when a waitress came by. They both ordered a burger and fries, and he even sprung for two milkshakes. As the waitress wandered off to the kitchen, he turned back to Ellie.

"Where are you from? I don't recognize the accent." He folded his arms over the table, watching her intently as she laughed quietly.

"Everywhere. Originally from England, but all throughout my teen years, I traveled a lot and picked up on the different languages. I guess I also picked up some of the accents, too."

"You traveled with your parents?" he asked, toying with the paper napkin in front of himself.

"No. For work. It was part of the, uh, training.

Becoming worldlier, learning how to understand all types of situations and people." She didn't elaborate any more.

"I can relate to understanding people." He nodded. "Sort of comes with the territory for me."

They continued to chat quietly while they waited for their food. He was pleased to see the surprise that continued to flicker across her gaze. Most women he came across already had an idea of who

he was and had a preconceived notion of how he should act. He always liked proving them wrong.

When their food arrived, the conversation only slowed. He laughed when she gave him an odd look for dipping his fries in his milkshake and convinced her to try it for herself.

"It's not so terrible!" He laughed when she sent him another disbelieving look as she held a French fry poised over her glass. "It's good, I promise."

The corners of her pink lips pulled up in a grin and she sank the fry into the milkshake. Just as she brought it up to her lips, a drop of the chocolate shake fell and landed on her chest. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink and she blushed as she moved to wipe it off. His eyes glued themselves to the full round swells of her breasts, and he couldn't help but wish his tongue could take the place of her napkin as she wiped it away.

He felt the stirring in his groin and dozens of images passed through his mind, brought forth purely by the sight of the soft flesh stretching the bust of her dress to the limits. He cleared his throat, trying to rid himself of the lump of desire in his throat, and dragged his eyes up to her.

"I should let you go." His voice was rough from the hormones he was trying to suppress. He didn't

want to let her go, but he knew if he didn't, he wouldn't be able to control himself.

She nodded slowly. He stood and left enough money on the table to cover their bill before he walked with her to the door.

The trip back toward the club parking lot was a bit quicker than their walk to the diner and filled with a lot more tension. Their awareness of each other had increased tenfold. They reached the parking lot, and she paused as she reached a Jaguar.

"Thank you for tonight. Especially for saving me from the blonde." He walked her to the driver's side door of the car. "You're good to drive?"

"I'm fine." She practically pressed herself against the car, putting just a few inches of space between them which helped reduce the tension in her body.

"And thank you for dinner." She flicked her tongue over her bottom lip.

His gaze locked on and followed the movement.

He'd been good, had stayed away from women since he'd been hired at his current practice. It had been a long time since he'd allowed himself to succumb to his desire for a woman, but Ellie was making him question himself. He wanted her‌ badly.

So he didn't stop himself from kissing her when he saw her pass her tongue over those full, pink lips.

She paused when his lips came down on hers, her eyes widening for a split second before they fluttered closed. He dropped his hands to her hips, pulling her away from the car and closer to him.

When their bodies touched, she gasped and he quickly took advantage of it. His tongue slipped between her lips and he groaned, tasting her sweetness.

Her hands grasped the front of his shirt, bunching around the soft cotton. He dominated the kiss. He took a step forward and backed her into the car, eliminating any space between their bodies.

A moan escaped her lips when his hard body pressed along hers. Her hands climbed up his chest and wrapped around his neck, burying themselves in his hair and holding his lips to hers. He groaned when he felt the light tugs on his scalp as her fingers gripped his hair.

His lips pulled off hers, but they were barely separated at all. "I never got your last name."

"Collins," she whispered, still breathing raggedly from his kisses.

"Ellie Collins," he murmured before closing the few centimeters between them and planting his lips on hers again. They picked up right where they left off. That time, however, she let go, opening herself to him. Her tongue tangled with his and she tried to

pull herself closer to him. He solved the problem by pressing her into the car again, even more firmly than before.

He knew she could feel the bulge between his legs and that was why she gasped. One of his hands came up and cupped her face, angling it against his so he could take the kiss even deeper. He took complete control over her with one kiss and she melted between his body and the car.

His lips pulled off hers again as he bowed to the desire to taste her skin. He pressed heated kisses along her jaw and down to her neck, pausing at the delicate slope where her neck and shoulder met. A breathy moan slipped through her lips as his tongue touched her skin. She was just as sweet as he'd imagined.

Her chin tilted up as she granted him access to the column of her throat. Never one to deny an offering from a goddess, he quickly trailed over and tasted the skin there, finding it just as tempting.

He wanted to find out if she tasted as wonderful everywhere else. The hand resting on her hip itched to feel the curves encased in her blue cocktail dress.

He desperately wanted to let her soothe the ache in his crotch, but he couldn't bring himself to hurry things along; she tasted too good. She responded to his touch like she was only just being introduced to

the carnal pleasure of desire, and he loved that. He could spend all night just exploring the skin of her neck and shoulders with his lips. Judging by the quiet, breathy moans that slipped into the night, she agreed.

Her fingers ran through his hair, tunneling through the light brown strands. His lips traveled back down her neck and another quiet moan escaped her when his tongue flicked out over her skin. He reached the hollow above her collarbone, and she gasped. The sound sent desire jumping in his veins. Her fingers curled around the thick strands of his hair as a low moan rumbled in her throat.

