Page 25 of Sinful Negotiations

Several times she’d mentioned relocating, and that put him on edge. She even said she needed to disappear in the car. He’d have to be watchful with her.

She slept peacefully the remainder of the night, but he woke her at six in the morning assuming she’d want fresh clothes for work from her apartment. Flush from sleep, he craved nothing more than to lick her skin and fuck her senseless, but duty called, and he was too close to completing this mission.

“Wake up, Tessa.”

She moaned and stretched but rolled over to face him with a bright smile. “I don’t think I’ve slept so good in a week.”

“I thought you’d like to go to your apartment for a change of clothes.”

“Did you sleep any?”

“I slept enough.”

Tessa rolled on top of him, nuzzling his neck. “Give me five minutes.”

He smacked her ass and chuckled when she jumped off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. By the time she was ready, he waited by the door. Quiet and observant, she didn’t speak on the drive to her place, but tension rolled off her in waves.

While she quickly prepared for work, Aidan sat on her couch, noticing little knickknacks and the different shades of blue throughout the apartment. He liked being here among her things.

“Your roses are dead.”

“Toss them then,” she answered from the bedroom. “I don’t know who sent them anyway.”

Aidan stared at the roses with a frown before throwing them in the trash. A stalker was on the prowl, and Tessa didn’t recognize it, but he did.

When she emerged, shoulders slumped but as beautiful as ever, the urge to comfort her caused his abdomen to clench. How hard this must be for her. He wasn’t the callous prick she pegged him for, but until this ended, he couldn’t be that man. Someone had attempted to harm her several times, so he couldn’t let his guard down.

“I’m ready,” she softly spoke and grabbed her purse.

“I’ll follow you to the office. Don’t try to run, Tessa.”

Her lips twitched, but she didn’t reply.

As soon as the elevator dinged, she darted to her office and closed the door. It was a dismissal, and he did understand. Perhaps it was for the best.

His sister was his lifeline or familiar in the normal world. It was because of her he’d kept his grasp on reality when deep undercover. She’d pulled him from the edge of madness more than once. Jeanie was a psychologist and makeup artist, retired from the FBI eight years now. She knew exactly what to say at the right time. Maybe he should take her advice where Tessa was concerned? Or maybe she could help Tessa when this was all over. She’d helped Lexxa.

By early afternoon, Tessa caught his attention dashing into the stairwell with her purse looped over her shoulder. “Fuck,” he growled. She was running. That sixth sense tingled in his gut. At the same moment, his new secretary barged into his office for the tenth time. It had been a crazy day with multiple problems.

“What?” He asked the question rising from his chair.

“The attorney for Chandler James is on the line and says it’s urgent.”

“And you couldn’t buzz me for that?”

“Well, no. Your line has been set todo not disturball day.”

His gaze dropped to the phone. “I didn’t…” His voice trailed off as his face turned to where Tessa disappeared.

“I can fix the phone for you. Mr. Cross?”

He ran from his office in a panic, hitting the door to the stairwell with the force of a truck. In a mad dash, he jumped the steps three at a time to the floor currently being renovated. He paused outside the door, withdrew his phone, and texted his partner.

Text: They are in the building.

Reply: Wait. In route.

Tessa screamed in that instance, raising the hairs on the nape of his neck. Every protective instinct and every skill he possessed came rushing to the forefront of his mind, culminating in a rage he’d never experienced.

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