Friday. Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon.

Alec didn’t draw an easy breath until they made it to the hotel in Beirut. Even then he was a little apprehensive about their presence. Aegis Group’s policy was to avoided the country whenever possible ever since they’d lost a man here in one shitty situation. It had put them at odds with many government officials. The sooner Alec and Vara got Jules out of here, the better.

“Is this necessary?” Vara sighed.

“He knows what he’s doing,” Jules said.

Alec continued his careful search of Jules’ hotel room. He felt under the bed, opened every drawer, examined the fixtures and windows. Only when he was satisfied did he glance at the two women.

“Being careful saves lives. You’re good, Jules. Want a hand with anything?” Alec pushed to his feet.

“Close those curtains? I want to lie down.” The weariness was back in Jules’ voice.

“Don’t you want a shower first?” Vara asked.

“Yes, but these old bones need to lie flat and rest. I’ll shower before we leave.”

“I’ll leave you ladies to it.” Alec excused himself from the room to give them privacy.

While Vara helped to get Jules settled, Alec returned to the main room and began cleaning up the mess left from tearing into the medical kit. The first priority after a thorough once over was seeing to Jules’ condition. On top of providing clothes and funds, the Aegis Group team had ensured the medical kit delivered to them had the basics for what they’d need to begin treating Jules. After years living in conditions anyone would call inhumane she had a long road to recovery ahead of her. He hoped she got some relief.

He finished tidying up about the same time Vara backed out of Jules’ room.

“Thank you. Now, get out,” Jules said with a laugh.

He was glad she could still do that. Laughter was good for the soul after all.

Vara leaned against the doorframe. “You need us—”

“I won’t,” Jules insisted.

“Still.” Alec came to stand behind Vara and placed his hand on her back. “We’re here if you need us. I figure we’ll order dinner around four, so you have a couple hours to rest.”

“Get out.” Jules waved her hands at them, eyes sparkling.

She’d be okay. Whatever she’d seen, whatever had been done to her, she was going to survive. He had a feeling she wouldn’t do a whole lot more, but that was ultimately up to her.

Vara pulled the door shut behind her and nudged him out of the way. The smile was gone, and she chewed her lip, obviously concerned.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

She glanced at the door then shook her head.

He gestured for her to enter the main part of the suite where the kitchenette and lounge area were. It was a nice enough place. If he had to guess their boss had prioritized proximity to the airport and security over luxury, both of which were fine to Alec.

“You really think your people will get us passports by the morning?” Vara turned toward him. The sun at her back cast a halo around her head.

“Yes.” He closed the distance between them and wound a strand of her hair around his finger. “What’s bothering you?”

“My other team. What about them? Did they make it out of here okay? Or are they...” She shook her head.

“I talked to Zain. He said they were bound for the states. They’re okay.” He tugged on her hair. “Come to the bedroom. It’s time for me to look after you.”

She tipped her chin up and stared at him, one brow arched.

Vara had never done well with orders. She was too strong willed for that.

Last night he’d almost boosted her up against the hangar wall and given in to lust, but he’d held off. He knew there was a good possibility she’d made up her mind to not succumb to the chemistry they still had. Waiting might have ended all chance of being with her again. But what he wanted from her wasn’t that one moment. He wanted more. And that meant playing the long game. Showing her he was better than the young soldier who’d broken her heart.

“Vara.” He tugged on that strand of hair.

“Don’t boss me around.” She turned toward the bedroom door.

He let go of her hair and watched the slow sway of her hips as strolled through the only other bedroom door.

Alec followed her, his world narrowing to the woman poised standing in the short hall, her fingers brushing the wall as she glanced over her shoulder at him. He remembered a moment a lot like this when they’d reached their hotel on a Thai beach. The difference between then and now was that the girl she’d been had glanced back with wide eyes, her nerves wound so tight he could hardly breathe. Vara the woman smirked, her confidence giving him hope that maybe there could be more for both of them.