The light prickle in his scalp caught his attention and he brought his lips back to hers, kissing her just as thoroughly as before, if not more. His fingers found one of the thin straps that held her dress up and he almost slid it over her shoulder—almost.

Instead, he managed to separate himself from her. His body screamed in protest, and she let out a soft moan of disappointment, but he needed to stop right then or else he wouldn't be able to. He was already seconds away from pulling her into the backseat of her car and taking her there.

"I need to see you again." He still held her close, their bodies touching intimately.

"When?" Her already-sexy voice had dropped a few octaves and was thick with lust.

"Lunch." He looked down, seeing the same desire in her eyes that he could feel in every nerve ending of his body. "Come to my office on Monday."

"That soon?" Her eyes flickered with a hint of surprise.

"That soon."

She took a deep breath and reached back to open the car door. "Your office. Monday."

Chapter Two

Alex Alex stared down at the testimony in front of him. It was the third time he'd read through it and he still wasn't able to focus. He was more concerned with keeping himself from checking the clock for the fiftieth time since he'd arrived at the office that morning. He hadn't been that distracted since he'd been studying for his LSATs while his roommate had a twenty-four-hour porn fest. Talk about testing his willpower.

He'd managed to be strong then, but in that moment, he was having issues. He was waiting for noon to roll around. He had been waiting for noon on Monday since he'd asked Ellie Collins to lunch on Saturday. That was hours and hours of being preoccupied with killer curves and gorgeous, lustfilled green eyes.

And the kiss‌

The kiss was wreaking havoc on his hormones.

After staying away from women—not even dabbling like he wanted to—it was really driving him insane. She'd been almost innocent in her response, and that just turned him on more. He had to take a long, cold shower after going home alone, and it hadn't helped at all. It had been a long time since a woman had worked his hormones up that way, and he was beyond eager to see her again.

Despite being something of a 'player' in his high school years, he'd really settled down and made his career top priority. He still had some of those ways about him, though. He rarely went after the same woman twice, and he didn't date, especially not with his career getting ready to hit such a high point. So he wasn't sure why he'd even asked Ellie on a date, let alone looked forward to it so much.

"Mr. King." The office secretary, Lillian, knocked on the door to his office and poked her head inside. "There's someone here for you."

"Who?" He glanced up, knowing he didn't have any appointments. Then his eyes darted to the clock on the wall and saw both hands sitting on the twelve. It was noon on the dot. He nodded to Lillian. "Never mind, I know who it is."

Pushing out of his chair, he walked down the hallway to the plush lounge of the practice. He

wasn't surprised to see the object of his latest desires sitting in the lobby. He immediately noticed she was in tight jeans, looking just as good as she had Saturday night.

"And you're punctual, too. A woman after my own heart." He grinned at her, dragging his eyes back up to her face after taking in the curves that had been on his mind for days.

"Mm, I don't like being late." She smirked, standing and returning the favor of looking him over. "You dress up well."

"You dress down well." He flashed her what he hoped was a devastating, lopsided grin that had worked so well that night. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." She took the arm he offered.

"There's a coffee shop a few blocks down I normally go to. But we can find somewhere else if you'd like." He held the front door to the office open and let her go out before him. She sent him a quizzical look and he raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"The diner on Saturday and now a coffee shop a few blocks from your office? I have to admit, that is a far cry from what I expected after hearing the rumors that surrounded you," she admitted.

He laughed and shook his head. "Ah, the fivestar rumors. I'll be honest with you, I'm not as highstrung as the last name implies."

"I get the feeling there are plenty of misconceptions about you," she mumbled.

"Well, most of the rumors are false." He nodded, accentuating his point. "Unless they're talking about high school, in which case, they're probably true, which is a bit unfortunate."

"Were you a problem child in high school, Mr. King?" She looked up at him, eyes sparkling.

"I wouldn't say I was a problem child‌." He mulled the thought over for a second. "I definitely had my moments, though. It was more along the lines of rebelling against absolutely everything my dad wanted me to do."

"Not a daddy's boy then?"

"No, not by any means." He shook his head quickly, his blue eyes darting over to land on her for a split second before turning back to watch where they were walking. "I guess it was kind of expected.

I was a hormonal teenager who had been shipped miles away from his disapproving parents. I did what any kid would do."

"And that was‌?" She trailed off, waiting for him to finish.

"Whatever the hell I wanted." He lifted an eyebrow at her as they reached the coffee shop.

Again, he pulled the door open for her and allowed her to go in before him.

"You are quite the gentleman either way," she said, throwing him a teasing smirk as they both stepped inside. The smell of coffee immediately filled his senses.

"That part came after high school. I discovered that manners get you further than a lack of them does."

She took a seat in one of the booths and he sat across from her. Just seconds after they settled, a waitress approached them. He flashed a grin at her, making the young girl blush bright red as she handed them menus.

"Is that part of your bag of tricks?" Ellie teased him. "All you have to do is pull out that smile of yours and the female defense attorneys fall at your feet?"

"It definitely helps." He laughed. "No, I just learned through school that if it helps you get your way, it's worth making a habit out of it."

"Where did you go to school?" she asked him as she scanned the menu.

