22. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
If you always play it safe, eventually you’re going to lose.
Berlin stepped into the living room to find Chance doing sit-ups. Because of course he was. “Camila is here, just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
They’d returned from the job out in the middle of nowhere hours ago after letting Camila know where all the drugs and drug runners were—and she’d contacted the Feds. Thankfully the guy who’d been shot was going to be fine. Not that Berlin particularly cared, but he’d be doing jail time.
Chance rolled up to his feet in a ridiculously sexy move, falling in step with her. He wasn’t even out of breath and she had no doubt he’d been on sit-up eight billion or something. Seriously, his biceps deserved a movie of their own, showcasing their raw beauty. Okay, she was officially punch drunk. Apparently she needed more sleep. Or…to get naked with him.
Since they’d returned, they’d both slept, since neither had gotten any the night before. She’d woken a few hours ago and had started a deep dive using the information Eugene Landry had provided. She wasn’t sure if Camila showing up in person was a good or bad thing.
“Hey.” Berlin opened the side door of the kitchen. “You drive your work car?”
“Yeah, but it’s unmarked.”
Berlin nodded and handed her a burner phone. “We’ve been giving you a lot of anonymous tips lately, and even though you already use a burner with us, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to start using another one. That way if the Feds get curious, they won’t be able to find anything.”
Camila gave her a dry look. “I think they’re just so happy to be closing so many cases they’re going to call it a win, but it’s time to switch out my burner anyway,” she said as she slid it into her purse. “You good to talk?”
“Yeah.” Berlin smothered a yawn trying to escape as she sat at the kitchen table. “You hungry or thirsty?” she asked even as Chance pulled out three bottles of water from the fridge.
“Nah, I’m good and just stopping by since you were on my way to the station. The Feds are very happy with the bust and my boss pulled me in to congratulate me on my resources, so thank you.” She sat across from Berlin as Chance sat next to her.
Despite what she’d said, he slid a water over to Camila and gave one to Berlin.
“Are they flipping on anyone up the food chain?”
“Sounds like two of them might in exchange for WITSEC but the majority of them are staying quiet. They’re too scared of the Acton brothers—as they should be. Those guys don’t play by any civilized rules and they’re ghosts.”
“Maybe not anymore.”
“What have you found?”
“Nothing. Yet .” Berlin took a swig of her water, realized just how thirsty she was.
“I wish you’d tell me why you’re interested in them.” Camila’s gaze shot to Chance, but his expression remained carefully neutral. “Nothing from you either?”
He just shrugged.
“You make me crazy, Berlin. But I can’t complain.” She looked between the two of them, then sighed. “Okay, I know I’m not getting anything else out of you. Oh, but I did get a lead on Johnny Moore.”
Berlin had too, but she simply nodded politely. “Yeah?”
“He’s… Oh my god, you already know this, don’t you?”
Berlin grinned slightly. “Yeah. It seems as if he headed out to California to stay with his sister for a while. At least according to his credit card records.” And his sister’s social media. Johnny’s sister had recently posted about being excited that her big brother was coming to visit and Johnny’s credit cards were carving a path out west relatively slowly so it looked like he was taking his bike out there.
“There’s a warrant out on him now but that’s not my problem.”
“Warrant?”
“Brody Williams flipped on him too, even though it incriminated him. He’s flipping on everyone at this point.”
“No honor among thieves,” Chance murmured.
“No, indeed.” Camila stood. “Thank you for the water and the help. If you decide to do anything stupid, please let me know so I can talk you out of it.”
Berlin just grinned. “Will do.”
Once she was gone, Berlin yawned again.
“Have you found anything yet?” Chance asked. “Not that I’m rushing you.”
“I know you’re not. This is your brother we’re looking for. And maybe. I’ve been following a couple conversations on TikTok I’m pretty sure are code for different drops. One of them is here in New Orleans so I think we should check it out—not stop them. I don’t want to get tangled with the Acton brothers just yet. But if we can get eyes on some of these mythical ‘brothers’ we’ll be able to get real names. And that’s how we’ll be able to track them. They’re smart, but if I have their real names, it’ll be easier to track their online movements.”
“Is that how you found me?”
“You’re still asking about that?”
“Of course I’m asking about that. It’s making me wonder if any past enemies can track me through VR.”
“I didn’t find you through your real name. I found your real name through your VR handle. And unless your enemies know that you game, I think you’re safe.”
