Codename Summer (Undercover Embassy, Book Four) (3 page)

“Isn’t that a bit hypocritical?” Instead of resisting his hold, she moved closer, easing the pressure on her scalp as her breasts brushed against his chest. “You let the Gathosians flow through your mind and inhabit your body. What’s the difference? We’re both doing what we must to survive.”

“Surviving on a Gathosian-occupied world requires obedience.” He wrapped his free arm around her waist and drew her flush with his body. “The Resistance is a futile endeavor that is likely to get you killed.”

Cursing the layers of clothes separating their skin, she gazed into his eyes. “Participating in the Resistance is the only thing that keeps me going. Without some flicker of hope, life isn’t worth living.”

“But it’s pointless.” His expression hardened and he pushed her away. “I’ve seen it over and over. Uprisings are nothing new to the Gathosians. They know how to extinguish a rebellion better than anyone.”

“Then why does the Resistance still exist?” Unused to stilettos, Saroji kicked off her shoes and wiggled her toes.

“You were a miniscule annoyance, not worth the effort to address.”

“‘Were’?” She rubbed her sides with a frustrated groan. The bustier was cutting into her ribs and constricting her breathing. No wonder ambassadors were so eager to strip. Their costumes were torturous. “Does that mean we’re more than annoying now?”

“As soon as they realize Evard is still alive, they’ll—”

“What makes you think he’s still alive? We tried to rescue him. That’s true, but he was shot during the escape and didn’t survive.”

“Yeah, I read the guards’ reports. But I also know what it takes to kill a Bartonese in his prime. Evard is still alive and it’s only a matter of time before the Gathosians figure it out.” He crossed to the dining table and poured himself a drink. “Do you want something?”

“Whatever you’re having would be fine.”

He chuckled. “Pryett fire ale? Are you sure?”

She moved toward him, ridiculously aware of her naked pussy beneath her short skirt. All he had to do was reach beneath or bend her over and she’d be exposed and accessible. “I’m half Pryett, remember? I had fire ale for the first time when I was…far too young to be drinking fire ale.” She smiled as he passed her a glass of the reddish liquid.

He leaned back against the table as he studied her. “Where is Evard stashed? Needless to say, they’ll want him back.”

She paused for a couple of slow sips before responding. “I have a better question. Why didn’t you do anything to prevent his rescue? You were there, Malik. Are you going to pretend you didn’t know what Spring was trying to accomplish?”

His lips curved as he raised his glass, making his expression hard to read. “I was focused on my mission.”

“Bullshit. You knew exactly what was about to happen and you walked away.”

He shrugged then set his half-drained glass aside. “Does that mean I still have a soul, or am I just growing careless?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

His brow arched and a lazy smile parted his lips. “At least you’re honest. Why don’t we continue in that vein? What was Evard really working on, and why was it necessary to blow up the lab?”

“How much of this is your speculation and how much do the Gathosians know for sure?”

“Why would you believe anything I told you? I’m their lapdog, remember?” Bitterness flickered in his gaze before he managed to conceal it. He was not as immune to the need for freedom as he wanted her to believe.

“If you knew I was Summer, why did you arrange this meeting? You know I won’t tell you anything that will endanger the Resistance.”

“And you could have sent someone else in your place. I would have called your bluff, of course. But you’re here because you wanted to see me.”

“I don’t deny it.” She reached around him to set her glass down then placed her hand on his upper arm. “I’ve always found pleasure in your arms, and pleasure is in short supply on this world.”

“So this is about pleasure and only pleasure?” His gaze narrowed and his muscles flexed beneath her fingers.

Her attitude angered him, as she’d intended. She wasn’t ready to offer more than her body. He’d have to earn her trust first and she wasn’t sure he was capable of the task. Pleasure, on the other hand, flowed naturally and effortlessly between them. It always had.

“Did you have something else in mind?”

For a long, strained moment he stared at her, his expression carefully guarded. Then his gaze swept the length of her body and he said, “You said you’re mine to do with as I will. So prove it. I want you naked and on your knees.”

Chapter Two

Malik’s gut clenched as he watched Saroji undress. She was easily the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, with pale-blonde hair and flawless skin providing the perfect setting for her unusual eyes. Framed by thick dark lashes, her eyes could shift from silver to midnight blue and every shade in between.

She slipped off her jacket and unzipped her skirt, wiggling a bit as the teasing fabric slipped over her hips. Black stockings highlighted her shapely legs and led his gaze to her bare pussy. She turned, presenting him with her back and the tantalizing curve of her ass.

“Could you unlace me?”

He was tempted to have her leave the bustier in place. The garment sculpted her figure into an intriguing hourglass, but he wanted access to her nipples. With determined tugs he freed the laces and pulled the garment away from her skin.

She stretched and rubbed her torso, releasing an appreciative sigh. “Thank God! I’d forgotten what it felt like to breathe.”

He might have freed her breathing but
his
chest felt so damn tight he could hardly fill his lungs. “Give me your stockings.”

Turning slightly to the side, she displayed her figure to perfection as she bent and rolled the stockings down her legs. His cock rose, thick and hard, pressing against his zipper with enough force to make him groan.