"A series of private schools, which eventually led to Harvard." He didn't bother picking up his menu; he ate there often enough to know exactly what he wanted.

Her eyes flicked up to him again and that time they stayed, looking over his features. "When did you graduate?"

"Three years ago. I'm impatient and didn't want to be in school for the rest of my life, so I kicked my ass into gear and finished as soon as I could."

"My, my, Mr. King‌" She raised an eyebrow.

"Are we a bit of an overachiever?"

"Maybe a little bit. I like to do well in all things."

He laughed quietly as his eyes fell below her neck for just a split second. "What about you, where do you go?" Turning the conversation back to her, he saw her stiffen slightly.

"I started schooling in England. I was in a private school when I was younger. Then I had private tutoring once I started trying to work. By graduation, I was already working, so I didn't really have a need or the desire to take advantage of university."

"You've been working for a while then, haven't you?" Those blue eyes met hers and a zing of awareness touched his nerve endings. His reaction to her seemed to match her own.

"Most of my life." She nodded. "I was fifteen when I started working."

"In threat removal?" he remembered from Saturday.

"Yes." She nodded. "It was really the only choice I had at the time, but I learned to appreciate the art."

Ellie For the better part of half an hour, the conversation came easily between them. They didn't order food; instead, they just sat and nursed their coffee, talking. The waitress came several times, but each time, she was either ignored or sent away.

Ellie was a little shocked to realize she liked conversing with him. She didn't hold up her normal faรงade when she spoke with Alex, and she loved that. It was nice to be herself with someone for once, or as much as she could. In fact, she didn't remember a time when she had been able to laugh and be witty with someone without having to constantly think about a task she had to complete.

The chemistry between them was effortless.

Many times, her eyes sought his and their gazes would lock, causing sparks to ignite between them.

The air crackled between them and every move each of them made was seductive. It wasn't intentional, but it wasn't exactly preventable, either.

Her teeth would sink into her bottom lip and his

eyes would fall, no doubt remembering the heated kiss they'd shared several nights before. Every time she saw his gaze drop, she knew what he was thinking about and it just heated her blood even more.

Across from him, she watched as the gears in his mind turned. It didn't take a genius to determine what he was thinking about. She'd loved watching his gaze flick down to her breasts before he'd jerk it back up, trying not to get caught. It made her feel wanted, and she was surprised to realize that she really enjoyed his attention.

Ellie knew she shouldn't egg him on. If she was going to have a so-called 'relationship' with the man, she should go about it the right way and make him wait. Yet she wasn't excited by that idea. There would be no time in her post-Alex King future when she would be able to give in to her desires, so why not go for it?

"You're incredibly sexy when you're thinking," his deep voice rumbled through the silence that had fallen between them.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth in an effort to hide the smirk that wanted to come out.

"Well, from what I've seen, you're incredibly sexy all the time, but when you're thinking, you bite

your lip." He leaned across the table and used his thumb to pull her lip out from where it was pinned beneath her teeth.

Her entire body flushed with heat as his fingertip tugged at her lip, and the increasingly familiar desire tightened her core. She leaned forward, drawn in by the chemistry between them. The tension in the air thickened and their gazes locked again, both of them waiting to see who would break first.

"You test every moral I've made myself learn these last few years," he admitted, his voice quiet but husky as they were closer.

"Morals?" She was already questioning her own.

Hell, she was about ready to throw them away if that meant further investigating the feelings he inflicted upon her.

"It's been a while since a woman has tempted me the way you do." His gaze dropped and focused on her lips as she wet them with her tongue. A flash of nerves hit her when she saw the hunger reflected in his blue eyes.

Lust trickled down her spine, and she swallowed the lump of desire in her throat. She couldn't bring herself to do anything other than question him in a quiet, almost breathy voice. "And how is that?"

A hint of a devilish smirk crossed his face and he tipped forward, eliminating just a little more of the space between them. "I'd like to take that kiss we started Saturday a lot further."

"Mm?" "It took every shred of control I had not to convince you to get into the back of your car with me. I would still take you in the back of mine today."

His words sent chills down her spine. Good chills, the kind that made her nipples pebble and her stomach clench. She had the insane desire to agree with him, to allow him to pull her into the backseat of his car. With an unprecedented lack of control, Ellie leaned closer so they were both angled over the table, just inches away. "Bring it on, King."

Just like that, the tension grew solid and their gazes locked.

"How are you guys doing? Can I get you anything?" The waitress reappeared, looking a little frustrated.

"No. We're done." Alex rose, fished his billfold out and threw a twenty on the table.

Ellie followed his lead. As she stood, her eyes fell to the straining bulge at his groin. Excitement fluttered in her chest as she dragged her eyes up to see his hand extended out to her. She was surprised

to realize her fingers were trembling slightly as she placed her palm in his. Her nerves quaked with anticipation, and her heart pounded.

His fingers wrapped around her much smaller hand and gently tugged. Although they didn't look rushed as they headed back toward his office, she knew they both felt it. It was hard to walk next to him knowing what could possibly be transpiring in the back of his car in just minutes.

They reached the parking garage behind the office and he slowed, no doubt giving her the opportunity to turn away and go to her own car instead of his. When he looked over, she tried to school her apprehension. She didn't have much to fear since it was overshadowed by the lust that pulsed through her body, causing her to bite her lip.

