Invincible (A Kingpin Love Affair Book 3) (12 page)

“That was…” She didn’t get to finish because I interrupted.

“Absolutely fucking amazing?” I questioned an eyebrow raised.

I knew my pussy eating skills were top notch. Though I wasn’t Tegan’s first, nor was she mine, it didn’t change anything. A first time between two people who loved each other was far different from the very first time someone had sex.

I waited until she had her footing to get up off the floor, and then I stood there watching her as if she were my next kill. Did I want her? Of course, I did. I wanted her against the wall, on her knees on the floor, bent over the counter, against the tile in the shower. Hell, I would take her anywhere I could get her. There was only one problem… I didn’t think she was ready for it—hell, I fucking knew she wasn’t ready for it.

“Thank you,” she mumbled as she leaned down, grabbing the pair of jeans at her feet that she had dropped during my attack on her.

Her taste and smell surrounded me. I needed to get out of here. I needed air, some form of oxygen before her enticing scent got her fucked.

I all but ran out of her room without another word being said. I couldn’t handle it. I couldn’t be around her at that moment without being inside of her. I leaned against the small table in what should’ve been the dining room. The apartment was clean but small. On the table before me was a white piece of paper and on it was Tegan’s name.

What the fuck…?

“That really shouldn’t have happened—” Her words cut off the moment she saw the piece of paper between my fingers. “What is that?” she asked. I was still staring at the scrap of paper. It was folded in half and even I was afraid to open it.

Instead, I shook my head and handed it to her. “I don’t know.” In reality, I did know. It was more than likely a ransom note or something along the lines off—Have our money now or we’re coming to kill you.

She unfolded it, her fingers moving diligently as a nervous look showed on her face. Silence filled the room removing any lust filled thoughts from my mind. I watched her eyes roam over the note. Once, twice, three times before I spoke.

“What does it say?” I asked.

“Basically, they want their money, which I already knew. I knew they wanted their money the whole time. The first time they sent Liam, it was to hunt Jamie down. Since they think I’m not paying fast enough, they’ve come to collect me,” she said as she slung a backpack over her shoulder. I could almost feel the fear in her words and fuck if it didn’t make me want to take them fuckers down even more.

“I won’t let them hurt you, Tegan. I won’t let anyone lay a fucking finger against your skin.” Stepping into her space, I cradled her face in my hands. “I will never allow them to get close to you again.” I meant every single fucking word I said.

She smiled before pulling away from me, handing me the piece of paper. Scribbled on the inside —
We’ll be watching you.

Fuck. Of course, they would be. They were criminals. Not just that, but they were criminals with an agenda. The agenda being Tegan, but just like they had an agenda, I did, too. I wouldn’t let someone cause her any more pain than she had already experienced.

“We need to get back to the cabin. The fact this note is here is proof they are keeping tabs on the house.” I looked around, probably looking like a lunatic.

“Well, that shouldn’t be a problem. I have everything,” she said, pulling at the backpack on her shoulder. Her cheeks were red and her dark blue eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer than usual. What we had done in the bedroom must’ve really done something to her. I know it fucking did to me.

“Smack that ass out on the floor…” Smack That by Akon
reverberated through the room. What the fuck was that?

“I think your phone is ringing,” Tegan said, a huge smile showing on her face. I smiled back, simply because it was contagious, and the fact that people in situations like ours barely had a reason to smile.

Smiles were small blessings in shitstorms like this.

Reaching my hand into my pocket, I see it was my phone ringing and Akon’s ‘Smack That’ is blaring from it. The caller ID says ‘Asshole’ and I instantly know who the hell assigned this ringtone in my phone.

“Greetings, Asswipe. Nice of you to finally answer your phone,” Zerro’s cheery voice enters my ears.

“Umm…” I’m not even sure what to say to him. Tegan doesn’t know about my partner. She knows some of the shit I have had to go through, but not all of it. The fact that I’m not even supposed to be on an assignment right now is one thing she doesn’t know.

“Ummmm… what the fuck is wrong with you?” I could hear Gia’s laughter in the background and it warmed my heart. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want that one day.

“Nothing, just…” I paused as Tegan eyed me. “Nothing.” Two lies in less than two seconds. We were on a roll today.

