Page 77 of Maddox

He nodded and glanced out the window.

“Okay. After we walk out of here, we’ll head to the elevators where we’ll say goodbye before you get in. You’ll head up to your room and wait. In thirty minutes, you’re going to head to the stairs.”

“What about the idiots following us?”

After tossing them another look, he stared me directly in the eyes. “I doubt they’ll have anyone on your floor. Too obvious. They’ll wait in the lobby and near the front entrance.”

“Okay. Then what?”

“You’re going to head to garage level two. Just make certain if the elevators stop at the lobby, you aren’t seen. I’ll be waiting for you there. If all goes well, we won’t need to catch a cab.”

I shook my head. “Meaning what? What are you going to do?”

“Try and contact a friend who can help us.”

“Someone you trust.” For some reason, the wine was making me jittery.

“Absolutely. One way or another, we’re going to find access to a computer and find out what the hell we’re dealing with.”

“Okay. I don’t like this, Maddox.”

“Neither do I. We’ll figure it out. That much I promise you.”

“I’ll hold you to it.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, doing little more than studying each other.

“Why did you decide to stay? I know Gray asked you to, but you’re not the kind of man who follows rules. You told me that yourself,” I asked. We didn’t know each other. We’d fucked. That was it. Was there some truth that living through something perilous created a closeness? Yes, to a point. However, Maddox wasn’t the kind of man who needed anyone except for salacious acts.

“Because I won’t risk your life. If anyone tries to hurt you, they need to deal with me first.”

There was nothing more thrilling to a woman than hearing a man state he’d stop at nothing to keep her safe. I sensed he was telling me the truth. He was prepared to die if necessary.

Heat tore through me, my pussy throbbing. What an inconvenient time for him to share a personal side of himself. And timing was everything.

I lifted my gaze, biting my lip as heat shifted across my jaw.

There was no need to expound on what we were both thinking.

The hunger remained, the need to touch each other strong.

The need to fuck even more so.

But our intimacy wasn’t going to change anything, including a single aspect of our lives.

“There’s a story waiting on the drive. I feel it.”

His look was stern. “You’re not going to endanger yourself for a story. You have no understanding of the ramifications if you expose a savage drug lord and all the others who have everything to lose.”

“What if I insist on doing so anyway?” Yes, I was taunting him on purpose. Why not? Another tingle of excitement spun all the way to my toes.

The way he leaned over the table and the look in his eyes created a pool of wetness between my legs. “Then I guess I’ll need to punish you. I should do that anyway. Seems you’re long overdue.”

“Are you threatening me, Lieutenant?”

“No, baby. Try and keep in mind I only make promises. And I always keep them.”

“Maybe I’ll need to hold you to it.” I also leaned over until our lips were close, entirely too much so. I licked my lips on purpose and he narrowed his eyes, allowing me to watch as his dark eyelashes skimmed his cheeks. My God, he was far too dangerous in every aspect.

---