"You can say no." His voice was thicker, huskier than normal.

Her gaze darted to him and lingered. When she pulled her hand out of his, a flash of disappointment appeared across his features. Yet, she had no intention of walking away. Instead, Ellie reached up and pressed her palm to the nape of his neck, bringing his lips down to hers. The resulting shocks that exploded between them put the best fireworks display to shame. He gathered her body against his

and the breathy moan that escaped into the kiss was her resignation.

Tearing his lips off hers, he looked up and sought out his car. As soon as he laid eyes on it, he was pulling her in that direction. The parking garage was dark and empty with the exception of them, and she hoped desperately that the backseat would accommodate them. They reached the car and he backed her into it, groaning against her lips when her curves crushed against him.

"I don't normally do this," she breathed out, looking up at him with wide eyes filled with arousal. "And I really don't think we should be doing that much out here." Her voice held no conviction, even to her own ears. Her desire was too raw to ignore.

"I got you, baby," he murmured before his lips descended onto hers again. He fumbled around for the keys in his pocket, and the car chirped as it unlocked. Pulling the back door open, she sat back on the seat. He climbed in over her, arranging them both until the door closed behind him and shrouded them in darkness.

He took control easily. The way he laid her back on the seat and kept her engaged in the kiss at the same time held the ease of a man who'd used the same move before. She didn't care, though; she was

just glad to be the recipient of it at the time, even if they were crammed into the back of his car.

The control she'd sworn she'd have over herself when she walked into his office had been all but forgotten. She forgot about the job, the farce of their relationship. Instead, she found herself kissing him back, mirroring the things he did and hoping it pleased him as much as it did her.

He reached between them and grabbed her leg, pulling it up and wrapping it around his waist. She moaned against his lips when she felt the thick ridge pressing against the junction of her thighs. He swallowed the moan and his body responded eagerly to the aroused sound.

His hands wandered, and she did nothing to stop them. They traced down the curve of her waist and slid onto her hip. His thumb rubbed the skin her shirt had revealed as it rode up, and she arched against him. They groaned simultaneously as her movement caused her hips to rub against his erection. The grip of desire tightened around them both and he slid one hand up her shirt while the other rested on her thigh.

His palm was hot, scalding her skin through the denim of her jeans. He spread his fingers over her stomach, against her taut muscles. She arched into him, trying to find more of his touch. Instead of

moving lower, like she'd expected and hoped he would, his hands traveled up, reaching the lace of her bra. He groaned and cupped her breast, her nipples pressing through the dainty fabric.

"Alex‌" She moaned when his fingers slipped beneath of her bra. Her thighs tightened around his waist, causing his hips to press firmly into hers. His erection pressed right where she wanted it, and the sound of his name escaping her lips in a moan earned her a ragged groan.

She couldn't ignore her desire to touch him anymore. Tugging at his shirt, Ellie pulled it free from where it was tucked into his slacks. Her hands slipped beneath the wrinkled fabric and he groaned as she rubbed her hands over his chest, feeling and exploring the defined muscles.

He removed his hands from her shirt and dropped them to her hips, lifting them so his aching erection rested against where she was already hot in her jeans. When he moved back to her swollen breasts, she moaned his name again, her fingers biting into the skin of his chest.

They kissed so hard she knew her lips would be red and swollen by the time they were finished, but she was beyond caring. He pushed insistently between her legs and she arched her hips against him, moaning when the pressure of him rubbing

against her sent darts of white, hot desire through her body.

"I… do… you…?" She trailed off, looking down toward his erection.

"Not yet." He seemed surprised with his answer.

His brows drooping in confusion were in conflict with the desire in his eyes.

"B-but…" she stammered slightly, flushing in embarrassment at the breathiness of her voice.

"Baby, I want you," he clarified, sounding a little pained and easing the hurt that had begun to bloom in her chest. "God, I want you. But judging by the way you just reacted, this is new to you."

Her cheeks heated even more.

"You're not a virgin, are you?"

"No." She shook her head rapidly. "No, I've just never… um… not in a car like this… or ever."

"You've never had a make-out session in the back of a car before?" A wicked smirk slipped onto his face and he took a slow, deep kiss from her lips before separating. "I'm glad to give you your first then. When we have our first time, we won't be in the back of my car like we're in high school, though."

Both their eyes widened when he spoke of their first time like it was something he was so sure of.

He seemed determined to see more of Ellie. From

what she knew of him, it wasn't like him to pursue women. Yet, he didn't mind pursuing her. The thought made her stomach tighten in anticipation and need.

She then realized, with a hint of disappointment, that she was actually doing her job. He was willing to see more of her, and that meant she could continue using him to get what she wanted.

Just like that, all the lingering desire and passion drained from her blood. In its place was the icy numbness that took over whenever she had to work.

"Where's your phone?" She tried to make sure she didn't sound as cold as she suddenly felt.

He pushed himself up with one hand and pulled the smart phone from his pocket, handing it over to her. She quickly created a new contact and tapped her phone number in.

"Did I just get your number?" He had that boyish grin on his face again, and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, you did. I hope you feel special." She slipped his phone into his breast pocket and patted it. "I actually gave you the correct number, too, so you should feel extremely special."