“Nothing? You’re far too quiet for ‘nothing’ to be going on.” Zerro didn’t sound convinced, and I didn’t have the time to try to sway him. I needed to change the subject and fast.

“Nothing is going on. How is Gia? Does she miss Uncle Devon?” I asked. I could all but hear the sigh in Zerro’s voice.

“Yeah, she does. I think she says your name more than she says ‘Dad.’

“That’s because I bring her treats,” I teased.

“Yeah, so don’t get ahead of yourself thinking she loves you for you. No one loves you, asshole.” I could hear the humor in his voice as a squeal sounded in the background. Gia was having a good day. At least someone was.

“Gia loves me, and you know it,” I said more to myself than to him.

“Whatever. That isn’t the point of this conversation. I called because I know some shit is going on, and I want in on whatever it is you’re doing.”

“Zerro—” My words were cut off.

“Stop right fucking there. I don’t want your fucking excuses or lies. We are a team. You do remember what that is, right? If there is something going on, then you need to tell me.” I could tell he was serious, and as I looked at Tegan, I saw her eyes glide over the simple objects in her home. I knew then this was my fight. My battle to be won. Yes, Zerro was my partner, but this was my mess, my problem, and I planned to make it right.

“Nothing is going on, Zerro. You aren’t the Mafioso anymore so cool your shit. Kiss Gia for me and tell Bree I said I haven’t forgotten about her. As soon as I get time, I’ll stop by. Now, let me get back to fucking chilling and drinking my fucking beer.” A ball of anxiety formed in my belly. I wouldn’t put it past him to put his nose where it didn’t belong. He once was a notorious mafia king. Sometimes I had to remind him he didn’t run the show anymore.

“If you’re lying to me, you’re taking one to the balls,” Zerro said, still not sounding convinced. I looked up only to be given the death glare by Tegan. She had to know I was lying by now.

“Yeah, yeah. I gotta go. Nice talking to you.” I hurried off the phone hitting the end key three times just to make sure the damn conversation had ended. I loved Zerro like my brother, but he had a family. I couldn’t bear the thought of them losing him because of me. Yes, we were FBI agents putting our lives on the line constantly, but I didn’t want to be the reason for his death.

“Sounds like you have a lot going on.” She was beating around the bush. I knew her well enough to know that.

“A lot doesn’t even cover it.” I sighed, shoving my hands into my hair. Above all, I had to protect Tegan. Yet my job was on the line. My livelihood—hell, my fucking life was on the line.

“I thought you were here visiting or something?” Her voice wasn’t accusing, but her eyes were. It was time to come clean.

“Let’s go, I’ll explain in the car.” I threw the words over my shoulder as I headed out the front door. I felt her eyes burning holes into the back of my head as we walked down the stairs and to my truck. She wanted answers, and I couldn’t really blame her for it. Then again, telling her too much wouldn’t do me any good. It could endanger her even more.

I unlocked the Tahoe and we both slipped inside. She whipped her backpack into the backseat before turning on me. “Explain. Now.”

I turned in my seat, the leather making it easier to do so. I stared at her. I actually looked at her, the small freckles on her face, the way her eyebrows arched in anger. The way her eyes told her dark desires. She was the most destructive thing in my life. She was far more dangerous than anything made by mankind.

“I wasn’t supposed to come here. It’s not like I wanted to come back to the area. As I told you, I figured you were happy. By now, you should’ve been moved on in life, had a baby, be married. I thought for sure you would be long gone from this place.”

“Obviously, I’m not. Just come out with it already.” I narrowed my eyes at her feistiness.

“A stack of papers landed on my desk that brought me back to this—to you. I decided to take the leap to the idea that you weren’t here anymore. What I discovered was you’re the center of all of it. You’re the lead to answers, and you are also the very thing I can’t seem to let slip away again.”

Her mouth opened as if she were going to say something and then closed it again.

“When I decided I was going to go undercover, I came here with the pretense of actually finding you and seeing if you were truly happy with your life. It wasn’t just about the case. It was about knowing I did the right thing. That letting you go was right.”