He closed the door behind them.

“Now what?” she asked.

His carefully thought out seduction plan began to evaporate.

He needed to touch her.

Alec placed his hands on her waist, tugging her back to his chest. She leaned into him, still studying his face. He bent his head and brushed his lips across hers, his abdominals tightening from even that touch.

Vara whirled in his arms and fisted the hem of his shirt, a taste of last night’s desperation seeping back into the moment.

No.

Not yet.

He knew how it could be between them, the overpowering lust, but he wanted more.

He grasped her by the wrists and pinned her against the wall. She didn’t fight him one bit.

“Take off your clothes,” he said against her lips.

“What did I say about bossing me around?” She twisted her wrists in his grasp, not trying to break free. Testing him was more like it.

“Please.”

“Your manners suck.”

“I’ll show you what else I can suck at.” He grinned.

“You used to be better at this seduction thing. You might be losing your touch.” Vara nudged him back.

“Oh, I plan on touching you a lot, but we’re both filthy and the sheets are clean.” Alec backed away, unbuttoning the long-sleeved shirt he’d worn for days.

One side of Vara’s mouth quirked up, and she watched him strip out of the shirt, then his vest and the sport fabric tee under that. The cool air of the room felt good after so many days living in that gear.

“Come here.” Alec reached out and took her hand.

He backed through the second door and she followed.

The bathroom was an adequate size. Nothing fancy, but good enough for what they needed.

He turned the shower on before getting down to business. He grasped the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. Unlike him, she hadn’t worn a protective vest under her clothes. When they got home, he was going to buy her one, so she’d always be protected.

The thin camisole fit her like a second skin. He had to peal it off her, and even then he was half certain it would stand up on its own. Her sturdy sports bra he left in place, not trusting himself with the distraction of her breasts. Yet.. He went to a knee and undid the laces of one boot then the other. She unfastened her belt before he took over the job and released the button on her pants. He slid the material down her legs. Her socks got lost somewhere in the mix. She placed bare feet on the tile, wearing just her panties and bra. It was all going to have to be burned.

“Take off the rest.” He sat back on his heels.

“I thought that was your job.” She placed her hands on her hips.

God, she was beautiful. All long, lean lines and soft curves.

“Just do it.” He wasn’t as certain about his ability to resist her until after the shower.

She reached down and pried the band of her bra up, then turned her back to him as she wrestled the garment up over her head and tossed it on the ground. Red, angry marks banded her ribs where the elastic had cut into her.

He grasped the end of her pony tail, pulling her hair aside, and bent to kiss those marks. She shivered and stopped breathing as he soothed the angry flesh.

“Go on,” he said, his voice rough.

Steam made the air heavy and he could feel the grime as though it coated him. Yeah, they needed this shower to happen fast.

Vara hooked her thumbs in her panties and pushed them down her hips, giving him a tantalizing view of her ass wiggling back and forth. She’d been athletic and slender before. Over the years she’d filled out, but under the soft curves was a strength that surpassed the physical. Vara was the kind of woman who could lift the world on her shoulders and keep going.

“Happy?” She stood with one hip cocked, her fingers curled over the bone, looking back at him.

Bits of hair stuck to her cheek and neck. The rest of her was gloriously naked. And his.

“Very.” He pushed to his feet and put a few feet of distance between them. “In.”

“We’re at the one word conversation now, huh?” She grinned.

Adult Vara was going to be a hell of a lot of fun. He watched her step into the tub and pull the curtain back. Only then did the ability to breathe return to him. He sucked down the humid air, more focused than ever on his goals. On Vara and what they could be if she’d give them a second chance.

Alec shucked the rest of his clothes in record time. He pulled the curtain back just enough to step in. Vara stood facing him, her face tipped up to the shower head. Her dark hair was slicked to her shoulders and chest like some kind of silky cape. Her nipples poked through the tendrils, dusky brown discs against her olive skin.