He laughed and bent back down, kissing her quick and hard. "I already felt special, baby, but you just made my day."

She shook her head, smiling at the playfulness in his voice. He pushed himself up and climbed out of the car, leaving the door closed enough so no one could see in.

When she left the car, he was back to business.

His shirt was tucked in neatly and he was righting his tie, which had been pulled askew. He glanced at her, his eyes pausing on her swollen lips. They pulled up into a smirk as Ellie reached out and fixed his tie for him, tying it into a complicated knot.

Once she was finished, she used it to pull his lips down to hers, unable to resist one last taste of him.

"I'll call you," he murmured as he pulled back, looking down into her green eyes.

Her smirk reappeared for a second and she nodded. "See ya, King."

Chapter Three

Ellie "Is he going to be there?" Luke asked as Ellie leaned in to the mirror, coating her eyelashes with mascara. She didn't have to ask to know who Luke was talking about. It was Saturday night, exactly a week since she'd met Alex at the bar. He'd called her on Wednesday, asking her to accompany him to a charity event, and she had said yes. She had no choice, of course.

"No." She shook her head, responding to Luke's question about Alex's godfather attending the event.

"I don't think so. I did a little digging and managed to get ahold of the guest list, though. I know his parents will be there."

"Is that why you called me?" He raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorway and crossing his arms over his chest. "Because his parents are showing up to the gala your fake boyfriend invited you to?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. She really didn't need him to remind her that her relationship with Alex wasn't real. In fact, she was very aware of that, yet still struggling to make herself remember it when she was actually in Alex's presence. He had a way of making her forget what she was supposed to be doing, and that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

Alex had surpassed her expectations so far. He was more attractive than any of his photos showed; he was smart, funny, all of the things she assumed most girls would want in a man. It wasn't that easy for her.

During the time when other girls learned about boys and relationships, she had learned about weapons and murder. When other girls received new scars on their hearts from boys, she was dealing with the constant reopening of wounds from her past. Darkness was ingrained deeply inside of her, and it was what drove her forward. Her need for revenge—to finally allow her wounds to heal— was what made her see past Alex's looks and charms.

"No, that isn't why I called you." She stopped glaring at him and turned back to her makeup. "I called you because I realized there is a bit of a conflict that may arise."

He just blinked at her for a second, and she could tell he was trying to fit the pieces together. "It isn't the Carters' dinner, is it?"

"How ever did you guess?" She feigned surprise, painting on a light pink lip gloss and pressing her lips together. "We have people in place to execute the host of the event I'll be attending tonight."

"Okay‌." He mulled it over for a second. "It's nothing new. Both of us have supervised hits before.

Just play the part and you'll be fine. I don't see the problem."

She took a deep breath and slipped her phone and hotel key into her clutch. There really wasn't a reason for her having called Luke over. Truthfully, she was a little nervous about going to the event with Alex. It was rare that she ever got nervous, but the constant flutter of butterflies in her stomach was throwing her off.

Luke was the closest thing she had to a friend. If she were being honest with herself, she had called him over in hopes that he'd tell her there was a better way to take care of things and she should just blow Alex off. Unfortunately, she should have known better; Luke was pretty much all business, all the time.

"That's not why you called me over here," he stated, obviously reading the look on her face.

She frowned. "This is weird, Luke. I'm used to going to these things with you and taking care of a target, not pretending to be happy and falling in love."

"It's just another job, Ellie. Don't look at it like it's so different." He shrugged, and her glare returned.

"Take something you want, Luke. Like, whoever it is who makes you lose track of life and stare off in the distance," she started.

"There's no one—" "Bullshit. We both know there's someone who makes you forget yourself." She snorted. "I'm saying dangle that in front of your face. Tell yourself you can look and touch, but never keep. It's a nightmare just to think about it."

"You know what the alternative is, Ellie." He was apparently starting to see her side. "We can do it the other way, but we'd have to take the illegal route. This way, you can do it without threats or drugs. We both know those two things can end in murder."

She knew he was right. The whole point of the charade with Alex was for her to get an 'in' with his godfather. That way, she could extract the

information she needed in friendly conversation.

Otherwise, she'd have to gather it illegally, which was less than ideal. As good as she was at handling weapons and murder, it was more difficult than simply using someone as a stepping stool the way she was using Alex. She just needed to put her big girl panties on and remember things with Alex would never get legitimately serious.

"I'm just being a girl about this." She took a deep breath and rallied herself. "I'm sorry I called you over here."

"Don't worry about it." He shook his head and straightened, pulling the keys to his car out of his pocket. "You'll do fine with this, Ellie. It's just another task you've got to complete. It looks like you're doing a decent job of it, too, since the guy's asked to see you twice in a week. Play the part tonight. If you do it well, this thing might be over faster than we anticipated."

She sighed and nodded again, glancing over at the dress she'd chosen to wear. She'd actually spent a lot of time trying to make sure it would look nice and fit the event. Although she wouldn't admit it to anyone, especially not Luke, she wanted to look good for Alex. Part of her was curious to see if his reaction to her on Monday was a fluke.

"You'll be fine, Collins." Luke headed back toward the door of the hotel room. "I'll be around if something goes wrong, but if not, I don't want to hear from you until tomorrow."