Fuck. How had I admitted that out loud? Yet I could never admit it to myself before. She looked dazed as if she couldn’t believe a single word she was hearing.

“Then I came into the diner for a little investigating and decided to get a bite to eat, but I saw you standing there. My mind went blank and all I could think was how wrong I truly was.” I relived that moment in my head again and again. The way her fists were clenched, the way the water fell to the floor, and the frightened look that spread across her face.

Silence passed between the two of us, our breathing the only thing that could be heard. “I understand your need for secrecy and all, but don’t lie to me. I want to know what’s going on… I mean, if there is ever a chance…” She paused, her eyes wavering from my eyes as anxiety filled the contours of her face. “I mean, not that I assumed there would be. I guess what I’m saying is, if it were to ever work out, just be honest with me.”

I smiled as I gripped the keys in my hand before placing them into the ignition and turning the Tahoe on.

If there is ever a chance…

Of course, there was a fucking chance. She had to think I was dumb. When it came to Tegan and me, I would make a chance. I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity of making her every dream come true ever again. If she thought I was leaving this place without her again, she had another thing coming.

 Looking deep into her eyes before driving off, I spoke the words to her that my heart had been begging for me to say.

“There is always a chance when it comes to you.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

 Tegan

SOMEHOW, I HAD been tangled in the web of lies. Somehow, I had managed to root myself in the mud so deep there was no escaping the fate that would take place. My body felt as if it were on fire—as if I was trapped inside a burning building with no way out. My chest heaved with every breath I consumed as my eyes began to water. Was losing someone similar to death?

I was starting to think so. Devon leaving made me feel hollow. As if a piece of me was walking around without a care, which was the truth. Devon was the missing piece of me, walking around of his own free will.

He didn’t want you.
I told myself these things every day. I forced myself to think the man I had loved, the man who had waited for me for years… didn’t love me. Truthfully, I was wrong… So fucking wrong.

“Wake up, baby.” Devon’s soft voice wrapped me in a comforting blanket pushing the dream to the back of my mind. My eyes popped open, and I lay there staring up at the ceiling before rolling over to look at him.

His green eyes shined brightly back at me. They held so much intensity and unforgiving secrets. I remember everyone in school used to call him green eyes. The girls were the worse, always in his face telling him how much they loved his eyes. He would just smile and say thanks, not understanding the fascination people had with those emerald orbs. His eyes alone set him apart from everyone in the crowd. They were hypnotizing, and every time I looked into them, I felt I was in a trance, under a spell that revolved around him… Devon Mitchell.

“What was that about?” he asked as concern lines started to form on his forehead. Good luck talking yourself out of this one, Teg.

Didn’t he realize he had enough on his plate? Finding out I hadn’t left or that I hadn’t moved on with my life as he had hoped was like a punch to the chest. I remember the look of shock that flashed across his face when he walked into the diner and saw me standing there. Remembering that moment reminded me he truly thought leaving me was the right thing to do.

“Just a bad dream,” I murmured rolling onto my back again. We hadn’t touched since my apartment, but now that I was awake, and my emotions were all over the place, all I could think about was his body on me, his hands all over me as his lips placed kisses everywhere while whispering encouraging words of passion to me.

“You were screaming in your sleep. A bad dream seems a bit of an understatement.” His voice was raspy with sleep, sexier than ever, which only made me want to explode. “Not really,” I said rolling over to face him for the second time within minutes. I didn’t want to tell him the nightmares of losing him plagued me. I didn’t want him to know just how much it hurt me to lose him.

“What do you mean not really?” he questioned me. I bit my bottom lip nervously as I tried to decide if I should tell him or not. Better yet, how to tell him without throwing my heart on the line.

“Let’s just go back to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you.” My heart was beating out of my chest, so loudly I wondered if Devon could hear it himself.

“No.” His voice was faint as his arm reached over me, landing on my lower back. The impact of his body pushing into mine caused every breath in my chest to escape harshly. We were chest to chest, the hardness of his body molding with the softness of mine caused a shiver to run down my spine, and my nipples pebbled. His hand trailed up my spine to the back of my head as he brought us face to face. I could see the flecks of gold in his eyes and feel his hot breath against my skin, reminding me of our first kiss…