Once I get over my fear of heights, the helicopter ride is a blast. My stomach does two rolls and a loop before settling in for the ride. I text Kat and let her know we’re coming. When we arrive, she’s on the helipad, and all three of us wait as the copter lifts off. Jaden leans down and kisses Kat’s cheek.

“Hello, beautiful.”

Kat gives him a playful slap. “Flattery will get you everywhere, you rascal. Dinner’s at seven in the private dining room.” She whisks me away before Jaden has time to respond. Kat marches me to her suite and the largest walk-in closet I’ve ever seen. My eyes practically bulge out of my head.

“Come on. We’ve got to get you into something sexy.”

“Oh, Kat, you’ve got it all wrong. Tonight, we talk business, and I don’t do sexy.”

I don’t know why I’m spouting this bullshit. I’m so horny I might jump the first guy I see. But I’m not that person. Jaden, despite my best intentions, gave me a taste of something different. I want him to fuck me. I want him to take away all memory of Viper. I want his cock to massage my pain, make me feel the pleasure I’ve had a taste of.

Kat looks at me as if I’m a lost sheep in serious need of direction.

“Oh, honey, if you think that, you’re all wrong. Trust me on this. Sex is always at the core of things where our men are concerned.”

I return her sad-to-be-you look. “Not this time. This is strictly business. Apparently, CSIS asked Jaden and me to go undercover, and he says no.”

“And why do you think that is?” While we’re talking, Kat pours bubble bath into her enormous tub and wrestles me out of my clothes. “In you go.”

Kat stands there looking me over as if she’s never seen me naked. I’m not sure whether to be alarmed or complimented. “You know, you’re not his usual type, but I can sure see the fascination, bruises and all. Let’s find you something sexy to wear. I’ll leave it on the chair. Help yourself to the makeup.” She points toward a beautiful dressing table lined with expensive-looking bottles then walks back into the ginormous closet.

Kat doesn’t know what she’s talking about. No doubt Jaden’s into lots of curves. He’s definitely a big breast guy. Oh, he’s all kinds of subtle and has the “not interested” facade down to a fine art. I know better. This is one of the areas where I’m über-connected to him. When he spots a babe, his pulse beats just that touch harder. His pupils dilate. That doesn’t happen when he sees my small boobs.

I bask in the bath until it cools off, contemplating Jaden’s “usual type” and how much I don’t fit it. After a love affair with the thickest Turkish cotton towel I’ve ever seen, I go in search of this sexy outfit . . . and sexy it is. Draped over a chair is a long black dress with slits below from hip to ankle and not a panty in sight. Holy shit, I can’t wear this. But curiosity wins the day, and somehow the offending garment makes its way onto my body. I twirl in front of the full-length mirror. Wow. I almost look stunning.

As I enter the dining room, Jaden waits by the door looking more than just fine in sharply creased black pants and another of his glorious black knit shirts. It’s pushed up on his muscular forearms, showing those fine light brown hairs screaming for my attention. I stop beside him. His heartbeat quickens for a few seconds. I reign in my responding flutter.

He gestures toward the dining table with those impossibly graceful hands—hands with long, tapered fingers and well cared for nails. Hands that I want to grab my ass and pull me tight. He arches an eyebrow as I stay rooted to the spot. Several awkward moments pass. He says nothing, but his gaze never leaves mine. Prickly heat tingles through my system at his scrutiny. Several more moments pass before I find the wherewithal to move.

A crisp caesar salad sits on a table resplendent with crystal, bone china, and fine linens. We each take our chairs and fold our napkins across our laps. I take a healthy gulp from my glass of red wine. Jaden smiles as I dive into my salad. He still says nothing, just watches me. Awkward. Finally, I can’t stand the silence any longer.

“How did you find me?”

Jaden looks at me as if I’m a nervous hummingbird about to take flight. “Tracking device.”

I almost choke on my food. I shut the fuck up for one minute before I fire off both cannons. At least he doesn’t play games, pretending he doesn’t know what I’m talking about.

“Tracking device! You gave me a tracking device? When? Didn’t you remove Viper’s tracking device?”

“I did.” He takes a bite of his salad and sits back while he chews with great deliberation. This man really can be annoying.

“And?”

“I replaced his with one of mine. Simple.”

I carefully place my fork on my plate, sit back in my chair, and level what I hope is a cold stare at him. Hoping he doesn’t see the raging inferno of fury. Hoping I hide my pleasure.

“You had no right to do that without my permission. Were you ever planning on telling me?” I lean forward, my blood pressure rising with every increment of my anger. Stay calm. I sit back. He matches my movement, steepling his hands under his chin as he returns my steely gaze, undeterred.

“I gave you a tracker so I could find you if Viper got through my defenses. Obviously, I was right to do so.”