“You’re going to tell me one day,” he grumbled.
“We’ll see.”
“It sounds like you’re good to return to your place if you want,” he said into the quiet. “And I’ve still got mine rented out.”
“I think we should call your place a wash, especially since Brody and Johnny both know about it. I don’t care if Johnny is headed to California or that Brody’s flipped on his people. All the more reason for you to lie low. He’s petty and vindictive.”
“If he commits any crimes after flipping, he’ll lose his deal,” Chance said.
She nodded, because that was standard. “Is there anyone back home you’re worried about? Relatives or old friends?”
He shook his head. “There’s no one back there for me. I’d actually started to pack up my grandmother’s house. My house,” he amended. “Still feels weird to think of it as my own.”
“Your grandmother didn’t leave it to both you and your brother?”
“No, probably because she knew he’d squander it away. But I’m going to sell it then give him half the profits if we ever find him.”
“We will. PI work just takes time and it sounds like the Acton brothers don’t know where he is so I’m calling that a win.”
“You guys aren’t PIs.” His tone was dry.
“Eh, potato, potatoh.”
“So you guys just…help people who need it. For free? Is that why your people scooped up all that cash at the scene?” There was a tone in his voice she wasn’t sure about.
They’d left the drugs for the Feds to deal with, but taken the money. “Sort of. Some of our clients pay but most don’t. And we use any ‘free money’ like that to take care of overhead or to help people get a fresh start.”
“People?”
“Usually women escaping their abusers after the system has failed them. For the record, I think a lot of the system works, but a whole lot of it doesn’t. So I don’t see the point in playing by other people’s rules when they’re not following it themselves. Especially when I can help people with my morally gray world view.” She pushed up from her chair, exhausted and a little annoyed.
“Are you under the impression that I’m judging you? Because I’m not. I admire you.” He stood with her, but instead of giving her space, he stalked toward her until she found herself pressed up against the nearest countertop. “Also, we haven’t talked about our kiss—kisses.”
She swallowed hard as she looked up at him, wondering at the turn in mood—but not hating it. “What’s there to say?” she whispered, all her annoyance being replaced with something else.
“Am I still a mistake?” His words were practically a growl as his gaze fell on her lips.
“I didn’t say…” She cleared her throat even as heat curled through her. The way he was watching her… She was about to melt. “I didn’t mean that.”
“What did you mean?” A soft demand.
Her gaze fell to his mouth now and she could barely remember her name, let alone his question. On instinct, her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and that was all it took for him. Apparently he didn’t care about the answer as he leaned down, crushed his mouth to hers.
He claimed her in that hungry way of his she felt all the way to her core.
Feeling almost manic, she grabbed onto the front of his shirt. They’d already been interrupted twice, and at this point she didn’t care if anyone walked in on them. She didn’t want to stop whatever this was, wherever it was going. For however long.
But Chance was taking this kiss slow, teasing, gently stroking his tongue against hers, and she was about to combust. Though the reaction she felt from him told her that she wasn’t alone in her response.
“Can we take this upstairs?” she managed to murmur against his mouth. Because she didn’t want to stop.
Pulling back, he looked down at her in surprise.
“In case anyone shows up and we’re interrupted again,” she whispered, feeling her cheeks heat up. “Not that I’m, like…pressuring you for more than kisses.” She’d just sort of assumed that was where this was headed. She rarely hooked up with guys; couldn’t remember the last time she had. But this was different. She knew Chance in a way she didn’t know others she’d dated.
She’d opened up to him over the years because it had been easy, behind her headset, to be raw, honest. And now she wondered if she’d made a mistake.
But the way he grinned at her had her toes curling against the floor. “Feel free to pressure me all you want.” Then to her surprise, he scooped her up and basically raced up the stairs.
Instead of heading to the guest room she normally stayed in, he went to the one he’d moved to—with a king-sized bed.
After he set her down on the edge of the bed, he sat next to her, suddenly hands off. “I’m not expecting anything…. I like kissing you. I like you, Berlin. I think this could be—”
At his words, panic exploded inside her. She knew what it was, a bunch of deep-seated baggage from her childhood. Didn’t make it any less terrifying and she couldn’t let him finish his statement, couldn’t risk he was going to ask for more.
