Page 70 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

Heidi snorts as she drops down. "Seems like I'm notyourguest." She starts cackling again, laughing wildly as her fingers hit the keyboard.

I lean one hip against the desk, crossing my arms in an attempt to look aggravated with her presence. "You still haven't told me why you're here."

The air in the room shifts just as I finish asking my question, and I don't have to lift my eyes to know it's because Julieanne is back from her trip to the breakroom. She holds two cups of coffee in her hands as her gaze flicks from me to Heidi and back to me again, widening just a little as it meets mine.

And now I don't need Heidi to tell me why she's here anymore.

Julieanne's full lips press together and her hands tighten around the cups. I hold her eyes for a second before turning to Heidi. "Will you excuse me for a minute?"

I don't wait for her answer before stalking around my desk to where Julieanne still stands in the doorway. I grab her by the elbow, turning her as I haul her out of my office and head toward the back of the building.

"I was going to say something as soon as I knew for sure—"

"I would save my breath, Jules. You're gonna need it." I rest my thumb on the pad of the first interrogation room in line, waiting for the newly installed device to open the lock before twisting the levered handle and dragging Julieanneinside. I slam it behind us and grab the coffee cups from her hand, setting them onto the single chair against the wall.

Her eyes are still wide when I turn back to her and she continues trying to explain. "I didn't know she was just gonna show—"

"Get on your knees." I'm not mad. Technically. What I'm feeling is probably anger adjacent. But more than anything, I love seeing that Julieanne isn't afraid of me. That she won't hesitate to do what she wants, even when she knows there's a chance I won't like it.

She's stood up to me from the beginning. Taking me on time and time again. Held her ground when most grown men would back down.

And I fucking love her for it.

Just as much as I love how easily she drops to the floor, her pretty skin flushing in anticipation of what she knows is coming.

I unbuckle my belt before flipping the button of my pants loose. "It seems like you went behind my back and made arrangements. Is that true?"

"It wasn't really behind your back. I used your email. You could have seen what was going on at any time." She pleads her case, even though she has to know the outcome is going to be the same either way, and it makes me harder. Makes me more desperate to sink into that sweet, smart mouth.

Dragging down my zipper, I shove my pants and underwear down just enough to pull my cock free. "That's not good enough, Jules, and you know it." I slide the tip of my dick across her lips, shining them with the pre-cum already leaking free. "You belong to me and Ibelong to you. There are no secrets between us anymore, and you’re going to gag on my cock until you remember that."

Her sinful lips curve. “Good luck.” Her tongue flicks across the head of my dick. “I don’t have the best memory so it might take a few tries.”

"YOU SHOULD TOTALLY cometo our next girls’ night." Heidi hasn't stopped talking all afternoon, and I’m starting to get tired of the noise.

But, I have to admit, I like Julieanne having someone to talk to. As much as I want to monopolize all her time, I know that's not what she wants. I've caught her trying to talk to Vera, who, despite her best efforts, is warming up to Julieanne. I've also caught her talking to the cat. Hell, I think she talks to the freaking walls when she gets desperate enough.

"You’ll have to get grumpy pants here to let you out of his sight for a few hours though." Heidi makes the jab at me and she grins while she does it. It would seem Julieanne isn't the only one who's not afraid of giving me shit.

"Of course she can go to a girls’ night." I cross my arms and lean back against the sofa I’ve been sitting on for way too fucking long. "But, I can’t imagine Pierce would be thrilled to find out all the women who work for him are hanging out with my—" I stop, stumbling over the next word. Girlfriend isn't anywhere near enough for what Julieanne is to me. I don't like fiancée either. I want something permanent.Something binding.

There's only one word I can think of that would reflect that, but legally, I can't use it.

Yet.

Heidi doesn't seem to notice I stopped short of identifying the role Julieanne has in my life. She continues on, rolling her eyes like I'm being dramatic. "Pierce is just upset. You hurt his feelings." Her eyes don’t leave her computer screen as she continues talking and working simultaneously. "He thought you guys were friends, and then you royally dicked him over for no reason."

It was for a reason, just not one I was willing to admit until very recently. But that’s beside the point. "We weren't friends."

Heidi scoffs. "Whatever."

"What do you mean,whatever?" I don't know what she's getting at, but I don't like it.

"I mean, you two were absolutely friends." Heidi's eyes finally come my way. "Maybe not the kind of friends I'd ever want to have, but considering you’re both arrogant men who like to get their way, you might've been best fucking friends."

I open my mouth, ready to argue, but once again words escape me.

Pierce and I werenotfriends. Associates is the most applicable term I can think of to describe our relationship. He was someone I could trust. Someone who understood the world we both live in. Someone who saw things the same way I did. Usually. If I had a problem, I knew I could count on him to help.

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