“You weren’t right to do it without my permission. Just when I was starting to trust you, you turn out to be like all the rest. What is it about fucking men that they think they own you?” I get up and pace. “Don’t even bother answering that. I’ve heard it all before. Who the fuck gave you the right to decide what’s right for me? Maybe one of these nights while you’re sleeping, I should insert something into your balls. Would you like that?” Out of breath, I stop and inhale.

“Are you done?”

No. Maybe. Shit. I huff but refuse to respond. I give him what I hope is another “killer” look.

“Sit.” He waits until I do just that. “First of all, I’d do it again. Right now, your safety is my first priority. No one’s going to get you on my watch, not if I can help it.”

“You should have asked.”

“Maybe I should have, but I knew you’d refuse. Right now, I’d rather have you safe and pissed at me than dead.” His amber eyes darken as he leans forward and takes a bite of his caesar salad. “And then we wouldn’t have tonight, would we?”

I go all sorts of tingly inside. I stamp that down and cross my arms over my chest.

“Let me be very clear about this. If this thing is to work, I need your word you’ll never do anything to me again without my express permission.”

“What thing would that be?” The coolness in his tone matches mine. Usually, guys run for the hills when I go into Roaring Rayne mode. Not Jaden. He’s matching my intensity, but I feel humor roiling inside him.

“This isn’t funny, you know.”

“Oh no, Rayne. You’re not getting off that easy. I’m getting used to your tricks. Now, what thing would that be?”

“Working together with CSIS. That thing!” I fling the words at him.

“I never agreed to work with you.” He steeples those damned hands again. “I turned them down.”

“Why on earth would you do that?“

“This type of work isn’t for someone like you. I couldn’t live with myself if I caused you harm.”

“You aren’t God, Jaden. Get over yourself.”

That enigmatic smile makes another appearance. “No, but he told me to keep you safe.”

Now he’s playing with me. I love it, but I’m far too intense to bite.

“You have no right to make decisions for me. I’m frigging sick and tired of men telling me what to do. Give me the name of your contact.” I hold my hand out for emphasis. Jaden cocks his head, that smile deepening.

“What for?”

“Seriously. I think that’s patently obvious. You are not going to ruin this opportunity for me. If you won’t work with me, I bet they’ll know someone who will.”

“You’re a stubborn little shit.” He resumes eating while I glare at him.

“Look—”

Jaden raises his hand. I shut up.

“Sometimes you’re going to have to learn to dummy up. I’m thinking.”

I open my mouth, then snap it shut. I chatter when I’m nervous, and he wants me to shut up? Indignation dukes it out with excitement. Excitement wins. I just know he’s going to say yes. If you play your cards right.

Jaden points his fork at me. Seventeen measures of intensity glare at me. “We’ve got some more talking to do before I decide.”

“Yes!” I pump my fist in the air. Excitement courses through me at the possibilities. Maybe, just maybe, I can do something meaningful to stop predators like ES and Viper. Something that matters. And be with Jaden. I shove that thought away.

“I haven’t said yes.” His voice is firm, but there’s a twinkle of humor in those magnetic eyes.

“No, but you will.”

“What makes you so certain?”

I hold up my index finger. “One, you need me for the cover.”

Middle finger. “Two, I promised Sasha.”

Ring finger. “Three, you need my computer skills.”

Baby finger. “Four, I know the lifestyle.” Okay, maybe this was a bit of an exaggeration.

Thumb. “I can get us into places you can’t.”

Jaden studies me with those wolf eyes. A server comes in and replaces our salad with steak frites. Somehow, Jaden manages to cut his steak without taking his eyes off me. The guy is frigging scary when he does stuff like that.

“You’re going to cut yourself if you keep that up.”

Jaden points his knife in my direction. “That’s one thing you’re going to have to lose for this to work.”

“What?”

“Trying to be my mother. If I need help, I’ll ask.”

I let his words singsong in my head. Right. I know better . . .

“Speaking of mothers, you haven’t mentioned your parents.”

“Another thing. You’re going to have to get rid of your habit of constant chatter.”

“Fine.” Asshole. “Just let me know when you don’t want to talk. What else?” I cannot hide my belligerent tone.

“If we go through with this, you’ll need to do as I say without hesitation. It could mean the difference between life and death.”

I think he’s being a tad melodramatic, but I nod. “Anything else?”

Jaden grins. “Nope, that about does it. I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.”

“What about me? What about my terms?”

“Shoot.”

I don’t have a blessed thing to say, so I take a large mouthful of steak to buy time. How do I ask without sounding like I’m begging him to like me? I gulp a mouthful of wine and hold my glass out for more. Jaden lifts and wraps a linen napkin around a dripping bottle of what looks like very expensive wine. He pours half a glass and returns the bottle to an ice bucket. Nope, not a blessed thought comes to mind.

“What about us? Where do I fit in all this?”