“I like you too,” she blurted. “But this is just…fun, okay? Nothing serious. We’ve got too much going on,” she added at the hurt that flickered in his dark eyes. God, she was such a liar and the queen of self-sabotaging when something seemed to be too good.
And usually it was spot-on, because if it seemed too good, it often was. She was too afraid to hope that Chance fell into the actually good category, so she was going to play this safe.
She couldn’t tell what he thought of her words, but he leaned in close, brushed his mouth over hers, then nipped her bottom lip. “If you say stop, we stop, okay?”
“Same goes for you.”
“I’m not going to want to stop.” His words were a wicked rumble that spiraled through her, warming her from the inside out.
This man completely unnerved her. From the moment she’d sorta stalked him and put a face to the man she’d been gaming with for years, she’d been smitten.
He kissed her again, more heated than before, with way more intent. This wasn’t a teasing, slow kiss, but one of a man who was going for what he wanted.
She thought about pushing him back, straddling him, but he’d already taken over, had her pinned beneath him on the soft bed as he practically devoured her.
She arched up into him, wanting all that he had to offer. Spreading her thighs, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he rolled his hips against hers. Feeling bold by his very clear reaction, she reached between their bodies and palmed his erection over his jeans.
He groaned against her mouth, his breathing unsteady as he pulled back with clear effort. “It’s been a while for me.”
She squeezed his hard length gently.
And he groaned again even as he grasped her wrist. “I’m not coming in my pants.”
She grinned now but sucked in a breath as he kissed her again, and she realized she could get used to this. God, she’d never thought much about kissing before but the way he did it with his whole being, the way he practically worshipped her mouth made her wonder if he’d show the same effort everywhere else.
As if he read her mind, he slid his hand under her T-shirt, his callused palms gliding up her waist. “Can I take this off?”
“Yes…you can take everything off.” She was all in for this today. She’d never wanted anyone the way she was desperate for him. And getting naked now seemed like a really good idea.
Taking her at her word, he stripped off her shirt, his eyes going dark and hungry when he saw that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her nipples hardened under his heated gaze, and when he dipped his head to her breast, heat coiled low in her core, flared out in every direction.
He took his time working her up until she was a mass of exposed nerves—and then he moved lower. “Is this okay?” His voice was pitched low as he tugged her pants and panties off.
“I think you can assume anything you do is okay at this point.”
He let out a surprised laugh, but just as quickly that hunger was back on his face as he spread her thighs. She was suddenly very aware of just how vulnerable she was, but the way he was looking down at her, as if he wanted to worship her…that was some kind of power.
If someone could bottle up this feeling and sell it, they’d be set for life.
She rolled her hips up slightly, knowing she was being demanding and not caring.
He met her gaze as he reached between her legs then stroked a gentle finger along her slick folds. He barely touched her, but it was as if he’d set something off inside her with his touch.
Her inner walls tightened at that stroke, the need to have him inside her overwhelming. Because she wanted more than his finger. She wanted all of him. “Please do something,” she finally growled.
“Why am I not surprised by how impatient you are?” he asked even as he slid a thick finger inside her.
Her hips jolted off the bed at the welcome intrusion and then he dipped his head between her legs and she forgot about everything else as he stroked and teased her until she was needy and desperate and would have likely given him anything he asked for. Want her to hack the Pentagon? No problem.
She just needed the orgasm she could feel right on the horizon, just peeking up… “I’m so close.” So close it bordered on painful.
He slid another finger inside her as he sucked on her clit, and that gave her exactly what she’d been chasing. Pleasure punched through her as he continued stroking his fingers in a steady rhythm, heightening her pleasure even more.
She came against his face, not caring about how loud she was being as another tremor shook her, the orgasm seeming to go on forever until all she could do was blink up at him. If he could do that with his fingers…
Giving her a lazy smile, he stretched out next to her and kissed her again, the taste of her still on him. She wasn’t sure why she liked that so much, but she loved how raw he was. He didn’t seem to hold anything back.
And she wanted to give him as much pleasure as he’d given her. So she reached between their bodies as he continued that slow exploration of her mouth, popped his button free.
But he placed his hand over hers, stilling her. “I realized I forgot about condoms earlier, but I don’t care. I wanted you to come—I’ve been dying to taste you. We don’t have to do anything else.”
Well, his thick erection said otherwise. “There should be some in the bedside drawer,” she whispered. “They keep these rooms stocked.” Because so many of their crew crashed at the safe house, and for people who were hiding out.