She didn't bother responding; he wouldn't have heard her anyway.

She shed the robe she wore and pulled her dress off the hanger. It wasn't an overtly amazing dress. It was a simple, silk purple piece that clung to her body until it reached her waist, where the skirt gently flared away from her thighs and stopped just above her knee.

She managed to zip it up all the way and twisted, looking at herself in the mirror. It was a good thing she could clean up well when she wanted to. Her phone vibrated on the bathroom counter and she pulled it closer, reading the message that lit up the screen.

Alex was downstairs.

Unwilling to keep him waiting, she doublechecked she had everything she needed in her tiny clutch purse and stepped into her shoes. It was a testament to how dedicated she was that she was wearing heels twice in the same week, even though she secretly loved them. They made her feel good, and her legs looked awesome, but she hated being

in them for too long. Her feet would be killing her by the end of the night.

Alex He knew Ellie would be dressed to impress if her attire at the club the other night was any indication.

However, he definitely hadn't pictured the woman he was seeing walk up to him. He had a new appreciation for her at that moment, and it only increased when he saw her looking stunning and sexy in that silk, purple dress.

After their make-out session in the back of his car, he was determined to introduce her to the world of mutual pleasure. The woman was sin embodied.

He was relatively sure she'd gone through her adult life being used as an object of pleasure instead of actually receiving it herself. He was more than happy to change that, if she was willing.

"You look stunning." Alex smiled at her as she came toward him. He had always been a sucker for beautiful women. He no longer focused on their looks as much as he did when he was in high school, but he'd have to be blind to completely ignore Ellie's natural beauty.

"Thank you." She returned the smile, but it didn't seem to reach her eyes. There was a hint of pink on her cheeks that wasn't from her makeup.

Apparently, compliments were relatively new to her, too.

He took her hand and spun her around, loving the small giggle that escaped as she twirled for him.

The dress flared away, giving him a tantalizing view of her thighs.

"Is it okay?" She paused when she faced him again, still having to look up at him despite the added height her heels gave her.

"It's perfect, baby." He swallowed the lump of desire in his throat as he leaned forward and caught those bright pink lips of hers in a simple kiss. She responded quickly, leaning in to him.

"You look quite good yourself." She smiled when they separated then stepped back enough to give herself breathing room. "Should we go before we're late?"

"Mm? We were going somewhere? I was under the impression you'd dressed like this purely for me." He'd meant it to come out in a teasing voice, but his tone was a lot huskier than he'd intended.

She laughed quietly and tucked her arm through his. "You and I both know we have an event to get through before you can have any of this for

yourself. The longer we wait, the longer we have to stay."

"Well, when you state it that way‌." He trailed off, tugging her toward the doors of the hotel lobby.

The valet took his slip and disappeared, bringing around an Audi R8.

"That is definitely not the car you had Monday," Ellie pointed out as it rolled to a stop in front of them.

"No, she was in the shop. I, uh‌ well, we'll just say a friend of the defendant from my last trial got a bit overzealous and took it out on my windows." He grimaced, a little bit pained as he spoke. "I got her back yesterday."

"Her?" She raised an eyebrow at him as he stepped away from her and moved to pull the passenger door open.

He grinned a bit sheepishly at her. "I got myself a gift last year. It was my first big purchase after graduating, and she's been the only woman in my life since then."

She smirked. "I didn't realize I had to compete with a car."

"Baby, you don't have to compete with anyone.

You're in a league of your own," he responded, pulling the door open for her.

She paused before getting into the car and pressed her hand to his chest, stealing a quick kiss from his lips. "Good to know. I thought I was going to have to pull out the heavy artillery for a second there."

With that, she slipped into the car, leaving him to close the door and adjust himself so she couldn't see the effect her words had on him.

"There's something I probably should have warned you about," he started as he dropped into the driver's seat and pulled away from the hotel.

"What?" She looked over at him with wary eyes.

"My parents are going to be at the event tonight.

So will my sister. She's in from Miami and between the three of them, I had no choice but to go to the damn charity function. So that's where you come in, gorgeous." He flashed her a wolfish grin.

"I'm just your arm candy, aren't I?" Her pink lips pulled up into a grin of her own and she heaved a dramatic sigh. "Just when I thought you were different‌."

"I could always be your arm candy. I wouldn't mind taking up that position," he responded with a smirk. "Normally, I try and stay out of the spotlight at these things, but with you on my arm, that won't be possible."

The apples of her cheeks heated again. "You, sir, are kissing ass."

"Not yet. That happens later tonight, baby." He grinned then leaned over the center console and pecked her lips, beyond pleased to see her cheeks had heated even more.

Ellie His merciless flirting didn't end there. In fact, by the time they were pulling up to the mansion where the event was being hosted, Ellie was sure her cheeks would never be their normal color again. She was also hoping her blood would cool down soon. She was all too aware of the fact that her nipples had come to stand at attention, and her dress couldn't hide it completely.

She had been extremely uptight until Alex's dirty innuendos and sexy flirting had made her forget she was working, yet again.

So as they walked into the massive backyard where the event was being held, she was calmer than she'd expected. Especially considering she was very aware of the tragedy the event would end in.

