“Fine,” I finally agreed with a forced shrug. “But if anything happens, it’s on you, not me.”
“I’ll take that responsibility,” Hank said. “But it’s going to be fine.”
I had a sick feeling in my gut but what could I do? The whole point of messing with Ivy was to gain an advantage and if I didn’t use that advantage then I was a sucker.
“Let’s go pick up Ivy and tell her how this is going to work,” Hank said but I stopped him.
“You deal with Frankie. I’ll deal with Ivy.”
Hank grinned and punched me in the arm. “You fucking dog. Always running after the fine ass pussy.”
“Fuck off,” I groused but Hank assumed I was joking and just chuckled as he headed out to start the release paperwork for Frankie.
The fact was, and what I was loathe to admit, Ivy was more than a fine pussy. I mean, hell yes, she was the finest woman I’d ever fucked, but I wanted more than her body.
I wanted everything and more.
And if anything happened to Ivy…there wouldn’t be enough bullets to go around.
Ivy
I wasn’t accustomed to just sitting around the house and the forced convalesce wasn’t doing me any favors.
Roxy had stopped by with a casserole, which I accepted with a dubious smile because I wasn’t sure that Roxy could actually cook, but it was the thought that counted, right?
But when lunchtime rolled around and I’d watched every show on my DVR and I was bored out of my mind, I planned to go for a walk.
Except, right when I was opening the door, I saw Jameson standing there and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“What are you doing here?” I asked before I could stop myself. It was either that or admit that I was glad he’d returned, which so wasn’t going to happen.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, walking past me without preamble. I hated that he acted as he had the right to just walk into my house like he owned the place. I closed the door with a grumble and followed him into the living room.
“What’s so urgent that a phone call wouldn’t suffice?” I asked.
“We’ve found a way for you to gain access to Terano Rodrigo without arousing suspicion,” he answered and I felt a chill dance up my spine. “There’s a place called Chester’s—“
“I know of it. It’s practically a brothel,” I cut in, not liking where this was going. “You can’t, for one second, believe that I would even step foot in that place…”
“Chester’s needs a waitress. You’re going to fill the position.”
“I will not.”
“Look, I don’t like the idea either,” he admitted with a scowl. “But it’s the least dangerous option. You’ll be close enough to listen to Rodrigo’s conversations but far enough out of his reach to be protected.”
“The waitresses there…they are prostitutes,” I said, shocked that he would suggest such a thing. “Am I supposed to sleep with Rodrigo? Because I won’t.”
“No,” he said sharply, dragging me into his arms. “No one is going to fucking touch you, you hear me?”
“How can you stop it?” I asked, allowing myself to sink into his touch. “What if Rodrigo expects me to…you know…service him?”
“I’ll cut his fucking balls off,” Jameson stated as if it were a fact and not just a threat. “Your job is to listen to Rodrigo’s conversation and find out the location of the drop. Rodrigo likes to meet with his people at Chester’s so his guard will be down. Make sure his drinks are stiff. Liquor him up to loosen his lips. The drop is in a week. All we need is a location.”
On the surface it seemed easy enough but I wasn’t so naive to believe that just because it sounded easy, didn’t mean it would be.
“I’m scared,” I admitted in a small voice and his arms tightened around me. “What if…”
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His assurances settled my fears, if only for the time being, because I believed him. I didn’t doubt that Jameson would kill anyone who hurt me. He didn’t play by the rules and wouldn’t hesitate to drop anyone who messed with what he believed belonged to him.
I turned and he hoisted me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his torso. “You were gone when I woke up,” I said as he cupped my behind with his strong hands.
“Figured it was better that way,” he answered, his gaze fastening on my lips. He returned his gaze to mine. “Did you miss me?”
I reluctantly nodded.
“Good.”
He took me to the kitchen where he gently returned me to my feet and then bent me over the counter as he pulled my yoga pants down.
I heard his belt buckle and zipper from behind me. I held my breath and closed my eyes as I waited for the feeling of him opening me.
I didn’t have to wait long.
The now familiar sensation of Jameson’s thick shaft penetrating me was like heaven.
I savored the fleeting pain of his entry and then lost myself to the pleasure of being pounded by him.
Suddenly, his hand was in my hair, twisting it in his fist as he yanked my head back while he thrust like a demon into my sheath.
I couldn’t escape the total domination of his touch.
I was pinned, wondrously helpless. And yet, I knew I wasn’t the only one slave to the need.
Jameson couldn’t keep his hands off me.
I was his drug, just as much as he was mine.
“Say you’re mine,” Jameson ground out, the sound of skin slapping against skin echoing in the small kitchen.
“I’m yours,” I gasped, losing myself to the sensations of extreme pleasure. “God, Jameson,” I cried, unable to help myself. “Yes, all yours!”
And he came so hard I could feel the seed filling me up, jet after jet, as he unloaded inside me.
He stumbled away, his member still dripping with our combined juices and I fell to my knees to gently suck him dry.
I don’t know why I did it.
But I wanted to.
His touch gentled on my head as I finished lapping up his seed and he helped me to my feet.
I held his gaze, unsure of what was happening between us.
Were we both falling into the same trap?
Jameson grabbed a paper towel, wet it, and then wiped me clean with a tenderness I’d never known from him.
And then he pulled my pants back up, dressing me with consternation.
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Why do you care?”
His silence sucked the oxygen from the room.
Did I want Jameson to have real feelings for me?
My thoughts on that score were jumbled.
When he was inside me, I would give him the world; when sex wasn’t involved, I was angry with him for using me.
“Look, just trust that I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he finally said with an edge of frustration. Maybe he was as confused as me. We both were struggling with feelings we had no business feeling.
I nodded, even though I wanted to press for a more definitive answer. I’d fallen down a rabbit hole and I was staring up at the opening, wondering how I’d fallen so far.
“When am I supposed to show up at Chester’s?” I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“You have an interview scheduled for tonight. Wear something that shows your tits and ass.”
I grimaced. “I don’t wear clothes like that.”
“I’ll bring you something.”
The way he said it made me shudder. Jameson dressing me like a slut…was I complete mental case that I was aroused by the idea?
I covered my mortification with a short nod. “Fine. Hopefully, I have what it takes to get through the door.”
“You’ll do fine.”
“What’s Frankie’s job?”
“He’s going to weasel his way back into the fold. He has to make sure that no one suspects that he’s a CI. It’ll be up to him to smooth the way for you.”
?
?How?”
“Frankie knows the manager at Chester’s. He’ll make sure that you’re hired.”
I definitely didn’t approve of Frankie associating with anyone who frequented Chester’s but I had to squelch my natural inclination to lecture Frankie for his choices.
The time for that kind of intervention had passed.
“If I’m a shoe-in, why do I have to dress like a whore?” I asked stubbornly.
“Because you need to look as if you fit in. If you walk in with your nose up in the air, you’re going to stick out like a sore thumb, which will put a target on your back.”
I nodded, understanding. I didn’t like it but Jameson’s logic made sense. “Fine. And what do I do if I Rodrigo starts grabbing at me?”
I could tell he didn’t like my question, maybe because he didn’t have an answer.
“Handle it in the same way you would someone at Mamie’s.”
“I shut them down.”
“So do that.”
Memories of being assaulted jumped to mind and I couldn’t help the shudder.
Jameson’s gaze narrowed and I knew he sensed my private terror.