He paused, all the muscles in his arms going tight as he pushed up. With the sunlight streaming in from the cracked blinds behind him, it illuminated his expression as her words registered.
He moved quickly, letting out a satisfied growl as he tugged one of the drawers open. Then he tossed a handful onto the bed before he stripped off his shirt.
She wanted to take over, to slowly undress him, but as she tracked his movements, was glad he was taking the initiative because she got to watch as he revealed every delicious inch of his hard body.
Moving onto her knees, she reached for him as he shucked the rest of his clothes, kicking his jeans away. “You’re like a work of art,” she whispered, drinking in all his hard lines and striations.
And to her surprise, his cheeks flushed the faintest shade of pink. For some reason that made her like him even more. How could he not be used to these kinds of compliments when he was built like this? Though it was clear he worked for it.
She stroked her fingers up his abdomen, chest, and trailed them down his biceps and forearms, shuddering at all that raw strength. “Seriously, you’re incredible.”
He made a sort of growling sound and took over again, pinning her beneath him so that they were skin to skin. She savored the feel of her nipples rubbing against his chest, the feel of his thick erection against her abdomen as he once again took his time kissing her.
But she had no patience, even after that orgasm, so she grasped his hard length and stroked once, slowly, enjoying how thick and heavy he was and imagining what he’d feel like inside her.
He groaned into her mouth, his entire body trembling at her touch. And yep, that was the kind of power she could get drunk on.
She was aware of him slapping out at the bed and it took a moment to realize he was reaching for one of the condoms. She made a move to grab it but he ripped it open and was rolling it over his impressive length before she could protest.
She raked her fingernails over his lower abdomen, grinned as his cock jumped, the condom shiny on that gorgeous display. “Art,” she said, referring to her words earlier. Because everything about him was pure art.
He shook his head slightly. “You’re good for my ego,” he murmured as he covered her once again.
But this time he angled his erection between her thighs, teasing her already slick entrance as his mouth sought hers.
As he slid inside her, she bit his bottom lip, moaning at the way he stretched her until she knew she could come again. Because sweet baby pandas, this man was everything.
Even as she told herself that this was casual, that they’d just be friends, she was already mourning the time when this was over. Because she didn’t want casual. She wanted to lock this man down, to keep him forever.
Aaaaand at that insane thought, she grasped onto his backside and urged him to move. Because she couldn’t let her thoughts run away with her, couldn’t start thinking of a future or anything past today.
Luckily he didn’t need much urging and started moving inside her with long, hard strokes that had her body primed again, ready for another climax. Something that normally took a little time, but she’d also never wanted anyone like this. Had never felt so connected to someone like she did with him.
She didn’t think it was going to take him long, not with the desperate sounds he was making. Sounds that were like actual music because, oh my god, he was into her as much as she was into him.
“I’m going to come again,” she rasped out between kisses, digging her fingers into his ass as she urged him to move faster.
His response was more of a strangled sound than anything else, but he reached between their bodies and began teasing her clit—and set her off again.
The orgasm that had been on the periphery slammed into her. With each deep thrust and the combined stroking of her clit, it was too much. She couldn’t get out any words as her climax crested higher, higher and then he was coming with her.
“God,” was all he managed, which was more than her, as he nipped the sensitive spot on her shoulder, sending her into even more of a tailspin underneath him.
She lost all sense of time as pleasure continued to spiral through her, until he blinked down at her, his expression as sated as she assumed hers was.
“Are you hungry?” she whispered.
He blinked again even as he eased out of her, tugged the condom off.
“I need food.” She sat up, still a little wobbly. But she had to get some distance between them in case he wanted to cuddle. Because then she’d be lost for good and give in to everything she wanted.
Which was him—specifically, imagining a future with him.
But he moved fast, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her back on top of him as he dropped the condom…who knew where. “You’re not running,” he growled, burying his face against her neck as he pulled her flush against him again.
“No one’s running.”
“Liar.” He nipped her neck again, sending another shiver through her.
How did he see right through her? “Just…hungry,” she rasped out as he cupped one of her breasts.
“Yeah well so am I.” Then he flipped her on her back and went down on her again.
She’d thought for sure they were done, but clearly he had other plans. And…oh. Oooh, god, this man was like quicksand and she was going to get sucked under if she wasn’t careful.
But as he used that wicked, wonderful tongue on her again, it was hard to care.