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Oh God, how exciting it had been! The way he’d stripped her. Gotten her wet. Removed her bra and panties and then made love to her. She’d never believed sex could be so powerful.

Was that why she was running? To save her life…or to save her soul? To get away from a man who might hurt her, or to escape what he’d taught her about herself? About sensuality, and what it was like to be stroked until you purred.

A year ago, she’d led such a normal life. Get up, get dressed, go to her job as secretary in a dreary government office that dealt in Intelligence but was really all about mind-boggling statistics.

But “normal” and “dreary” were fine with her. Her childhood had been neither. Her father had been a gambler, her mother was always sickly…

She closed her eyes.

The truth was, her mother was an alcoholic. Growing up, she’d never known what the next day would bring. She’d longed for a quiet, predictable life and she’d found one.

And then, one morning, her boss said she was wanted on the sixteenth floor. Take the freight elevator, he’d said. Mia thought that was strange but she did as he’d instructed, and stepped into a world she hadn’t known existed.

It was a world called the Agency.

A woman in a black silk suit greeted her, led her down the hall to an enormous office and introduced her to a man she addressed as the Director.

The Director made small talk for a few minutes. Then his expression turned grave.

Ms. Palmieri, he’d said, you worked for Colonel Douglas Hamilton for the year he was stationed here, in Washington.

Yes, she’d said, that’s right, I did.

According to our records, Colonel Hamilton was very pleased with you.

With my work? she’d said, because the truth was, Hamilton hadn’t been happy with other things, like the way she’d avoided working late at night because something in the way he looked at her made her uncomfortable. Yes, she’d replied, I believe he was.

The Director had leaned forward.

Ms. Palmieri, he’d said, I’m going to offer you an opportunity to serve your country.

Mia shuddered.

But her country hadn’t served her. She’d discovered she was expendable. The man she’d slept with was the final proof. And she’d slept with him. Made love with him…

Sex. Not love. Sex. She didn’t know why the distinction was important, but it was.

Her small overnight bag was on the chair but she wasn’t going to risk waking Matthew by rustling through it. For all she knew, he was a light sleeper.

His closet took up an entire wall. She held her breath as she slid the doors open, but he didn’t stir. Clothing was neatly folded on shelves. She pulled on a T-shirt and sweatpants, then rolled them to her knees.

She’d have to do without shoes.

Barely breathing, clutching the suitcase and her purse, she tiptoed from the room. Down the endless hall. Into the foyer. The front door was just ahead. Was the alarm really rigged to sound even if you were leaving the house? She had to hope not. Otherwise, she’d have to pray she reached the SUV before Matthew came running.

He’d left his keys on a small table near the door. The floor was cool under her feet as she went to it and ran her hand over the surface.

No keys. But that was impossible. She felt along the top of the table again. Still nothing. How could that be? She was sure she’d seen him drop the—

The hundreds of crystal prisms in the foyer’s grand chandelier blazed to life. Mia cried out, threw up her hand to shade her eyes from its bright glare…

And saw Matthew, half a dozen feet away, wearing only a pair of unzipped jeans, leaning back against the wall with a look on his face that reminded her of how dangerous he actually was.

“Is this what you’re looking for, baby?” he said coldly.

The keys dangled from the fingers of his raised hand.

CHAPTER SEVEN