The only time the nerves resurfaced was when she

realized she was heading to meet Alex King's parents.

Alex was capable of keeping her on her toes without any help. She was deceptively at ease around him, yet at the same time, part of her was always on edge when he was near—in a good way.

Somehow, every time he flashed that crooked grin at her or his blue eyes met hers, she would forget who she was and what she was doing for a split second. Instead, her blood would heat and she'd feel urges she'd never had before.

Camera flashes burned her pupils as they walked through to the event space, and she hid her face.

Alex gently led her through the crowd of photographers, only pausing long enough to drop his name so they were allowed into the event.

Almost immediately, people walked up and greeted them. They were all smiling and going on about how successful he was and how great his latest case seemed to be going. Several people even made comments about him finally bringing a woman with him. They were all comments made in passing, however; before he could answer, they were moving on to the next piece of meat.

After making their rounds and greeting people for a few minutes, Ellie spotted his parents coming toward them. She knew their faces well, as Luke

had presented her with a full portfolio on his family when she'd agreed to go through with the plan. In fact, she probably knew much more about his parents than he did. She had spent several hours going through as much information about them as she could, needing to avoid surprises as much as possible.

"Mom, Dad." Alex smiled at them, kissing his mother on the cheek. Neither of them greeted him in return. Instead, both of their gazes turned to Ellie, scanning her over and registering their disapproval.

"This is Ellie Collins," he introduced her.

"Wonderful to meet you both, Mr. and Mrs. King." She offered her hand to them and again, they both ignored the gesture.

"How long have you two known each other?" his mother, Miranda King, asked, dragging her judgmental stare from Ellie back to Alex.

"Two months," Alex lied smoothly.

Ellie shot him a quick look that went unnoticed by his parents. Alex was a playboy. In the portfolio Luke had presented her with, she had seen no evidence that he had ever been in a relationship for longer than a month. She wasn't complaining, though. One of her biggest obstacles was to survive in the 'relationship' for longer than all the other girls he'd been with.

"Oh, really?" His mother sounded surprised.

"Yes, really." He sighed, no doubt seeing the way his parents were throwing their guards up against her.

"Miss Collins, was it?" Arthur King looked over at her with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, but please, call me Ellie." She smiled, meeting his gaze with her own unwavering one. She was very used to his type—the rich, condescending millionaire.

"How did you meet my‌ son?"

She didn't miss the way he'd hesitated before he said 'son,' and she felt Alex tense next to her. For some reason, she had the urge to defend him.

Telling them where they really met didn't seem like the way to do it, though.

So instead, she pressed herself into his side and gazed up at him with what she hoped was an adoring look. "We just stumbled into each other at a coffee shop. I was trying to juggle coffee and lunch, and he saved me from spilling it all over myself. I suppose we just hit it off."

Just like that, Alex relaxed next to her. His parents exchanged glances before Arthur turned his gaze to her again. "Did you sleep with him yet? He's not worth much, just so you know."

Alex choked on his drink and twisted away to clear his throat. Ellie's jaw fell slack.

"Excuse me?" Both her eyebrows rose indignantly. "Not that it is any of your business, but no, I haven't slept with him. And what he's worth means nothing to me. I don't see why you'd even feel the need to go there."

Arthur looked taken aback by her standing up to him. Hell, she was even a bit surprised she'd done it.

"Is Phoebe here?" Alex interrupted before either of his parents could speak again.

"She's already waiting for us," his mother responded dryly, looking at Ellie like she'd grown a second head. She then grabbed her husband's arm and they turned toward the seating area.

"I'm really sorry about them," Alex whispered to Ellie as they walked behind his parents.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure you warned me about them in the two months we've known each other." She bumped him in the side with her elbow.

"Sorry about that, too. I really should have warned you, but I know if I'd told them the truth, they'd have reamed me. Thanks for lying for me."

"Well," she flashed him a flirty look as she slipped her hand up his forearm, tucking it into his elbow, "you can repay me later. For now, we have to play pretend for your parents."

They reached the table reserved for the King family, and a tall, willowy blonde jumped up and wrapped her arms around Alex.

"Xander! I'm in from Miami for two weeks and it takes five phone calls and countless text messages for me to see my brother? What is that about?"

"Sorry, I've been busy." He hugged her back quickly. "Ellie, this is my sister, Phoebe. Phoebs, this is Ellie, my date."

"Date?" Phoebe pulled away from him, her eyes immediately landing on Ellie and widening. "Well, you're gorgeous! What are you doing here with my brother?"

"Thank you." Ellie smiled, blushing for what seemed to be the millionth time that night. "It's lovely to meet you."

"Ah, no answer to the brother question then, huh? Oh, well, I'll get him to tell me how he got a hottie like you eventually." Phoebe shrugged, her bubbly personality obviously a far cry from her mother's.

Ellie just smiled at her and moved with Alex as he pulled her seat out for her. Almost immediately, she felt the scathing looks she was earning from Mr. and Mrs. King. Honestly, she was a bit surprised by the hostility between them and their eldest son. She remembered Alex saying he wasn't a daddy's boy,

but she'd expected him to be a little more than civil with his parents.

