Devotion (The Seductors Series Book 3) (13 page)

“I’ve had enough,” I called, picking up my clothes that were scattered all over the floor.

“Jade, slow down. Don’t leave like this. It’s not even midnight. I thought you were going to spend the night with me.”

“It’s too dangerous,” I mumbled, rushing into the bathroom to get changed.

Oliver was pacing the bedroom when I came out.

“You can’t leave like this. We haven’t even really had the chance to talk, there is so much more I want to ask you,” he pleaded, pulling me into his arms.   

“It doesn’t matter how much we
talk.
I’m not going to say what you want to hear.”

Oliver lifted my chin, making me gaze directly into his eyes. “Tell me you don’t love me, Jade. I’ve spent my whole life waiting for you, and I’m not going to give up on you until you’ve proven me wrong.”

Closing my eyes for a few short moments and trying not to be affected by his fingertips gently stroking the side of my face, I found the courage to set him free.

“I don’t love you, Oliver.” He studied my face before I watched his whole world fall apart in his eyes. His hands dropped instantly to his sides.
  

“Just go,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry. Truly, I am,” I whimpered.

“Please just leave. This is hard enough for me,” he mumbled before turning away from me. I knew walking away from him in that hotel room would be the hardest thing I’d ever done, but I was left with no choice. I couldn’t risk him searching for me again.

After picking up my coat and bag, I took one more glance at Oliver with his back to me, then left.

I only made it to the elevator when he caught up with me. “You forgot this,” he sighed, handing me the briefcase. Shit. I’d forgotten about the mission.

“Oh, thanks,” I smiled awkwardly as the elevator doors opened.

“Are you really going to leave like this?”

“You're delusional. It’s not fair to either of us if I stay any longer.”

“Okay, I won’t get heavy. Please don’t go yet.”

“You’re the one who just told me to leave.”

“I know, I’m sorry. This is all a lot to take in. Don’t go…not yet. I had to move heaven and earth to find you. Stay the night. Please?”

“On one condition,” I cautioned.

“Anything.”

“When I leave in the morning, that’s it. You won’t look for me again.” With a deep sigh, he nodded. “Okay. I might charge you by the hour, though,” I grinned.

“I could never see you as a prostitute, Jade.”

“That just shows how little you know me.” When Oliver didn’t say anything, I simply followed him back into the hotel room.

“Are you still hungry?” I shook my head. I
was
hungry, but not for food. “You have that look on your face again,” he smirked, stalking toward me.

“What look?” I batted my eyelashes innocently at him.

“You can stop with the innocent eyes, too. I’ve seen how you really fuck.” I felt a gush of wetness between my legs at his words. “I think you should let me return the favor.”

“Isn’t that the reason you asked me back here?” I smirked, dropping my bag and coat. Oliver scooped me up in his arms, crashing his lips against mine as he carried me to the bed.

“Don’t you
ever
get tired?” Oliver panted from where he lay beside me.

“I have an extremely high sex drive.” I moved onto my side, propping myself up by leaning on my elbow.
 

“No,
I
have a high sex drive. You…you’re something else.”

“It’s tools of the trade. It helps to have stamina in my line of work.”

“So, you’re the best at what you do?”

“Yes.”

“And that was why you were assigned to me?” I nodded. “I never thought these kind of organizations existed. It’s scary to think what you could have stolen from me if you hadn’t have had a change of heart.”

“Sex can get you anything, Oliver. It’s a powerful tool.”
 

“I’m starting to see that. I’ll have to be even more cautious in the future.”

“You have amazing security in place. Don’t worry about your judgment. This scenario will never come up again.”

“That’s easy for you to say, you aren’t in control of a nuclear weapon that everyone wants.”

“It’s been destroyed.”

“It doesn’t stop me worrying that someone has been double crossing me.”

“Do you want a beer from the mini bar? I’m a little thirsty.”

“Sure.” He stretched, sitting up as I got out of bed. “What will you be doing after this mission?” he asked as I handed him a cold beer.

“Another top assignment.”

“So…you’ll sleep with your next target, then?” He seemed to be struggling with his words.
  

“Probably. It’s my job after all.”

“You could be so much more, Jade. You’re smart, beautiful, witty… The list is endless.”

“That’s the wrong list. Vindictive, deceitful, liar, and thief are closer to my personality. I’m better suited to this type of work.”

“I never realized you hated yourself so much.”

“Don’t pretend to know me, Oliver. I’ll leave, and this time you won’t be able to persuade me to come back and spend the night with you. Don’t cross the line. You can’t break me.”

“I’m not trying to break you, Jade. I’m trying to understand you.”

“I don’t
need
you to understand me!” I bolted off the bed in a fit of rage. “I hardly understand myself sometimes. I don’t need anyone else trying to get inside my head.”

“Why do you get so defensive?”

“I don’t want
anyone
worrying about me!”  

