“Come on, Blair!” Gavin groaned as he rolled over to the side of the bed I’d just vacated. “You know Gribbins isn’t going to agree with this, right?” I padded over to the dresser on the opposite side of the room and fumbled with a few items in my makeup bag. I knew Gavin was most likely right, but I was holding my ground on this one. I wanted to take lead on a case for once; particularly the case that was screaming at me from its resting place on the coffee table in the other room. A case Gavin was handed a few days ago regarding missing cash at a local casino.

“Do you agree with him?” I turned to face Gavin, who was still lying naked in the bed. The sheet was barely covering his lap as he sat up, bracing his hands into the mattress to hold his weight. My arms were crossed over my bare chest, hiding one of his favorite assets of mine.

Gavin’s deep green eyes twinkled as he ravished my body with them. “You can’t put me in that position.”

“You totally agree with him!” I threw my hands in the air as an exasperated sigh left my lungs. “What the hell, Gavin? I might be a woman, but I train just as hard as you all do, and I never for one second consider this job to be anything less than serious.” I spun back towards the dresser and pulled a Quantico training shirt from one of the drawers, quickly slipping it over my head.

“Babe…” Gavin jumped from the bed and crossed the room. “I’m not being sexist.” He ran his hands down my arms, linking our hands together. “If you would’ve let me finish, you would’ve found out that I know you are capable of taking lead. I’m just terrified that something might happen to you. I love you.” He gently kissed my lips.

Gavin was a smooth talker. He could make you forget your own name if you weren’t careful, but I knew how to handle him. Not only were we partners for five years, but we’d been in a serious relationship for just about as long. Gribbins, our boss, thought it was a terrible idea for us to be romantically involved and work together. Actually, everyone around us said it was a horrible decision on our part, but we couldn’t separate our hearts or our careers. We’d managed to take down numerous crime lords without our relationship getting in the way. We knew when we were on a job, it came first. He had my six, and I had his. There was nothing that would change that.

“Don’t treat me like a little girl who can’t handle life on her own. You know that shit pisses me off.” I spoke against his lips. Gavin lifted me by the waist, my legs wrapping around his naked midriff as his hardness pressed against my core, begging for entrance.

He knew exactly how to distract me.

Gavin swallowed my moan as he walked us back to the bed and lowered me until I was flush with the mattress. My nails dug into his muscular back as he moved his lips from mine, leaving a trail of kisses across my jaw and down my neck, stopping on my shoulder. He nipped the skin with his teeth as he pushed all the way into me with one swift roll of his hips. I cried out in pleasure as he bit down on my shoulder a little harder than the first time. Pain didn’t bother me; I liked it even, so his ritual of sinking his teeth into my flesh as he pushed into me just made our sex even more intoxicating.

My body was throbbing, begging for him to move, but he liked to tease. Gavin sat completely still as he moved his mouth from my shoulder and sucked my bottom lip between his teeth. “You’ve gotta move…” I groaned, hoping he would do as I demanded.

“I could fucking live inside of you, Blair,” he growled out as he pulled back and slammed into me hard.

“Oh, god!” I cried as Gavin repeated the motion, picking up the pace just slightly with each thrust. This time wasn’t going to be as soft and loving as our first round. No, it was going to be Gavin taking what he wanted while giving me what I needed.

He gripped my hip with his right hand as he pounded into me, the sting of his fingertips digging into my flesh felt good as my core tightened with every stroke of him moving inside of me. Gavin rested his forehead against mine. His long dark eyelashes were spread against the top of his cheek bone as he continued to ride me with his eyes closed. His labored breaths tickled my face with each grunt and groan. He looked absolutely breathtaking. I was on the edge and ready to fall when he dropped his body to the side and rolled us so that I was seated on top of him. The change in position pulled intense moans from each of us. I rocked my hips back and forth as I braced my hands on his chest, leaning forward just enough to take his mouth with mine.

“Take off your shirt so I can see those gorgeous tits.” Gavin’s husky request had me quickly leaning back and discarding my top. His hands massaged my breasts as I continued to roll my hips. The room was filled with nothing but our labored breaths and pleasurable moans.

I picked up the pace as my release crashed down on me so hard that I lost my rhythm for a split second. Gavin gripped my hips as he lifted my body and slammed me back down until his own release washed through him. He pulled me forward onto his chest and kissed my forehead, “I could do this all day, but we might get fired if we don’t get our asses to the office.”

Our laughter filled the room.

“What I’d give to spend all day in bed with you though.” I kissed his chest and lifted off of him.

“Don’t tempt me, Blair. I’ll call Gribbins right now and say we’re taking the day off.”

“I’m sure that’ll go over well. But I could use a little help lathering my back in the shower.” I glanced over my shoulder before slipping into the bathroom.

“I got your six, baby.”

* * *

Twenty minutes outside of Las Vegas in a twelve-story building that looked like any other building was the local FBI field office. We swiped our ID’s just outside the entrance and waited for the doors to click open. Once inside we passed through security and headed to the fourth floor. No sooner had we stepped off the elevator than a very angry Gribbins stood with his feet planted firmly and his arms crossed over his broad chest.

“Lawson, Kelley, my office, now.” Gribbins pointed a both of us before heading down the hallway to his office.

“That doesn’t sound good,” I mumbled.

He sat down behind his large mahogany desk and gave us a pointed look. “Have a seat.” Gribbins waved his hands at the two high back chairs sitting on the opposite side of the desk from him.