She handed him the stockings, not asking why he wanted them. The gleam in her gaze assured him she knew exactly what he had in mind. She liked to be bound, came faster and harder when she was at his mercy.

“On your knees.” His voice rasped over the words and his balls felt heavy and tight.

He helped her kneel and she put her hands behind her back so he could secure them with one of the stockings. After snugly binding her wrists he looked at her ankles. No, he had a better idea. Moving in front of her, he wrapped the stocking around her throat, and her eyes widened. She needed to trust him, as she had when they first met.

As she had before he broke her heart.

The thought constricted his heart and he whispered, “Relax. This is about pleasure, not pain.” He hadn’t meant to soothe her but the words just slipped out. He used the stocking to form a makeshift collar and left a small length resting on her upper chest. If he grasped the miniature leash the stocking would pull on the back of her neck, not choke her. “Move your legs farther apart.” She did and her outer lips separated, allowing him to see her flushed folds.

He stepped back and took in her beauty, savoring the tension as his cock ached for attention.

She didn’t speak but she glanced up through her lashes. Uncertainty had crept into her gaze and the last thing he wanted was her fear. “You are even more beautiful than I remembered.” Her lashes lowered, shielding her gaze. Annoyed by her retreat, he closed the distance between them and raised her chin until she met his gaze. “Don’t hide from me. If you won’t let me share your emotions, I must be able to see your eyes.”

“I’m sorry, Sir.”

He traced her bottom lip with his thumb, fascinated by the softness. He wanted to kiss her, knew how readily she responded to the intimate twining of tongues and the intoxicating slide of lips. But she was Summer, and he didn’t kiss pleasure ambassadors.

With a frustrated sigh, he unfastened his pants and freed his cock. He was fully dressed and she was naked. He stood and she knelt. Each detail was intentional and necessary for his pleasure. And hers. Grasping the end of the stocking with one hand and his shaft with the other, he guided his cock into her mouth.

She swirled her tongue around the tip and drew on him with slow, firm suction. For a long time he let her play, enjoying each soft lick and the persistent sucking of her warm mouth. Her eyes were closed and her head slightly tilted as she lavished attention on his needful cock.

His balls pulled up tight against his body, aching with the need to release. He fought back the urge, determined to take his time and savor each tingle. His hand tightened on the end of the stocking and he pulled his hips back, watching his cock emerge from her mouth.

Her gaze rose as he pushed back in and it nearly snapped his control. Burning with blue fire and unrestrained passion, her eyes softly glowed. He took her face between his hands and steadily fucked her mouth as he stared into her eyes.

Unable to restrain the urge, he brushed against her mind. She was only half Bartonese. He could easily overpower her but that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted her to open for him, to accept him into her mind as she allowed him inside her body.

She closed her eyes and her lips released for a second before reestablishing the ring of pressure. Damn her! The message was clear. She was willing to fuck him, but that was all.

Angry and frustrated, he pulled out of her warm, wet mouth and quickly finished with his hand. His seed jetted from his cock, beading on her breasts, a mocking tribute to her stubbornness.

“Why?” He trailed his finger through the cloudy liquid, enjoying his scent rising from her skin. “I’ve been in your mind before. Why refuse me now?”

Saroji licked her lips, trying desperately to calm her breathing before she spoke. “We weren’t enemies then.” His fingers caught her nipple and gently squeezed, sending sensations cascading from her breast to her pussy.

“I need to share your emotions for my pleasure to reach its full potential. You’re half Bartonese. You understand what I mean.” He worked her other nipple into a tight peak, his gaze stubbornly fixed on her breasts.

“I can’t trust you not to snoop around.” She fidgeted, unsure if she wanted more superficial fucking while the past loomed between them. “You understand the danger of revealing too much to the enemy.”

His gaze finally rose but his expression was shuttered. He released a heavy sigh and moved behind her. After untying her hands, he helped her to her feet and turned her to face him. “I’m not your enemy.”

“Then prove it. Tell me something that will help the Resistance.”

“Is this why you’re here? You’re trying to recruit me?” He laughed and shook his head. “You’re the one with the death wish, sweetheart, not me.”

“Neutrality is no longer an option. Can you really stand back and watch this world burn, then head off with those bastards to ravage the next one?”

“I’ve done it before.”

Though his expression remained blank, she heard pain in his voice. “Then learn from your mistakes. Make different choices. No one is beyond redemption.”

“It’s not that simple and you know it.” He ran his hand through his hair and stared past her. “I could tell you everything I’ve learned about the Gathosians, their weaknesses, exactly where and how to strike. But it wouldn’t do you any good. You can’t defeat them.”

“You have a rather pronounced opinion of us, considering how little you know.”

He took her by the shoulders and drew her toward him. “I’ve seen it before. If the rebellion starts building steam they’ll close up shop and pull out. Do you understand what that means? They’ll take the compound with them. Everyone will die a slow and excruciating death. Not only is the formula for the compound their most closely guarded secret, it contains things not found on Earth.”

She wanted to tell him that Evard had cracked the code. That he’d figured out an antidote for the dreaded compound, but common sense held her back. She couldn’t trust Malik. Experience had taught her that lesson with painful clarity.