God damn she was beautiful.

And he wasn’t going to pounce on her. Not yet.

He grabbed the tiny bottle of hotel soap and squirted most of it in his hands while she watched.

“Going to scrub my back?” she asked.

“Yup.” And the rest of her.

She pivoted, and he slicked the soap over her skin then down her arms. She leaned back against him and he stroked her stomach then up over her breasts.

This was happening.

He’d been prepared for Vara to shut him down, to erect those walls and reject him. That was what he deserved, but here she was with her arms twined around his neck and his fingers on her nipples.

She was everything he wanted. And he’d lost her before he knew what he had.

Don’t let me fuck this up again.

Alec let his hand drift down her stomach to her mound. He felt the muscles of her abdomen flex, but she didn’t issue a protest. This was what they both wanted, wasn’t it?

He dipped his fingers between her legs. Her heated skin was slick. From the shower or her arousal? It was impossible to tell. He wrapped his left arm around her ribs and stroked her folds, easing farther back, delving deeper until he teased her opening.

Vara tilted her head back against his shoulder, her eyes shut.

He circled her entrance, learning the shape of her again after all these years.

She groaned and pulled away from him.

“My turn,” she purred.

Vara turned to face him, her dark gaze heated.

She grabbed his hand and tugged him forward until they both stood under the spray of water. Using the same bottle as he had she squirted soap in her hands. She scrubbed his back and chest with far more efficiency than he’d shown her. Her fingers traced his muscles and the scars peppering his body, but she didn’t ask questions.

“In a rush?” he asked after a few moments.

“Kind of. This tub’s slippery.” Her cheeks were pink, her eyes bright with lust.

“I still have to wash your hair,” he said.

“Of course you do.” She pushed the shampoo bottle into his hands.

They each took turns doing a real wash up with shampoo, conditioner and a bit more soap. There was something to be said about washing away days of sweat and sand.

Once they were finished, Vara locked gazes with him and twisted the knob, calling an end to the shower. He saw the same kind of lust burning in his veins staring back at him. If he didn’t want her so bad maybe he should be afraid she’d eat him up.

Alec stepped out and grabbed a towel. He shook it open and held it for Vara. She joined him on the bathmat, meeting his gaze. They weren’t hiding from each other. Not now at least.

He slid the towel over her body, catching most of the water.

“What’s next?” She placed her hand on his chest when he stood. She was so close her breasts almost brushed him when she breathed.

She was asking him questions and speaking. He didn’t have that same kind of ability.

Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her off the ground. Her legs wrapped around his hips and she grinned down at him.

“I’ll show you,” he said as he nuzzled her cheek.

Alec carried her out of the bathroom and to the bed. He laid her down, but didn’t join her yet. No, he needed to see her. TO memorize this moment because if this was all she gave him it would have to last him a lifetime.

Her wet hair spread out on the blanket. Her hands remained on his shoulders, and he liked to imagine she was reaching for him. Her chin tipped up, and she stared at him, those whisky brown eyes of her so warm and full of lust.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

She blinked and snorted, an indelicate sound, but so characteristically her.

“I mean it.” He lifted a hand and dragged a finger down her cheek, smoothing the hair off her damp skin. “You’re so damn beautiful and you don’t realize it. You never have.”

She opened her mouth.

He quickly covered those lips with his hand.

“Just lay there. Don’t tell me I’m wrong or make a joke. Just accept that I think you’re beautiful, okay?”

Her lips pressed to his palm. She was kissing him. Accepting that was how he saw her?

Alec bent his head and kissed her shoulder where he could still see the marks her bra had left. He rocked back, dragging his lips to her breast then her nipple, dropping kisses as he went. Her hands delved into his hair, fingers twining around the strands. He pulled away, moving lower, kissing her ribs, the plane of her stomach, a hip, the crease at her thigh, the delicate skin on her inner leg, the outside of her knee and all the way to her ankle. Sitting on his heels, he shifted to the other leg and retraced his path on the right side of her body. He ran his tongue over goose flesh and her sensitive places, listening to her breath catch and feeling the way her muscles responded, how she tensed and relaxed at his touch.

