Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 111416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Fletch had asked her to stay with him in his bed every damn night, and every damn night she left and slept alone.
She hadn’t wanted to fall for him.
She had resisted as best as she could.
She had to face the fact that was one “assignment” she failed.
“Talk to me,” came his murmur.
She turned to face him again to find his head tilted and him trying to read her. Both her body language and her expression.
Her first instinct was to lock everything down, but she didn’t, especially after he said, “I want to know everything about you, Nova. The good, the bad, even the ugly. It doesn’t matter. Honestly, I’m having a difficult time figuring out what makes you tick beyond being an agent. And your career doesn’t make up everything about you.”
“Maybe that’s because I don’t have much beyond my career. Since becoming an agent, my focus has always been doing the best I could. Proving to myself and others that I could be the best. Because of that, relationships have suffered. To be honest, I’ve slept with you more in the limited time we’ve worked together than the past five years combined.”
His eyebrows rose. “Should I take that as a compliment?” He wasn’t being cocky, his question was truly genuine.
She nodded. “Yes, you actually should.”
His surprise turned to satisfaction. “Then I’ll accept that compliment and give you one back. I have not wanted to be with anyone as much as I want to be with you. That’s a straight fact. Your dedication to your job… Hell, your strength in general impresses me. You’re sexy as fuck. You’re smart. You’re good at thinking on your feet. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman—hell, in a partner, too—whether career- or personal-wise.”
Holy shit. She did not expect that kind of confession from him. “I’m hardly perfect.”
“Of course not. But who the fuck is? Anyone who appears perfect on the outside is usually far from it on the inside. It’s usually a false front. The bottom line is, no matter how long this assignment lasts, I want you by my side.”
“You mean during.”
“That’s a given. But—and I’m not sure how you feel about this—even afterwards.”
“What are you saying?” Her pulse began to race at what he was implying. Could they want the same thing?
“This job is only at the beginning. We still have a long way to go. That gives us plenty of time for us to see if this… connection building between us will remain true. And not only because we’re forced to live and work together.” He pushed away from the counter and closed the space between them. “But here’s the deal… if you’re interested in that, we need to be completely open and honest with each other.” Before she could agree, he added, “About everything.”
He wasn’t the only one who could read between the lines. She knew exactly what he wanted from her. He’d been curious about her undercover work with the Russos and hadn’t hidden that curiosity. Every time they had shared stories—whether “war” stories or humorous ones—about work, he always hinted around at that particular job and she always avoided discussing it.
If they’d only remain as work partners in the task force, what went down with the Russos wasn’t his business. But if they became more, something they both seemed to want, then it needed to be said. Because after what she told him, he might change his mind about wanting anything further with her.
It was better to be upfront with him now, than later, if they ended up deeply involved.
“What I tell you goes no farther than the two of us,” she finally said.
“Okay.”
He said that too quickly. “I need more than an okay. I need a promise, Fletch. The risk is much greater than only losing my job.”
“It’s about losing your freedom.”
“That and,” she inhaled and breathed out, “possibly my life.”
“You used your position for personal gain,” he surmised.
“I didn’t gain anything.”
“Payback for your uncle, then.”
“Sure, I wanted payback for my uncle, but I had no legal way to access the Parisis.”
“The Russos were the next best thing.”
“Basically, I wanted to destroy La Cosa Nostra from the inside out. Even though that was an impossible task for me to do alone, I did what I could and how I could. I couldn’t do as much as I would’ve liked, but it was something. It wouldn’t bring my uncle back but at least it kept me from feeling totally helpless about his loss. I couldn’t just sit back and accept what they did to him and live with myself.”
She still wasn’t absolutely sure she wanted to tell him everything. Either now or ever. She was putting a lot of trust in his hands if she did. She’d also be handing over enough power to him that he’d easily be able to crush her.