Say the Word (39 page)

I laughed as Bash struggled to untie the corset, and he glared at me. “I’m about to cut you out of this thing,” he threatened, the serious look in his eyes telling me his words were no idle threat.

“Here,” I said, turning in his arms so he had better access to the laces at my back.

His hands worked faster now, finally making some headway and loosening the ties enough to slide the corset off. As it fell to the floor, Bash’s hands skimmed from the small of my back, around my bare hips, and finally to my breasts. I pressed into his touch, my head resting against his shoulder blade and my eyes locked on his bed across the loft. Just above it, the photograph of our tree was visible even in the shadows — a perfect beacon of the past, its beauty immortalized forever on canvas.

My breaths grew ragged and my focus went fuzzy as one of Bash’s hands worked its way down my body, his expert fingers quickly making my knees go weak. When he felt me beginning to lose control, he spun me around in his arms to face him. Leaning down, he gently pulled the gartered stockings from my feet, pressing a kiss to each kneecap as he did so. On his journey back upward, Bash kissed a path along my body, stopping at a few sensitive areas that made me gasp and weave my fingers into his hair, pressing him as close against me as I could manage.

A moan slipped from my lips — a low, instinctual sound that reverberated in my throat — and at the noise, Bash abruptly stood, hiked his hands beneath my thighs, and lifted me against him. I wrapped my legs around his waist and kissed his neck as he strode toward the bed, carrying me with hurried impatience.

It had been a long seven years, waiting for this moment.

When he lowered me onto the bed, I fell back against plush down pillows and watched through half-closed eyes as one by one, he removed his shoes, undid his belt, and let what was left of his clothing drop to the floor.

“I can’t believe you’re here, in my bed.” His voice was husky with lust, deeper than I’d ever heard it. “I’ve had this dream, over and over, so many nights I’ve lost count. I keep thinking any minute I’ll wake up and you’ll be gone, just another figment of my past I can’t get back.”

I didn’t think about repercussions or consequences. I didn’t think about anything but Sebastian, and how desperately I needed to feel his bare skin on mine. I extended my hand up to him. “Touch me, Bash. I’m no dream — I’m real.” My voice was breathy. “Touch me.
Please
.”

At my words, his restraint shredded completely. He was on me,
in
me, before he’d even settled fully on the bed, his thrust making us both gasp in unison at the feeling of being whole again, rejoined and connected, for the first time in so long I’d nearly forgotten what it could be like. Our eyes locked, the inferno of passion blazing so strongly between us I thought his gaze might burn me to ashes, but I couldn’t look away.

My view was perfection — the man I loved hovering over me and, on the wall above us, a gorgeous backdrop of the most beautiful oak tree in the world. And, to me, it was somehow right, somehow
perfect
, that after all this time, our joining should happen once again beneath the shadows of our tree, sheltered under its sweeping boughs as we’d been one spring day a million afternoons ago… Back when we were two dumb kids, fumbling and stumbling upon the joys of one another for the first time. Young and in love and, for a brief time, full of infinite dreams for a bright future together.

Those kids we’d been weren’t gone — they were still inside us, calling out in ecstasy at having found each other again after all this time. And as the grown man and woman we’d become reveled in the joy of rediscovering each other, so did the souls of our youth. They sang out, a hymn of passion and reunion, their joyous melody guiding me down the path to sheer oblivion, and I felt my chest swell with pressure.

I felt a short, sharp sensation within the left side of my breast — a pang, as though my chest was overflowing with too much blood — followed by the most intense feeling of completeness, of utter
wholeness
I’d ever experienced. Pleasure built to a tipping point, crashing me down into release, and my last thought as I spun madly into euphoria was that after seven long years, it had finally happened.

I had my heart back.

I used the illuminated screen from my cellphone to guide me around the loft. A glance back at the bed revealed that Bash was still fast asleep, sprawled across the down comforter with his limbs askew. I wanted nothing more than to climb back in bed with him, but that would have to wait for a while.