Vara’s breathing was erratic. Was she aware of how loud she was? Or was she so far gone that she only had a mind for pleasure?

She shifted on the bed, her hands sliding over his shoulders and her feet moving restlessly.

He wanted her to desire him. To want this and more, but in this moment he’d settle for giving her pleasure. Getting to feel her hold on to him and come apart because of what they did together.

He grabbed the condom he’d shoved under the pillow during his tour through their room. Vara watched him from under her lashes, her lips parted and swollen. He rolled the latex on then stood there, looking his fill at her. His Vara.

She lifted a hand toward him and he took it, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. She wrapped her hand around his and tugged him onto the bed, joining her there. Her smile spread across her face, softening her features even further.

“I like this bones, turned on look you’ve got going on.” He braced his hands on either side of her shoulders, staring down at her. He needed to commit this to memory. He had a plan, one that would keep them together, but first he had to make her want it and him.

“You’ll like what comes next better.” She hooked a leg up over his hip, bringing their bodies into alignment.

“I don’t know. I like this view a lot.”

“Alec.” She groaned his name.

He shifted his hips and the head of his cock fit against her. He flexed his hips, sliding into her, the tight walls of her pussy slick with arousal. It was his turn to groan at the feel of her hugging him, how they fit together.

“Oh—Alec,” Vara whispered.

She hugged him closer, the leg around his hip flexing, forcing him deeper still. He eased out of her, then back in until their bodies were fully joined.

“Damn,” he muttered against her cheek.

She turned her head and her lips grazed his.

Each and every moment they spent together was precious. It had to be remembered. From the barely there kisses to the feel of her hugging his dick, how her lips tasted and her nails digging into his back.

“Alec, I need you to...” She tipped her head back.

He liked those first four words a lot.

Alec pushed up, withdrawing from her body. She whimpered, her hands already tugging at his sides. He thrust, and she groaned, her head lolling back.

God damn, she was going to break him.

He rocked into her hard enough she scooted across the bed a little at a time. Each joining of their bodies elicited groans. The leg around his hips tightened until she was thrusting up to meet him with an urgency that he couldn’t ignore. The blood rushed past his ears and he dropped his head, finding her lips.

She cupped his face, but the kiss never happened.

Vara’s back arched and her mouth opened on a silent shout, her orgasm rippling through him.

“Fuck,” he muttered as her pussy tightened.

He thrust, working in and out of her.

An electric current started at the top of his spine, racing lower until all coherent thought ceased and the only thing he felt was pleasure and peace, so deep and complete he never wanted it to stop. If his plan worked, maybe there would be a future for them.

SATURDAY. CAIRO INTERNATIONAL Airport, Egypt.

Vara closed her eyes as the pilot announced their preparations for landing.

The last twenty-four hours were a dream. A sweet respite from reality.

Deep down she knew that she should have never allowed Alec to tempt her. It wasn’t as if she’d resisted him all that hard. She’d thought she had more pride than she did.

Boy was she wrong.

Alec’s hand closed over hers and he squeezed.

This was almost over.

If things went remotely according to plan, they’d join his team in Cairo and fly back to the states tomorrow. She doubted things would be quite that clear cut, but in short order she would be back in the states with little clue as to what she should do after turning over the intel to the CIA.

“Relax,” Alec muttered.

“I am relaxed.” She sighed at the sound of her lie.

“Whatever you say.”

She turned her hand over and let him thread their fingers together.

Jules was one seat in front of them sitting with a throne of pillows making the ride more comfortable. True to her word, she’d slept every moment she wasn’t eating yesterday. After years of living in fear, being kept up all night, to sleep in peace must be a glorious thing.

