Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him. “Gabriel, I can’t. I told you.”
He pulled out and slowly filled her again. “You don’t have to. You don’t ever have to tell me, but I need you to know. I love everything about you, Everly Parker.”
He held her focus, looking into her eyes as he made love to her. She made him a better man. He wouldn’t hide or shrink back from it. Everly’s love was important. He would do anything to earn it, but feeling this love for her meant the world to him, too. His love for her had changed him in so many ways.
He kissed her again, letting her off the hook for now. He would try again and again—as often as he could. He would never give up.
For the first time, he fought a real-life battle. Sure, he’d fought on athletic fields, in schoolyard scraps, and in boardrooms, but winning Everly Parker would define his future. He would be ruthless in his pursuit of her.
Gabe let her take his weight, wanting their skin connected everywhere. Chest to chest. Mouths kissing. Arms tangling.
Over and over he thrust into her, wanting the moment to last. She clenched around him and came twice before he couldn’t hold out another second. His spine tingled and his balls drew up. He thrust in hard and gave her everything he had, the pleasure overtaking him.
Breathing hard, he fell on her, reveling in how close they were, the way their hearts beat together, the way their breaths aligned.
The car picked up speed as they moved through Midtown.
“Gabe, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I need to head back to Connor’s. I’m afraid there’s been a development.” Dax’s voice came over the speaker.
At least he had good timing, but Gabe’s heart sank. The last thing he needed was another problem.
He looked down at Everly. “Are you okay? Can you come with me? I know you want to go home, but if Connor’s found out something, I want you there.”
She nodded. For the first time since he’d fucked up, she gave him that same soft smile she’d had when they met. “Yes. I’ll be with you.”
He pushed back onto his knees and helped her up. He touched the speaker that connected him to the front of the stretch limo. “All right. Turn us around.”
He was about to reach for her dress when she curled up in his lap. “We’ve got a few more minutes. That traffic was bad. Just give me a little longer.”
Gabe wasn’t about to refuse her. He held her as they drove through the Manhattan streets, the bright lights and masses of people still at bay for a few moments more.
SIXTEEN
Everly tried to smooth out the sadly wrinkled fabric of her designer dress as she walked into the kitchen of Connor’s condo. Gabriel was right behind her, but his suit seemed to have survived their limo romp much better than the Prada dress.
Romp? Was she really trying to fool herself? What they’d shared hadn’t been some random sex act. Yes, it had been hot and crazy sex, but Gabriel Bond had said “I love you.”
And she hadn’t returned the words.
They had been right there on the tip of her tongue. Replying in kind would have been so easy, natural even. But as much as Everly cared for him deeply, she was afraid of his affection not lasting, of his glittering paparazzi world, of how badly she could be hurt if she stayed. Gabriel scared her because she didn’t recognize herself when she was with him. She wasn’t the sexy girl who made love in a limo, her naked body mere feet away from a crowd of random people walking up and down the streets. But Everly had to admit, she liked who she was when she was with him.
She wished she knew exactly what to do about him. About them.
“You okay?” Gabriel’s fingers brushed against hers as though asking to be held.
She stepped away because holding his hand often led her to discard her brain. “I’m great.”
She was a little walk of shamey, but other than some soreness that had come from almost being murdered, she was surprisingly fine.
Because he’d saved her.
She glanced up at Gabriel. He didn’t even try to hide the hurt that her pulling away from him had caused. He locked his jaw and stared, his eyes burning with misery. Her stomach twisted as he frowned and walked into the room ahead of her.
Dax stepped around her and joined Gabriel, putting a hand on his shoulder, as though giving him comfort. When the navy captain looked back at her, anger fueled his glare.
She was the bad girl in this scenario.
Everly squared her shoulders and walked into the dining room where Connor stared intently at his computer. His close-cropped hair looked like he’d been scrubbing a hand through it.
He glanced up at Gabriel, his lips firming before he spoke. “The police found the second man from last night. Lester Hall. He’s dead. One bullet between the eyes and two to the chest.”
Dax’s eyes closed and he groaned. “Shit.”
So her mystery man had been right again. “Sounds as if he was executed. Most likely by the Bratva, if my information is correct.”
“Why do you say that?” Gabriel asked. “We don’t know for sure the Russian mob is responsible.”
Connor sat back. “I think Red’s right. Two to the chest and one to the head is the mark of a pro who wasn’t taking any chances.” He turned to her. “I’d like to know what information you have. When you left this morning, you didn’t have much.”
She shrugged. “This afternoon I met with a man who’s been sending me mysterious texts and seems to have cut into the camera feeds in Maddox’s house.”
Connor’s jaw dropped, and she was fairly certain she’d surprised him. She would bet not many people surprised Connor Sparks. “You met with a Deep Throat?”
“That sounds a little like a porn film,” Gabriel replied with a shake of his head. “She met with a man who seems to know some things.”
Connor sighed. “Excuse him. He slept through the second half of American history. He apparently missed the lesson about the shadowy figure during the Watergate scandal who led Woodward and Bernstein to the truth and eventually brought down Nixon’s presidency.”
“I knew that.” Gabriel rolled his eyes.
Something about the Watergate reference scared her. “Well, my Deep Throat was definitely playing the part to the hilt. He showed up in a trench coat and fedora. I almost walked away, until he proved that he knew some surprising things. He kept reiterating that what’s happening goes far deeper than Maddox’s murder and reaches further than I could imagine. Maybe it’s because you mentioned Watergate . . . but my mind goes to one place.”
“Zack,” Gabriel said, his eyes grave.
“You think this man is after Zack?” Dax asked.
“I don’t know. He was purposely vague.”
Connor rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Again, I think Red’s right. And she’s way smarter than I gave her credit for. The minute there’s a hint that Zack is involved in anything slightly scandalous,
this will explode.”
“Did he shut down the FAA investigation?” Everly asked.
“I don’t know.” Connor stood and stretched. “If we’re quick, we can catch Roman at that fundraiser at The Plaza in twenty