I had something to do first.

The familiar ping of my cellphone receiving a text message had woken me from a deep slumber. I’d opened my eyes to find my limbs completely entwined with Bash’s. His leg was wrapped around mine, one arm was thrown over my midsection, and his face was nestled into the hollow of my throat. I’d smiled as I slowly untangled myself from the knot of limbs and linens on the bed, moving cautiously so as not to wake him. There were deep shadows under his eyes from one too many sleepless nights of work and worry. It was easy to forget that in addition to everything we now knew about
Labyrinth
, the weight of the entire Centennial issue was on his shoulders as well.

Bash stirred once as I worked myself free, but simply shifted and sighed before falling back into a deep sleep. When I managed to make my way to the edge of the bed, I turned back around to look at him with a small smile on my lips. I wasn’t sure how I’d managed to survive so long without seeing his face every day, without hearing his laugh or being the subject of his jokes, but I wasn’t going to do it anymore.

Screw the honorable Senator Andrew Covington and his NDA. If he wanted to play hardball with me — threaten to take my parents’ house, come after me for repayment of Jamie’s medical bills, or demand restitution for breaking the terms of our contract — that was just fine. After what I’d learned tonight at
Labyrinth
, there was only one of us who should be worried about the fallout from their actions — and it wasn’t me.

When I reached the center of the loft, I grabbed Bash’s discarded white button down and pulled it on. In the darkness, I stubbed my toe on his coffee table, letting out a subdued scream of pain as I hopped silently toward the countertop where I’d left my purse. I pulled my cellphone out just as another low
ping sounded, alerting me to an incoming text. Sliding my finger across the screen, I saw I had three unanswered messages from Fae.

Fae: Are you awake?

Fae: Are you awake now?

Fae: How are you possibly still asleep? If you don’t text back, I’m coming over.

Lux: I’m here. Relax.

Fae: Well, I was worried. You didn’t text me after your super secret mission.

Lux: Long story — will explain in person.

Fae: Perfect! Come downstairs.

Lux: What?

Fae: I’m here. Come to the parking garage — black limo waiting by the elevator.

Lux: What on earth are you doing here?

Fae: Just come down and I’ll explain everything. Don’t bring your boy toy.

Lux: I’m getting the feeling I’m not going to like whatever you have to say…

Fae: COME DOWN.

Lux: What if this isn’t even Fae? What if it’s someone who stole Fae’s phone and is trying to kidnap me?

Fae:  You have watched way too many Lifetime murder mysteries. It’s me.

Lux: Prove it.

Fae: Fine. Your deepest regret — last summer you were eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s as you walked down 42
nd
. You dropped your spoon on the dirty sidewalk. Rather than let your ice cream melt, you wiped off the spoon on your t-shirt, stuck it back in your mouth, and proceeded to eat the entire pint.

Lux: I’ll be down in a second.

I tripped
more than once on the too-large sweatpants I’d borrowed from Bash’s closet, but eventually I made it downstairs to the parking garage. Stepping out of the elevator, I spotted the limo immediately — as well as my best friend, who was leaning against it with an amused smile on her face, totally unbothered by the fact that it was three in the morning. She was dressed in all black again — her designer version of “stealth attire” — and exuding a poised, confident air. Or, at least, she was until she caught sight of me in Bash’s clothes.

“Ohmigod!” Her smile was so wide and bright I feared it might blind me. “You totally got some.”

“Shut up,” I grumbled coming to a stop next to her.

“I need details. Like, very explicit, graphic, step-by-step details of everything that happened since I last saw you.” She grinned. “Simon is gonna flip! He owes me twenty bucks.”

“You two
bet
on whether or not I’d have sex with Bash tonight?”

She nodded. “Simon thought you’d hold out till after Centennial, but my money was on tonight!”

“That is beyond disturbing. You do realize that, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” She shrugged, still grinning. “But I’m pretty sure you should be eternally indebted to me, since I was the one who found that
bustier and garter set on sale.” She arched an eyebrow at me as a scarlet blush stole across my cheeks. “Oh yeah, you totally owe me, you little slut.”

