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“You should go now. I’ve been away from the party long enough.” She adjusts her skirt nervously then straightens up and smiles at us. Pressing a keycard into Mack’s hand, she says, “This will get you out of the building. Basement exit is easiest. The doors are locked but the card will let you through them.”

“Thank you.” Mack takes the card then pulls her in for a quick embrace as I linger beside him. Seeing his arms around another woman sends a heavy knot of nausea to my stomach.

“Find the seer,” Annalise says as she opens the door. “Find her and find the truth behind the prophecy. Then, maybe you’ll find enough power to win your fight.”

14

NOVA

We stand in silence beside one another. The elevator is descending slowly toward the basement of the hotel and the parking lot where we left the truck. I glance at Mack. His arms are folded, his brow furrowed like he’s deep in thought.

The way Annalise hugged him as we left is replaying in my mind.I’d do anything for you, Mackis what she said. She’d doanythingfor him.

“Did you hope for more?” I ask him. “Did you hope she’d do more?”

Mack pushes his fingers through his hair. “Yes, but at least she gave us something. She’s clearly in a difficult position. Especially if the Bureau has been infiltrated.”

I nod slowly. There is a moment’s silence then, before I can stop myself, fiery indignation surging in my belly, I hear myself saying, “Mack, did you and Annalise ever…? Were you more than work colleagues?”

Without turning to look at me, Mack rubs his beard. He sighs a little. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean.” My voice is a little louder now. “When you worked together, did you two…?”

Mack closes his eyes. “Nova, this isn’t the time.”

“I’d like to know.” I’m trying to press down the cartwheels of fire in my stomach, but I can’t. It’s not working. “Because the way she looked at you, and the way she spoke to you—”

“Why would you ask me that?” Mack’s voice isn’t like it usually is. It’s different. Like I’ve hurt him.

I search for words that won’t make me sound like a jealous teenager. Quietly, I say, “Because she’s stunning, and she’s older than me, and the way she looked at you—”

I’m studying Mack’s profile. His shoulders are moving heavily up and down as he breathes. “I know I’m being ridiculous,” I say quietly. “I know there is so much more at stake right now, so much more I should be worrying about. And I know that you have a past. Of course, you do. You’re fifty-two years old. You’ve probably slept with hundreds of women.” I pause and suck in a tear-filled breath. “But maybe that’s it. Maybe that’s why it hurts so much to think of you fucking Annalise… because you won’t fuck me. You said today that you’d never cross that line with me and—”

Before I can finish my sentence, Mack spins around and punches the big red button on the wall. The elevator jolts to a stop so hard I almost topple over.

Finally, he turns to look at me. “First of all,” he says darkly, “I never fucked Annalise. Never wanted to.” Mack takes hold of my wrist. His grip is firm and warm. “Second of all, I have not slept with hundreds of women. Not even close.” His eyes flash amber. “Third of all…” He licks his lower lip. “Even if I had, nothing would compare to the way I feel when I’m around you.” His jaw twitches. “The world is in danger of being swallowed up, and you’re all I can think about.” He moves closer. “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.” Still holding my wrist, he inches us toward the wall and presses into me, his hips hard up against my pelvis. “The things you do to me…” He towers over me. “The way you make me feel… it’s sinful, Nova. The things I want to do to you. The ways I want to make you come.”

Liquid heat drips through my body. My legs are trembling. “Then why won’t you fuck me?” I ask, almost pleading. “You hold back. All the time.” I tug my arm, but he won’t let go. A tear rolls down my cheek. “When we’re alone, you’ll only go so far. When we’re with the others, you let them take the lead.” I tug again. He still holds me tight. Looking up at him, through my heavy eye makeup, I meet his steely gaze. “Why won’t you fuck me, Daddy?”

A low rumble comes from deep inside Mack’s chest. It sends vibrations through my limbs. I’m breathing hard, my breasts pressed against him. I feel his erection against my leg. When I move to touch him, he grabs my other wrist too and holds me still. Meeting my eyes, he says, “Because I don’t deserve to feel that good.”

A jolt of sympathy hits my stomach. He doesn’tdeserveto feel good? He deserves everything. All of it!

“Then do it for me.” I tip my chin up, fix my gaze on his. I lower my voice and raise up on my tiptoes. Into his ear, I whisper, “Fuck me, Daddy. Right now. Make me come. Show me how good you can make me feel. Show me how you can take care of me.”

A flickering moment passes between us, then Mack pushes me away, letting go of my wrists. I’m about to yell at him, scream at him to stop punishing himself. Then I realize he’s unfastening his belt.

Mack fixes his gaze on me. Slowly, purposefully, he wraps the belt around his hand.

Watching him, a shiver runs down my spine.

He studies me for a moment, his breath rising and falling in his chest. When he finally stalks toward me, heat rushes to my core.

“You want me to let loose?” he growls, towering over me, running the cool leather of his belt up my arm. “You want to see the real Mack?”

I can’t speak. I just nod, moistening my lower lip as his belt-wrapped hand reaches my throat and draws a slow line across it.

“Then turn around,” Mack whispers.


Tags: Cara Clare Fantasy