“Unless…” His gaze bore into hers, his fingers lightly squeezing her shoulders. “Did that sneaky lab rat actually do it? Has Evard found some sort of cure?”

She lowered her gaze with the blink of her eyes, unable to hide the truth from him. “For the sake of argument, let’s say he did. Would that change the equation? Do you have information that could help us put together a viable strategy?”

He didn’t reply for a long time, so she looked up. He was staring off into the distance, speculation etched into every feature. She knew the look, understood what it meant. Possibilities. For the first time in a very long time, he was allowing himself to hope.

“For the sake of argument—” His gaze shifted back to her face, intense and challenging. “Let’s say I do. How the hell would I stay alive? You can’t stage my death like you did with Evard. They’ll never fall for the same trick twice.”

“Evard is the one who told us how to rescue him. It wouldn’t have been possible without his input.”

“Go put on a bathrobe or something,” he grumbled, his hands slipping from her shoulders. “I need to think and that’s not going to happen as long as you’re naked.”

Thrilled with the opportunity for a moment alone, Saroji made a beeline for the bathroom. She closed herself inside and leaned against the door, releasing a ragged sigh. Was this really happening? If she could convince Malik to assist them… A violent shiver interrupted her optimism. She couldn’t trust him. He’d betrayed her during their betrothal, and he’d betrayed her when fate brought them back together again.

No, that wasn’t fair. The fiasco on Barton had been entirely his doing, but what happened on Earth was convoluted. He’d pursued her and used the authority of his position in an attempt to bend her to his will, but his resolve had never wavered. He’d insisted that he loved her and wanted her as his mate. And then her brother had tried to kill him.

She shook away the useless thoughts and crossed to the vanity. All she could do was proceed with the utmost caution. Malik was uniquely placed within the Gathosian power structure. He had access to information that would be invaluable—if she could trust him.

Wide haunted eyes gazed back at her from the mirror. Why had she ever thought she could control this situation? Her attraction to Malik had always been electric. It had been foolish to think she could keep her emotions separated from the pleasure they brought each other.

Her breasts were streaked with come and his scent filled her head each time she inhaled. She untied the makeshift collar and set the stocking aside. A hollow ache erupted low in her belly. This wasn’t real. Malik was an assignment, perhaps the most important assignment she would ever undertake. She had to find some objectivity.

She turned on the water and reached for a washcloth. A shower would have been even better, but he hadn’t given her permission and she needed to strike while the iron was hot. After washing her face and chest, she slipped into a bathrobe and tightened the belt.

Her heart lurched as she faced the door. She had to leave the past behind. Focusing on the present was the only way to make the future worth living. She pushed the door open and returned to her assignment.

He sat on one of the sofas, looking composed and gorgeous. He’d tied his hair back and poured himself another glass of fire ale. “How would you have reacted when Ra’jen rushed to your ‘rescue’ if I hadn’t had you restrained?”

So much for leaving the past behind. “What happened between us should have no bearing on your decisions now.”

“I have a hard time being rational where you’re concerned.” He patted the cushion beside him, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “If you haven’t noticed, I tend to turn possessive and overbearing whenever you’re around.”

As soon as he touched her any hope of logic would abandon her, so she sat in the chair facing him, separated by the coffee table. “If I hadn’t been bound I would have tried to stop Ra’jen.” She chose her words carefully, not wanting to reveal too much. “But I’m not sure it would have mattered. He was in a blind rage. I doubt any force on the planet could have made him see reason. That was thirteen months ago. Why did you allow me to believe you were dead?”

He took a sip of ale, his expression revealing nothing. “It took me months to regenerate, months with nothing to do but think about how foolish it was to chase after a woman who didn’t want me. I’d just about convinced myself to focus my energies elsewhere when my investigation led me to the embassy.” He paused for another sip, then his voice grew hushed as he asked, “Do you consider my claim valid?”

“Oh for God’s sake.” She pushed to her feet and headed for the beverage tray. “There are far more important things for us to discuss than a moldering contract. Both of our planets have been abandoned. Our societies no longer exist.”

“We belong to a dying race, which is all the more reason to proceed with the bonding.” His voice was low and dark, filled with emotions too complex to name.

She returned to her chair with a frothy glass of fire ale, pausing for several sips while she organized her thoughts. “If you honestly felt this way about me, why did you intentionally drive me away?” Emotion welled within her, making her lips tremble and her hands shake. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about. Why was he doing this to her?

He stood and set his glass down on the coffee table. “Fine. Let’s go back to the beginning.” Shoving the table aside, he knelt in front of her and rested his forearms across her knees. “Were you pleased by the announcement of our joining?”

“You know I wasn’t. I was mad as hell and so were you.”

“That’s right.” He took her glass and set it aside, insisting on her undivided attention. “We were both resentful and distant when we first met, but that didn’t even last through our first dance. Our attraction was instantaneous and powerful.”

She pressed her lips together and looked away as vivid memories assailed her. He’d seemed dark and dangerous, yet sensual and charming, far more than any young woman could withstand. “I opened my heart and allowed myself to imagine a life at your side.”