The event went late into the night, and things started to become a bit rowdier as the wine and champagne started flowing. She remained at the table with the King family, trying to diffuse some of the tension but failing. As the night progressed, she could sense Alex becoming more and more stressed and uncomfortable.

"Want to get a drink?" he asked, apparently unable to stand any more of the stuffy atmosphere at the table.

"Please." She tried not to sound too excited to leave his parents' presence.

He rested one hand on her lower back and led her toward the bar on the other side of the space. As they made their way through the crowds, a waiter rushed past her and bumped into her arm, sending the champagne glasses in his hand flying into the grass.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, miss!" He reached out to steady her as Alex did the same.

"Please, it was just an accident." She caught his eyes and felt her heart stutter when she recognized him. He was the man sent to clear out the hit that night. She'd worked with him before. Hell, he practically worked for her.

"Yes, well, my apologies." He recovered quickly just as she did. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine." She smiled at him and lifted her empty glass, which had survived the run-in.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked after the server had scurried off.

"It was just a little bump. I'm fine." Slipping her free hand around his arm again, she saw his gaze stray to her neckline. She knew he was using the tension between them to survive the strain among his family members.

"I'm really sorry about my parents. I knew they might be bad, but I didn't think they'd be so‌ difficult," he apologized for them yet again. She had the feeling he was used to doing so.

"Have I already done something to offend them?"

"No, my dad is just‌" He trailed off for a second. "He's just a prick, to be honest. It's a long story, but in short, I went into law when I was supposed to go into business so I could take over King Enterprises. Needless to say, everything I do now is wrong."

She felt another strange burst of protectiveness for the man getting ready to order her a drink. "You went into law, but you're successful in it. Is that not enough?"

"No, because it wasn't part of the ten-year plan he laid out for me." The bartender slid their drinks onto the counter and Alex moved hers closer to her waiting hand. "You're handling the painfully awkward situation wonderfully. I take it this isn't the first time you've been to one of these things."

"What? You mean I'm decent at schmoozing the heir to a multi-million-dollar company? Yes, I do it frequently." She smirked and he laughed.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but the perky blonde at the table is the heir, not me. Maybe you should be having drinks with her."

"Hm‌." She glanced through the crowds at his sister. "She's pretty, but I haven't been with a woman for a while. I suppose you'll have to do for now."

He paused for a second and stared at her, blue eyes touched with lust. "Are you serious?"

"No, but if it gets you off, you can pretend I am."

"Miss Collins, you are naughtier than you let on." He pulled her drink away from her mouth and replaced it with his lips. He kissed her, giving her a hint of the desire they'd been feeling toward each other all night.

"I aim to please, Mr. King." She slipped her fingers into his hair, tugging lightly before letting go.

They both retrieved their drinks and reluctantly turned toward the table again.

"I don't want to go back to that table," he admitted, his eyes meeting hers.

Before she had the opportunity to tell him she was ready to leave whenever he was, a crashing sound came from the head table. As people gasped and screamed, they could vaguely hear the hostess of the event screeching for somebody to call 911.

The woman was leaning over her husband, who had fallen from his chair and collapsed to the ground.

His hand had dropped from where it was clutching his chest and his face was already frozen. His heart had stopped seconds before.

Despite the ingrained urge to be glad another member of her team had completed a job and done it well, she knew she had to play the damsel in distress. It was up to the assigned person to see to it the job was completed.

The organized event quickly fell into nearhysteria. People were rushing around, either screaming or calling out for another. There were people yelling for an ambulance while someone performed CPR on the man.

What surprised her was Alex's reaction and her response to it. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest, blocking her from seeing

what was going on. Contrary to the fear any normal woman would have felt, she became acutely aware of the solid muscle she was pressed against and how good he smelled. He led her through the crowds being ushered out by security, toward the line of people waiting for their cars.

"Tom Carter would decide to die during a charity event," Arthur King muttered as he and Miranda joined them. Alex just rolled his eyes and turned to Ellie, staring down at her with genuine concern in his eyes. For a split second, guilt fluttered through her as she remembered she was playing him.

"Are you okay?" He seemed to ignore the looks he was receiving from his parents.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She flashed a small smile at him.

They reached the front of the line and the valet pulled Alex's car around. He started to open the door for Ellie, but his mom interrupted.

"Aren't you going to say good-bye?"

"I wasn't aware we were talking enough for good-byes to be exchanged." He moved away from the car and hugged his sister. "Bye, Phoebe. Call me before you head back to Miami and we'll do dinner."

"Bye, Xander." His sister waved as he stepped back toward the car.

"Mom, Dad." He nodded in their direction and pulled the door open for Ellie. She slipped into the car and he climbed into the driver's seat next to her, pulling away from the curb and leaving his parents and sister behind them.

They were quickly caught up in the traffic caused by all the people leaving and he sat back heavily against the seat, running his hand through his hair.

"I swear I'm normally a better date than this." He sighed, laughing lightly. "Given, normally I don't introduce women to my parents at all, let alone on the second date."

"No one said we had to end the date now. There are still a few hours left in the night. You've got time to make up for it." She glanced over at him from the corner of her eye and saw his eyebrows raise as his gaze darted over to her.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." He grinned. "Have I mentioned you look really good in that dress?"

She smirked. "I take it we're heading to your place then?"

"Yes, ma'am."

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