Their landing was as good as any. Disembarking the plane felt like it took an hour with all the people, but soon enough they were free from the press and making their way toward customs.

Vara was used to seeing the back’s of people’s heads, so when she saw a man staring right at her it caught her by surprise, and then again once his features registered.

Chad.

God, she might not like him but she was so relieved to see him after what they’d been through.

She grabbed Alec’s arm, and he steered Jules’ wheelchair toward Chad, who turned and strode through a set of double doors that remained open. Alec frowned at her, but she couldn’t answer. Not here in a busy airport. It wasn’t like she had many answers to give.

Vara darted forward and grabbed one of the doors when they began to swing shut.

“Come on,” she whispered.

“What’s going on?” Alec asked.

“I don’t know, but I’m going to be in trouble.”

“You two, in here.” Chad opened a door and waved Alec with Jules through. Chad closed the door, his cool gaze locked on Vara. “You come with me.”

“Wait, Chad, we’ve been traveling a long way—”

“Not here,” he snapped.

“Go on. We’ll be fine.” Alec grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I’ll be back. I promise.” She let go of him and turned to follow her handler.

Vara winced and fell into step with Chad. They went two doors down from where Alec and Jules were being held to another, tiny room with three desks arranged facing the walls. The small office was neat, minimalistic. Chad closed the door behind her then sat down.

“What the hell, Vara? We talked about this,” he said, anger flashing in his eyes.

“And I told you I wasn’t going to be able to stay much longer. I told you this was dangerous.”

“You were supposed to get Djinn to stay.”

“That was never an option.” Vara shook her head. “We saw where Djinn was working. The place was cleaned out. It used to be a massive operation, but they’ve shut it down. I don’t know why Djinn was still there.”

“There are things at play here you know nothing about.” Chad leaned forward.

“I know that,” she snapped back. “Rafat tried to kill us. What were we supposed to do?”

They glared at each other for a moment. She’d always gotten the sense that Chad didn’t really like her. They didn’t have to be friends to make this work, but now she wondered if she should have paid closer attention to this man. She wasn’t sure he’d have been all that guilt ridden if his choices got her killed.

“Here.” Vara shrugged the shoulder bag down her arm and thrust it at Wyatt. Right now she didn’t want to give it to him, but she also wanted the target off her back. “This is what you want. Djinn said it was important.”

Wyatt wrinkled his nose and took the hardware. He set it on a desk then focused on her.

“Walk me through what happened since we last spoke,” he said.

“After we met, I returned home. Alec offered to go with me as backup to our meet, so we went early. While we waited for the meeting time, we observed what we think were two Russian enforcers arriving. We followed them into the location where Djinn has been working out of. Alec created a distraction while I made contact with Djinn and helped them escape. Alec and I met up on our way back to the house. When we arrived, my team was there. They restrained Alec, and myself, brought us and Jules to the warehouse where we met with Rafat. During that we had an altercation and Rafat was killed. We escaped the city via a smuggler route and here I am.”

A muscle in Chat’s jaw twitched, but other than that he continued to stare at her coolly.

“What?” Vara was growing tired of the man.

“Six hours ago we got this.” Chad showed her his phone screen, and a picture of Wyatt walking between two men in suits.

“What is this? Where are they?” Vara frowned.

“That’s your man, Wyatt, and Kolya Sokolov’s enforcers entering an airport. The bodies of two other Americans have already been reported in Damascus.”

Vara swallowed. That news stung, both the betrayal and the deaths. That wasn’t what she’d wanted for them.

“Rafat Nour is dead, but you probably already knew that, didn’t you?”

Vara didn’t answer.

“With his operation is wrecked, we believe Kolya is moving in to take over. What I want to know is, how much does Wyatt know?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Chad asked her to go over the timeline five more times. After each retelling he let another morsel of information drop. Nothing shocking, just details. How the two men had been killed. What authorities in Damascus were saying. By the end of it Vara felt raw. She’d gotten the package out, but she’d failed everyone else that had come to depend on her.

