Chapter 22
Val took Harbinger’s go-bag with his weapons, IDs, and cash from his hand and pointed down the hallway to the left, saying, “Second room on the right. I’ll store this in my vault. And give him some milk and a bit of chopped chicken.” She pointed at the carrier at his feet. Spike was glaring at him as if he were Satan incarnate. To say he was not happy to be crated was an understatement.
“Thanks, you didn’t tell her?” Harbinger asked.
“I figured a surprise would be better.” Val winked. “I’m taking Smith to a follow-up appointment, so the house is yours for the next three hours or so. Give me ten minutes to secure this, feed Spike, and get my husband rounded up.”
“Thanks, Val. For everything.” Harbinger pulled her in for a hug.
“Whatever it takes, my brother by another mother.” She laughed as she pulled away. “And I do consider you a brother. No more keeping us at arm’s length.”
“I’ll do better, and I love you, too.” Harbinger raised his hand when her eyebrows hit her hairline. “In a completely appropriate brother-sister-I’d-rather-pull-your-ponytail-and-run-away kind of way.”
“Thank goodness.” She laughed and smacked him on the arm. “Go tell your woman you’re here.”
Harbinger winked at her and went to find Ysabel. He opened the door quietly and stepped in. Ysabel came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and drying her hair. She startled when she saw him. The shock lasted a total of two seconds before she ran toward him. Catching her in his arms, he pulled her into a hug. Her arms wrapped around him, and the towel lost its anchor, fluttering to the floor at her feet. “Why didn’t you tell me you were on your way back?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he kissed her neck, moved to her ear, and then to her lips. Their tongues danced as his hands slid down the smooth expanse of her back to her waist. His hand moved lower, around her firm bottom, and lifted her leg to his hip. God, he wanted her. Ysabel’s hands slipped between them, and she somehow unfastened his slacks and freed his cock.
He pulled his lips away long enough to say, “Bed.”
She shook her head and made a noise. He chased her lips when she pulled away and panted, “Like this.” She jumped a bit, and he caught her other leg. Her hand slid between them again, and she helped him find home.
When he slid into her, she gasped. He froze. “Are you okay?”
“More.” She grabbed his cheeks and pulled him to her for a kiss. Harbinger didn’t need to be told twice. He lifted her and slid her back down his shaft. The sensation of her sliding over his cock in that position was insane. He shifted, widening his stance, and, holding her up by her thighs, he lifted her again. God, he wouldn’t last. Each thrust brought them closer to that perfect moment of unmatched release. When it came to Ysabel, he was insatiable. He would have to apologize to her. He wasn’t going to last. He wasn’t going to … Her legs tightened around him, and she clenched, which pulled the trigger on his orgasm. Her groan and his combined as they fell into nothing but sensation and release. He held her against him and prayed he’d be able to keep them upright.
Her head lulled on his shoulder, and she kissed his neck. “You’re back.”
He chuffed out a laugh. “Best welcome ever.” After carefully withdrawing, he put her down.
She took his hand. “Bed, now.” She helped him undress, and they fell into bed together. He pulled her into him and flipped the sheets over their cooling skin. Nestled together, he sighed heavily. She looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“I lost my mind for a minute there. I wanted to tell you something before we made love.”
She moved and propped her head up on her hand. “What?”
“It’s about your father.” He pushed her damp hair away from her face.
“He’s dead,” she said with a slight hesitation in her voice. Her eyes misted, and she stared at him intently. Harbinger could see the immense sadness in her eyes. “The French police called my phone.” A tear formed in the corner of her eye. “They said it looked like a robbery gone bad. There were people who were working there with my father that night. One of them saw a man shoot my father when the attack started. They believe the people chasing the man who killed my father weren’t after my dad or anyone working. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You were one of the people chasing the man who shot my father, weren’t you?”
He nodded. “I was there. I saw the man who killed him, and we chased after him, but he got away. I talked to your father before he died. He was thinking of you.” Which wasn’t a lie, and maybe it would comfort her in some way. Her eyes welled with tears, and she shook her head. Harbinger pulled her down onto his arm. He brushed her hair back behind her ear. “Are you okay?”
“I’m trying to be. I think I’m still in shock from everything that happened in France. I know my father wasn’t a good man. Still …” She sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she changed the subject. “What happened to Nadia?”
“She was brought back to the States and will be questioned for her part in several crimes. Con finished scanning all those documents before we headed back. Your mom’s evidence is vast. Guardian will be able to use it to prosecute Nadia.”
“And Abrasha?” Ysabel asked.
“I haven’t been briefed on anything regarding him, and I probably won’t be unless it becomes my assignment to work.” Which, unfortunately, was the truth. He would make sure his handlers knew he wanted that folio.
“No work now, though, right?”
He smiled. “No work now. Do you want to go back to France for his funeral?”
“No. I called his lawyer, who said everything was taken care of via my father’s will and instructions. We’re starting over. Here. A wedding, a house, a new job for me.”
“We are.” Harbinger lifted up and rolled her onto her back, hovering over her. “How about I make up for the lack of foreplay just now?”
Ysabel laughed and framed his face with her hands. “But I don’t have any lace on.”
He growled and descended on her, attacking her throat with kisses. “All the better.”