Tuesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE HAD NO BUSINESS standing here in Nolan's arms. It was a mistake. Another unnecessary complication in what was bound to be a contentious situation once they got past the current set of problems. But it felt good to lean on Nolan and a part of her felt vindicated that he saw through all her family bullshit.He even smelled good. It wasn't just soap; it was something else. And not the cloud of cologne her brother always wore. Subtle. Woodsy.This was a bad idea, and she didn't care. Right now she wanted to be selfish and pay the consequences later.Lips pressed against her brow then her temple. She lifted her chin, knowing full well what she was asking for and Nolan didn't disappoint. His mouth found hers and all at once her pleasure points came alive. Her nipples hardened and her sex throbbed.Was this her body remembering him? Or was it something he did to her?He tugged on her hair, tilting her head back. He kissed down he
Yvonne stomach did a flip-flop. She'd never call him gorgeous or traditionally handsome. He was too rough around the edges for that. But he did things to her insides she couldn't explain.Nolan bent, his fingers stroking her. She grabbed one of the old throw pillows and covered her face with it a moment before his lips touched her sensitive flesh. She knew what his head looked like between her legs. It was what he did with his mouth and fingers that undid her.The gentle, exploratory touches changed. He thrust into her, stroking her inner walls while he kissed her mound. His tongue licked her, and she lifted her hips up off the sofa. She squealed into the pillow, muffling the sounds. She felt him chuckle while finger fucking her pussy.A deep hunger gnawed at her. Yes, she wanted him, all of him. Not just his mouth and fingers, but his cock as well.Yvonne reached down and grabbed a handful of his hair. She tugged, but he ignored her. His lips wrapped around her clit and he suc
Tuesday. Location, Kyoto, Japan.SAMUEL STARED AT THE manpower reports his assistant had run. The numbers didn't lie. If he ran with the opportunity he'd been given, he'd run out of men long before they attained their goals. Which put him in the unfortunate predicament of needing more men.On boarding people was a time-consuming, slow process. For the work they did, he had to trust every person he hired. But that was when he only managed half the business. The kind of work he did required a great deal of trust among a slice of the population not known for their virtue.It would be immensely easier to hire more men on the other side. Let them think they were doing an honest day's work, when in truth they were helping Samuel on another level."Sir?""Show him in." Samuel waved his hand at his assistant. He didn't need to be told what time it was or who was here.A moment later Karuki entered the home office that Sota had once claimed as his primary work space. The kind of
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.YVONNE STUDIED HER APPEARANCE in the mirror. She ran her fingers over her neck and up her cheek.No hickies. Not even a love bite.Thank goodness.She still couldn't believe she'd allowed yesterday to happen. It wasn't smart. Unlike her brothers she couldn't get away with whatever she wanted. History had proven that she would always get caught.But it was worth it.She slapped her hand over her mouth as though she could silence the voice in her mind.Mom didn't have mind-reading powers, but she had always known what Yvonne's brothers were up to. Yvonne was going to have to be very careful in how she conducted herself around the family today.Yvonne smiled at her reflection, then laughed for no reason.That wouldn't do, but she'd been doing it since Nolan escorted her to her bedroom yesterday.She'd managed to avoid her family last night by claiming she needed rest to feel her best again. Mom was still fussing over Dougl
Yvonne turned and followed in her brother's wake.The living room was the one space in the house that didn't look like a room out of a museum. The walls at either end were floor to ceiling books, broken up only by the two fireplaces. Windows ran along the far wall with French doors that let out onto a small terrace. The furniture was large and leather.Douglas sat in grandpa's old recliner still wearing yesterday's clothes. Mom paced the width of the living room while Dad had his phone to his ear staring out the windows. Theodore was the only one who acknowledged Yvonne's entrance, and he merely nodded at her."Can someone please tell me what's going on?" She set her laptop and phone down on the table."Close the door," Theodore said.Mom whirled to face her. Today's outfit was a powder blue shift dress and cardigan. "They're leaving?""Why do they need to?" Yvonne kept her voice down and glanced from Mom to Theodore.Mom's eyes bulged, and she threw her hands up in the a
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.NOLAN LEANED AWAY FROM the monitor in time to see Yvonne on one of the feeds push open the patio door and step out onto the wide terrace leading down to the pool. She put a hand to her hair, running her fingers through the strands, and tipped her chin up.It was an overcast day with little to no chance of rain, but it made for a dreary atmosphere.Had she talked some sense into her family?"How's the picture look?" Vaughn sat back on his heels. The poor guy had been up most of the night. He'd just crawled into bed when Mrs. Krieger burst in and told them to get out."Good," Nolan replied."The picture, not the woman, dumbass."He presented his middle finger to Vaughn.Vaughn chuckled and pulled himself up into the desk chair next to Nolan. "You've never been this friendly with a client before. You think I'm going to pass up the chance to give you shit?"Nolan didn't reply. It was a damned if he did, damned if he didn't si
Nolan held her gaze. "Plenty. How do you like your coffee?""Sweet and creamy.""Just like you." He'd tasted her cream and knew first hand just how sweet she was.She glanced away, a little spark in her eyes and color in her cheeks. "Stop that.""Do I have to?" He cupped her chin and lifted her face. "Hm?"Her eyes were on his mouth. "What?"Nolan kissed her, suckling her lower lip until she groaned and clutched his shoulders. He lifted his face and stared down at her. During these moments she let him past that polished exterior and he got to see the real her. The one he hadn't been expecting."Are you trying to seduce answers out of me?" One side of her mouth quirked up. She wasn't serious."Would you tell me if it was working?"A bit of the brightness dimmed, and she stared at his shoulder, tracing her fingers over the words Aegis Group stitched there."I can't. I think moving your team out of the house is a mistake, but they aren't going back on it. They believe
YVONNE COULDN'T SEE THE house. Even the grass a few feet in front of her was blurry.She lifted a hand and swiped at her face, doing her best to stem the tears. There was a difference between knowing her place in the family, and others seeing it. She'd always played the role of the dutiful daughter, content to work in the shadows, because she was part of something. Yes, Theodore had a bad habit of not passing along the praise for her work, but he had a lot on his plate, too. It wasn't like he sat back doing nothing. They each did their part.Instead of heading for the patio, she cut through the grass toward the old oak tree and the tree house. As kids Theodore used to say she wasn't allowed inside because she was a girl, but Douglas would sneak her up when their oldest brother wasn't looking. They'd spent happier days up there.The old oak was on the east side of the yard, twenty or so feet from the fence. She didn't remember when the landscaping company had put in the stone path