Clark Gribbins was a very serious man, never taking his job with the FBI as anything other than important. He was a career agent that became director of the Las Vegas field office after ten years of working in the field. He’d been with the agency for well over seventeen years. He knew everything that happened in Clark County and the surrounding areas. With a take-no-shit attitude, and a walk-the-straight-and-narrow outlook on the job, you knew where you stood with him at all times. Which is why it surprised me that he’d decided to keep Gavin and me as partners after our relationship came out.

“The reason I called the two of you in here is,” he paused, pulling sheets of paper from beneath a file lying on his desk, “local P.D. sent over some information regarding a string of missing person reports. They weren’t believed to be connected until bodies started popping up throughout the city. Each body had a single gunshot wound to the temple, making it look like suicide until forensics found zero gunshot residue on the victim’s hands. After further investigation they found each of the victims had one thing in common. The night before they went missing their bank accounts showed a room reservation at the Roulette Casino.”

The Roulette Casino was known for over the top shows and décor. Casinos were in abundance throughout the city, of course, but what separated them from all the others was their revolver slot machine. There was a mysterious allure about the machine that brought people from all over the world to Roulette, itching for a chance to play the game. I didn’t understand the big hype myself. But the casino built up the fact that it was only available for play at certain times. It was set up to go live around eleven at night the last two Saturdays of every month. If you lined up three revolvers you won the jackpot and possibly a pass to an exclusive party that was held the following night. Surprisingly, a jackpot was paid out each night the machine was live. But that was the extent of my knowledge regarding Roulette Casino, and its mysterious slot machine.

“What’s the job going to be?” Gavin spoke up, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Undercover operation to see if the casino actually plays a part in these murders or not. It’s the only piece that connects everything, so we have to start there.”

“The higher ups wanted a solo agent to go in, preferably a man.” I scoffed, and Gribbins shot me a knowing look before continuing. “But, I demanded two agents go in. A couple, to be exact.” I knew where he was going with this. He wanted Gavin to be the macho man and me to be the girl on his arm. “This assignment is different than the others you two have done. Blair needs to take lead on this.” My head jerked back like someone had slapped me.

Did I hear him correctly?

“You want me as lead?” I asked, disbelief washing over me.

“Yes.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Another thing each victim has in common is the fact that they’re female. So, to lure the perp out of hiding, I thought it would be better to put you front and center. If you don’t think you can handle it I can always find someone else.” Gribbins narrowed his eyes, knowing his words would get under my skin.

“I’m not passing on this assignment, just shocked is all.”

“Good.” He shuffled some papers before finding what he was looking for in the pile. “With that being said, here are your new identities while you’re in the casino.” He handed each of us tan business envelopes. “Make sure you follow the guidelines written on the documents inside. I don’t want to hear about either of you messing this up. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Gavin quickly replied and I nodded.

“You have a little over twenty-four hours to get your new identities under wraps, so make sure you spend the rest of the day doing so.”

“We’ll be ready.” I jumped from my seat, failing miserably at hiding my excitement.

“You better be.” Gribbins' phone sprang to life. “Gavin, keep a close eye on things.”

“You know I will.” Gavin stood and followed me out of the office as Gribbins answered his call.

“I seriously cannot believe it,” I whispered with excitement once we were far enough out of earshot from Gribbins' office.

“I’m happy for you, Blair.” Gavin pulled me into a side hug as we headed to the elevators. “You deserve your chance to prove to the agency your worth.”

“It’s been a long time coming.” I exhaled heavily and waved at the security team on our way out of the building.

My excitement didn’t hide the fact that something was bothering Gavin. I wasn’t sure if he was actually happy for me, or simply worried. We’d gone undercover before, that was no big deal, but I’d never taken lead. Let alone handled a string of murders like this. It was a first for both of us.

I was smiling like a fool as I closed the door to the car and watched Gavin circle around the vehicle to get in the driver’s seat. He was right. I deserved a shot at proving myself, and I was going to do just that.

“Are you nervous?” Gavin eyed me from the driver’s seat.

“Maybe a little.” I paused for a brief moment. “Not because of the assignment itself. I’m nervous because I know how a case like this can unfold. The murders go unsolved, or they stop and we never find the person behind them. If that happens all of the hard work will be for nothing, because the one shot I have to prove myself will be blown, and not by choice.”

Gavin covered my hand with his. “You can’t think like that.” He gave it a gentle squeeze. “We’re going to figure out what in the hell is going on, or at least get a lead on the situation.”

“I hope you’re right.”

We came to a stop at a red-light, Gavin turned his head toward me and winked. “Baby, you know I’m always right.”

I bellowed with laughter as we waited for the light to turn green. “There’s that banter of yours I love.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shrugged. “Something with you seems off.”

Gavin inhaled deeply, letting the heavy breath out slowly as the light turned and we started down the road. “I know I shouldn’t let my mind wander, but the thought of them taking you…” He shook his head.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned over the console to press my lips to his cheek. “I’m going to be fine—we’re going to be just fine.”

“I’m not worried about me, Blair. I’m worried about you.”

“I’ve trained for this, Gavin. I know what I’m doing.”

“I know you do. But that doesn’t stop the thoughts from filling my head.”

My heart ached at the thought of Gavin being worried, he’d never voiced such a strong opinion regarding my wellbeing, most likely due to the fact that I was more than capable of taking care of myself, but this case had him spooked.