“What do we do next? Are we going to rescue Wyatt?” she asked.

“We are doing nothing. I am going to take this hunk of junk to our analysts and we’ll see if this was worth destroying two years of work for. Wyatt is our problem now. Not yours.”

“But I know him. I promised him I would—”

“What do you think you can do?” Chad glared at her. “Your value was in schmoozing with the locals, getting them to talk. You’re less than useless to us now. You aren’t even CIA. You’re dead weight and now we have to clean up your mess.”

“Is that all I did?” She glared right back at him. “I don’t recall you going out after curfews to make drops. I don’t recall you ever once sticking your neck out to get anything done. Every risk we have taken has been on me.”

“It’s the nature of the food chain.” Chad shrugged.

“I’m expendable is what you’re saying?” She crossed her arms over her chest and slouched down.

“Your words not mine.” Chad spread his hands, a smile curving the corners of his mouth.

Asshole.

“Then we’re done here.” Vara pushed to her feet.

“We’re done when I say we are, sugar.”

Her vision hazed red. She’d given up a comfortable job offer to live in what felt like a war zone. She’d risked her lifetime and time again for people she thought she could trust. She’d been delusional. It wasn’t as though Chad had ever tried to be nice to her or sweet talk her into things. He handed over her orders, she saw them through.

What an idiot she’d been.

“Sit. Back. Down.” Chad leaned forward.

Vara’s focus tightened to that perfectly chiseled jaw of his. Her mind and body suffered some kind of epic disconnect because it was suddenly as though she weren’t inside herself anymore. Her brain tingled, vaguely aware her body was doing things it shouldn’t. The tightness was her shoulder drawing back. Chad’s eyes widened, but he didn’t have time to react. She landed a punch that she felt in her elbow, shoulder socket and the muscles along her back.

Her mind and body snapped back together just in time to watch Chad’s feet fly up. She stared for a fraction of a second in horror at what she’d just done, most of the rage burning off and turning into panic.

Chad groaned but didn’t move.

He didn’t deserve her time or concern.

Vara shook her hand and turned toward the door, using her left to open it.

The hall wasn’t empty like last time. A few people were on their way, two others paused with their heads together.

Vara shut the office door then retraced her path to where she’d last seen Alec and Jules. She cracked the door open. Alec paused his pacing, one hand frozen as it passed through his hair.

“Vara.” He crossed the large room, his eyes wide.

“What’s wrong?” She slipped inside.

“Don’t let the door close.” He stretched out a hand.

She lodged her foot in the way and glanced around the room. “Where’s Jules?”

“They took her. The bastards came in here, took her and locked me in.”

“We need to go.” Her tenure with the CIA was over in spectacular fashion. She didn’t want to hang around to see how this truly ended. “Jules will be safe with them, but I have to get out of here. Now.”

“I don’t like leaving Jules, but...you’re probably right.” Alec jerked his head in a nod then crowded her back into the hall and placed his hand at the small of her back. “This is the security offices. We should have access to several points of exit.”

Vara couldn’t help glancing at the office where Chad was no doubt nursing his head.

She’d thought she’d be reassigned, that she’d begun a career path with a focus worth pursuing. Instead she’d allowed herself to be blinded and taken advantage of. She didn’t think that was how this began. Her old handler had occasionally spoken about a long term game plan. Chad never had.

They went to the end of the hall and turned. A heavy door barred the way. Alec jabbed a button on the wall and they opened, dumping them out on the public side of the airport.

“Let’s get out of here.” Alec took her hand and led her out through an exit to the bustling curb where noise assaulted them from all sides.

Two years of living lies. And for what?

She believed she’d been doing the right thing, that she was one of the good guys. In reality she didn’t rate the team.

Wyatt and the others were paying the price for her decisions. They might have sold her out, but she didn’t think they had a choice. And now three of them were dead and Wyatt was somewhere with a Russian mob boss.