Page 528 of Rage

He places a hand on my arm. “I know, and I’m sorry I couldn’t stop that without blowing my cover. The real threat is still out there, Wynter. With what we have now, we should be able to stop the counterfeit drugs from being disbursed to the general public.”

“What do you mean, counterfeit?” My eyebrows knit together. This is new.

“Zenith is a shell corporation and has been stealing patents and reproducing formulas from other pharma companies. The real tragedy is what they do to shut down the companies they steal from.”

I pull away slightly. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because the truth matters to me as much as it does to you.”

Romello puts his hands on my arms, squeezing gently. He looks me square in the eyes, probably searching for the same thing I am.

Trust.

Chapter Ten

Under the cover of night, we work together to compile all our evidence. The seedy motel room on the outskirts of town seemed so cliche to meet him at but now seems so fitting. The air is thick with tension and unspoken feelings. The soft glow of computer screens illuminates our faces as we cross-reference files, piece together timelines, and prepare to send everything to a contact Romello trusts within the agency that recruited him, who just happens to have a massive reach with the media outlets.

“Once this goes out, there’s no turning back,” he warns.

“I’m ready,” I affirm.

“They’ll know it was your work; your name is all over this research.” He tries again to stall.

“They can come after me all they like, it’ll be too late. The world will know what pieces of shit they really are, and the rightful owners of all those patents will get them back.” I argue.

“Here goes nothing.” He hovers his finger over the mouse pad to send the files.

I press my finger on top of his as we hit send; the files are encrypted and dispatched to multiple agencies and news outlets. A sense of relief washes over me.

Romello turns to me, his expression a mix of exhaustion and affection. “You were incredible. The entire time, you never quit.”

“Couldn’t have done this part without you,” I admit.

He steps closer, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I’m sorry for everything—for deceiving you.”

I look up at him, emotions swirling. “I understand why you did it,” I say, even though I am not sure I truly do.

His gaze drops to my lips, and this time, I don’t hesitate. I close the gap between us, our lips meeting in a tender yet passionate kiss. The world fades away, leaving only the warmth of his embrace and the steady beat of our hearts.

“I’ve wanted you since the first day we met. Your scent lingered in that hallway for days. Teasing…no, tormenting me.”

His hand tangles in my hair and directs me to where he wants me. Our lips press together with such force they’re likely to be bruised. My tongue slips out to taste him, and it’s everything I needed it to be. Sweet, slightly lingering bitterness of the gas station coffee and something uniquely him.

When he pulls back again, he looks directly into my eyes. Staring so deeply, he might steal my soul.

“I watched you… in your room. I heard you call out my name…I want to hear you moan it again for me,” he growled the words into my ear.

I’m shocked that he confessed his voyeuristic activity. Also, not too sure how I feel about the blatant invasion of privacy.

He moved forward, his growing erection pressing into my stomach. The table that held our notes and laptops is cleared in one large swipe of his arm. Lifting me by my ass as though I weigh nothing, he sets me down on the table just a moment later.

My head spins with lust. The oxytocin and dopamine being released is all I crave and they make my whole body buzz.

Did I actually like that he watched me?

“I want you so badly. Let me taste you.” He hooks his fingers into the waistband of my leggings and starts to tug them down my thighs. I have to place my palms on the table and lift my ass up a little for him to gain any purchase with the tugging. It’s my way of giving him permission before the words would actually form.

“I want you too.” I cringed internally. I’ve never been good at pillow talk.

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