Page 59 of Rise of the King (Checkmate 5)

Chuckling, I bring her fingertips up to my lips and nibble. “I didn’t know, but I’m glad I was using my gentlemanly manners, because I was going to ask for a BJ.”

“Pig.”

I shrug. “I saw your computer just before.”

“My computer?”

“Uh-huh. The one that has security feed of my apartment. You’ve been watching me?”

She flashes a full smile. “I told you I could see you. I told you I could see everything.”

“You watch me whack off for the hot ballerina upstairs?”

Her pulse thrums faster. “Couple times.”

“Such a dirty girl,” I laugh. “I swear, I’m finding it difficult to accept you as Ace. I always thought he was a dude.”

“Why?” She pushes up to one elbow and stares into my eyes. “Because women can’t be smart? Because women can’t be your superior? Because women–”

“Talk too much?” I catch her fist when she swings back to hit me. “I wasn’t trying to be a misogynist, babe. I just assumed.” I pull her back down so her head rests on my chest. “The emails felt, I dunno, like I was an army brat again, like my father was handing down orders. I just assumed Ace was a guy and ran with it. Then I saw you last night, but still, I didn’t assume you were Ace; I assumed you were a fuckin’ stripper. I was mad because you were shaking your ass for other men, but I never really got mad that you lied.”

“Your priorities are all screwed up.”

“No.” Bringing a finger under her jaw, I draw her face up until I can press my lips to hers. “My priorities are just fine. Speaking of…” I smack her butt again and restart what I tried to do half an hour ago. “You gotta get up. We’re going to Ginnie’s. You can say goodbye, then we’re heading out.”

“Heading out?” She sits up. “Heading out where?”

“Kane left the program, Soph. Our target is looking for him, so instead of us chasing our tails, we just go to Kane.” It guts me to say it, but, “he’s our bait.”

“Um, no. I’m not leaving this city until I’ve dealt with my problem. You can go, I guess. But I’m staying.”

“We have the same problem, Soph. Same guy. And that guy will be getting word soon that Kane is out. If you got word, then so will he.”

“I set up keyword searches for his name, Jay. I hacked federal databases and set up the search so I would get alerts when he’s mentioned. But there are no bulletins going out about this.”

“First,” I stand and fix my sweatpants. “That is so fucking illegal, Soph. So insanely illegal, you’re talking Supermax time if you get caught. I used to be a cop once, and this knowledge makes me feel all tingly inside.”

She grins. “I won’t be caught. I’m too smart.”

“B: I need to know how you know that shit.” I point at her, then toward her V-shaped desk that resembles something NASA might use. “We’re gonna talk, and you’re gonna spill your entire life story from the moment your dad jacked inside your mom, right up until now. I need to know everything, I even wanna know her birth story and whether you came out her snatch or the sunroof, because I can’t understand what the fuck is going on until I know the details.”

Her pert little nose wrinkles. “You’re disgusting.”

“And three: we’ve already established our guy works for the people who own those databases you’re so sure you control. If you set up searches, who’s to say he didn’t, too?”

“Because I’m smarter than him. I’m smarter than everyone.”

“You’re also arrogant, and I learned a long time ago arrogance can either win your war, or lose it. Be careful on that razor edge, babe. The fall will hurt.”

“Oh, shut up.” She rolls her eyes and scoots to the edge of the bed. Feeding her arms into the robe she tossed hours ago, she stands and makes theickface. “Your jizz is dribbling along my leg, and I’m really unsure how I feel about this right now.”

I know how I feel about it.Like a fucking king.“Go, shower, pack. Ginnie’s, then we’re going.”

She turns halfway across room and scowls. “I’m not leaving! All of my stuff is set up here. All of my files, my computer, my clothes. Everything I need is right here.”

“Everything you need on your laptop? All scanned in and stored away?”

“Yes.” Her words sayyes, but her eyes screamof course, dumbass!

---