“Was this the reason you dragged me out of bed and away from the best sex of my life at three in the morning?” I asked.

“No, it’s not the reason,” Fae said, sighing.

“Then what is it?”

The sound of the back window rolling down in the limo had both of us swiveling our heads in the direction of the automated glass pane. A male voice called out from the back seat. “That would be me. I’m the reason.”

Fae rolled her eyes. “No need to be so dramatic, Gallagher.”

“No need to waste my time, Montgomery,” the man fired back.

My brows went up.

“Just get in the car. He’ll explain everything better than I can,” Fae said, pulling open the back passenger door and climbing inside the dark limo. After a brief moment of deliberation, I sighed and followed her in. As I settled onto the seat on the right side of the car, I was surprised to see an attractive man with stunning blue eyes, a day’s worth of stubble, and well-mussed, overgrown black hair falling over his eyes, sitting in the seat directly across from me. He was probably in his late twenties or early thirties, wearing a rumpled black suit that needed some serious attention from an iron.

“Ms. Kincaid?” he asked.

I nodded.

“I’m Agent Gallagher.” The man leaned forward and extended his hand, and I shook it hesitantly after a quick glance at Fae. She nodded reassuringly. “I’m with the FBI. I believe Fae told you about me?”

“Oh, wow,” I stammered, casting a scathing glance at Fae. “Yes, sir, I’m sorry — Fae didn’t warn me you’d be coming. I would’ve dressed…” I trailed off, mortified by the fact that I wasn’t even wearing a bra in front of this super-hot, deadly-serious federal agent. Really, couldn’t she have given me even a five-minute head’s up?

“Not a problem, Ms. Kincaid. I’m sorry to wake you at this hour, but I needed this meeting to be as private as possible.” His eyes were beautiful but held no humor or comfort. “I work with the New York field office, in the Organized Crime unit.” He flashed a shiny gold badge at me from across the limo.

“You’re the one who got the dossier on
Labyrinth
,” I said, putting the pieces together. I turned to Fae. “This is your
guy
.”

She nodded, and a small smile twitched her lips up at the corners.

Agent Gallagher cast a brief glance at her from his peripherals, before turning his attention back to me. “Ms. Kincaid, I’ve been aware of your investigation for a while now.”

“You have?” I was dumbfounded.

“Believe me, you’re not the only one who’s been keeping close watch on that brewery. I’ve been working this case for nearly two years now, and before my partner died, he worked it for five.” Sadness flickered in the depths of his eyes. “I nearly pulled you out of there twice, afraid you were going to jeopardize my entire investigation.”

“Oh, jeeze.” I gulped. “I’m sorry, Agent Gallagher, I had no idea…”

“I know.” He nodded in acknowledgement. “But these are dangerous people, Ms. Kincaid. You can’t get too close without disappearing. My partner was a good man, but he stepped on too many toes. Made a lot of enemies.”

“So that’s why you’re here? You want me to back off?” I asked, beginning to deflate at the prospect.

Agent Gallagher leveled me with a serious look. “Not exactly,” he said, leaning forward. His eyes were suddenly intense. “I’ve been trying to get eyes inside
Labyrinth
for months, with no success. I don’t have enough cause for a search warrant, and breaking in would be impossible — it’s a fortress. Every perimeter is closely monitored by armed guards and more cameras than you can count. You can’t get in unless you’re a member.”

Comprehension came swiftly. “That’s why you helped me. You knew I could get in, with Sebastian’s help.”

“I shouldn’t have given you that dossier. If my boss found out — let’s just say this city would have one less FBI agent walking its streets come tomorrow morning. But when Fae contacted me and told me about you and your boyfriend… Things just seemed to fall into place. I gave you the information you needed, left you on a long leash, and let you run. I knew anything you saw inside could potentially help my investigation.”