“It’s a little late for that now, don’t you think?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“How you really feel. What do you want, Jade?”
You!
My heart, mind, and soul wanted him, but I couldn’t tell him that.

“I don’t want to feel this guilt hanging over me because of what happened to my sister. I wish that I could love myself rather than hate the reflection I see in the mirror every single day. I
want
to be a good person, but I was a bad soul from the moment I was born. Does that answer your question?”

“You’re not a bad person, why can’t you see that?”

“I’ve never been able to love myself, my father made sure of that long ago.”

“I could love you enough for the both of us, if you just gave me a chance.”

“Stop!” I stressed, pulling at my hair. “I can’t run away with you, Oliver. They’d find me. I have a tracking device implanted inside my body.”

“What? That’s disgusting. You’re not some animal!”

“It’s for our safety. Our whereabouts can be monitored if a mission goes south.”

“It’s still wrong.”

“It’s one of our many rules. We have no choice in the matter.”

“Your company is very advanced. Where do you gain all your resources?”

“We can tap into
everything
. We have eyes everywhere.”

“Is that so? How?” he mused, shocked.

“How do you think? We monitor other important systems.”

“Your company is playing with fire, Jade. If the world ever found out about this and what they were capable of…”

“We’re unbreachable. Our company is rumored to have been running for over one hundred years. If you keep digging, you’ll get yourself killed. Oliver, promise me…this ends here.”

“I have no other leads. I need to find out who is trying to steal from me.”

“So you lied. You didn’t do all this just to see me, did you? What? You thought you could get all the answers from me? Is that what all of this is about?”

“No, Jade, I wanted…”

“I can’t help you, Oliver. I’ve already put my life on the line. You can’t ask me to do that again. Let it go. The power core has been destroyed. It’s over.”  

“You must know something. All I’m asking for is a name.”

“Don’t make me beat your ass. I. Can’t. Help. You!”

“You won’t hurt me, not physically.” I sighed, shaking my head as I joined him back on the bed. “What if it isn’t over? They have the blueprints and the prototype. What if they work it out? Macy will be in danger and so will you. How can I protect you when I have no idea where you are?”
 

“It’s not your job to protect me.” I smiled sadly, stroking his face. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t want to lose you again, Jade. I can’t bear the thought of you leaving me in the morning.”

“I was never yours to keep. I played you and made you feel this way. In time, you’ll realize what a heartless bitch I am and move on.” Oliver surprised me by crashing his lips against mine, pressing my body into the mattress as he hovered over me.

His lips weren’t hurried as they caressed every inch of my body. I knew what was he was doing, though. When my entire body was on fire from his gentle touches, he slowly eased inside me and made love to me slowly yet passionately.

Silently I knew what he was trying to say. He’d never see me any differently. Deep down, even after time, he’d still love me. Not shy Jade, either—he loved the
real
me
.

I lay in the darkness. Oliver’s arms were wrapped tightly around me while he slept. If only his arms could keep me bound to him. They couldn’t, though. I had to sneak out. He wasn’t going to let me go, and I didn’t want an emotional goodbye in the morning.

Breaking free from his hold, I was careful not to wake him as I slid out of bed. I had collected all my clothes and was starting to get dressed when a dim light suddenly came on.
Damn it!
He should have been out cold from exhaustion considering all the sex we’d had last night.

“Disappearing in the night again, are you?” His voice was emotionless.

“I have to go, Oliver. I have things to prepare for.”

“Your next mission?” I nodded. “Don’t forget the briefcase, then. It’s by the door.” He was giving up that easily? As I finished getting ready, Oliver watched me carefully. After checking my hair in the mirror, I turned around to face him.

“Thank you, Oliver. It was an eventful evening.”

“Everything that involves you has been eventful,” he smirked, getting up and making his way across the room to me.

“Promise me you won’t go after my client,” I pleaded, touching his chest softly. “I need to know that you won’t do anything stupid.”

“I can’t make that promise, Jade.”

“You are so fucking stubborn!”

“Right back at you,” he chuckled, pulling me into his arms. “Thank you, Jade. For everything.” Slowly, he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine, pouring all his love into a sweet and sensual kiss. “I could have loved you and made you love yourself if you’d given me the chance.”
  

“Some people are beyond saving,” I whispered against his lips. “Just be happy and stay safe, Oliver. That’s all I want for you.” I pulled away, fighting the hold he still had on me. Reluctantly, he finally let me go. I picked up the briefcase and my belongings, then with one last glance at him, I left.

“You’re acting really weird,” Georgie stated, eying me suspiciously.

“I’m trying to research my new target. If you’re going to keep bugging me, I’ll go outside. How many times do I need to tell you that
I’m fine
?”

“I’m your friend. It’s my damn right to worry about you, Jelly Bean!”

“I could start questioning you about Drew again.”

“You could, but there’s nothing to tell. We had sex, end of story! You and Oliver are completely different. You were in love with each other.”

“You and Drew having sex is a big thing, and you know it!”