Page 167 of The Penalty

The dark flames intensified.

“It’s working.”

Rising from my lap with all the elegance of a queen, Victoria reached for me. “Come with me.”

Curious, I took her hand and followed her outside to the patio. We haven’t been out here in months. Actually, we were only here once. I can still picture her sitting naked on the table.

She hopped up on it now, fully clothed unfortunately. Pulling me close, she hooked her legs around my waist.

“Why are we out here?” I asked, sliding my hands over her hips.

“One of my favorite moments with you happened out here. I’ve had many more favorites since but...” She touched my scar and smiled. “This is where I started falling for you.”

Flattening my hands on the table to brace myself was the only way I remained standing. This woman will in fact be the death of me.

“We are connected in ways I never dreamed possible,” she continued. “The desire to find out what happened to Charlotte tortured me for years. And now I’m on the cusp of closing this chapter for good.”

She tilted her head, gazing at the tattoo on my neck.

“You’ve told me numerous times that you’d risk it all for me.” Heat bloomed on my skin at her touch. “I want you to know, I’d risk everything for you, too.”

A strangled noise emerged from my throat. Grabbing her hips, I lowered my head until our mouths brushed together. “What do you know?”

Lacing her fingers behind my head, she parted her lips and kissed me. “Jordan McKennie is as common as you and me.”

The heat and dampness of her mouth lingered near mine. I tasted her words as much as I heard them. When she slid her tongue between my lips, I allowed my instincts to take over. Pulling her flush against my chest, I kissed her hard, devouring her moans.

Fisting her hair, I yanked it until her head bent back.

“You’re distracting me, dirty princess.” I ran my tongue along the column of her neck. “Do I have to fuck this information out of you?”

A soft laugh preceded her answer. “You have to beg me, country prince.”

All the air whooshed out of my lungs. Dark flames exploded in a raging inferno.

Fuck. Me.

I’d never been so turned on in my life.

Keeping her hair in a firm grasp, I used my other hand to lift her dress.

Bloody hell. No panties.

“That’s not how this works, love.” I slid my fingers inside her.

“I thought you liked when I flipped the script on you,” she moaned, palming my erection through my clothes.

Feeling her hand on me was heaven. Any train of thought I had was now scrambled.

“I do. I love it.”

“Good boy,” she whispered, unzipping my pants. “Beg me.”

My knees buckled the second she wrapped her hand around my cock and started stroking. Good thing I never wanted to join MI-6. I’d give up every national security secret if Victoria kidnapped me and used these coercive methods.

But I didn’t beg her.

At least not yet.

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