Ben looks up, and for a brief moment I see hope in his eyes before his shutters come down and he nods my way.

My heart starts to thump.

Who’s in the cab with him?

He stands to the side, and a man hops out and he laughs out loud.

“Bridget!” the man calls.

I smile. I just want to run to Ben, but I don’t want to embarrass myself. I stay standing on the spot by the door.

The man rushes up the steps to greet me. “Hello, I’m Rick.” He grabs me in an embrace. “So nice to meet you.” He holds me at arm’s length to study me, and then turns around and punches Ben hard in the arm. “Fucking told you.” He laughs.

He runs back down the steps, back to the cab, and turns. “Whenever you two are finished doing whatever the hell you are going to do, try and fit Ally and me in for a dinner.”

Ben puts his hands into his jeans pockets and watches the cab drive away.

His eyes come back to me and I wither. He doesn’t seem too happy to see me. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

Fuck.

In my mind we were going to have a storybook reunion, where he would run to me and we would kiss. He would declare his undying love and tell me how much he’s missed me. I should have known better, because nothing is ever storybook when it comes to Ben.

“Hi,” I whisper.

“Hello, Bridget,” he replies calmly, clearly standing his ground.

My face falls. “You don’t seem too happy to see me.”

“Why are you here?” he asks.

“Because…” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Because I love you.”

His eyes search mine, but he doesn’t reply.

I take his hands in mine. “I’ve missed you, Ben,” I whisper. “I’ve worked it out now, and it’s going to be okay.”

His eyes drop to our entwined hands.

“Do I get a kiss hello?” I murmur.

His cold eyes rise to meet mine. “Let’s go inside.” He turns and walks up to my suitcase to wheel it inside, and I follow with my heart freefalling from my chest.

He’s angry.

We ride the elevator in silence and I can smell alcohol on him. “You went out tonight?” I ask.

“Yes.”

The elevator door opens and he strides out into the corridor. I have to nearly run to keep up with him. I stand behind him nervously as he unlocks the door to his apartment.

For years I’ve wondered what Ben’s home would look like. Now I’m here, it doesn’t seem real. These were definitely not the circumstances I thought I would be seeing his place in.

“How long have you lived here?” I ask.

“About ten years.”

“In this apartment for ten years?” I ask, trying to make small talk.

“No, I lived somewhere else in Washington. I moved here about six or seven years ago.”

“You moved here when you worked for Joshua?”

‘’Yes, I bought this place when I was with Joshua.” He rolls his lips as he thinks for a moment. “He’s the one who found it, actually. We came home one weekend and bought it.”

“Joshua has been here?” I ask, surprised.

“Many times.” He unlocks the final lock with the key.

“Oh.” This is news. Interesting.

“It’s probably a mess,” he says as we walk in slowly. “I didn’t expect company when I left.”

The foyer is large with a trendy, huge abstract painting on the wall filled with beautiful greens. A small, thin hallstand sits along the wall.

“Wow,” I whisper.

We go through an archway and my mouth falls open. It has a Moroccan feel to it. The walls are white, and tall archways connect the rooms. It’s huge—another warehouse kind of setup. The kitchen is along the left wall, all black and metal with a huge stone bench placed in the middle of it. The lounge room has a large, black leather lounge. The floors are made from dark timber, but different shades of green antique rugs are scattered everywhere. “This is beautiful,” I murmur as I look around.

The furniture is matching, made from chunky wood, and is super masculine, while somehow having a trendy vibe to it.

He shrugs and holds his hands out. “It’s home.”

He pushes my suitcase up against the wall and his eyes come back to me. He puts his hands on his hips defensively.

“You’re angry,” I whisper.

He glares at me and his jaw clenches.

“Ben…” I pause. “I just needed to work through this. I needed some time.”

His cold eyes hold mine. “I don’t want you to work through anything to settle for me,” he sneers.

“Ben.” I go to grab him and he pulls out of my reach.

“Don’t touch me,” he snaps. “The spare room is on the left; make yourself comfortable.” He storms up the hall and slams the door behind him.

I stand in the lounge room in shock. What the hell was that?

Fuck’s sake. I shouldn’t have come. I lock the front door and walk into the kitchen to find a glass and pour myself a drink of water as I look around the apartment. I grab my suitcase and drag it up to my room.

Of course he’s got the shits…fucking asshole. Well, now I’m getting the shits.

Surely he should understand that I needed some time.

I now realise just how different Eric is to Ben. Eric panders to me and treats me like a queen. He fusses over me and takes all of my nonsense…while I take Ben’s shit. Have I totally ruined my chances?

I hear the shower turn on in Ben’s room, and my anger begins to rise.

I’ve travelled all this way to see him, and I pictured this big, happy reunion, only to get ignored.

Well, screw him.

I walk into the bathroom and look around. What is this colour scheme? “Your bathroom needs remodelling,” I yell.

He doesn’t answer.

I turn the shower on and get in. With every passing minute a new anger rises until I’m quite sure the whites of my eyes are blazing red.

He’s the fucking hitman. He’s the one who sort of lied about it, and yet he’s the one who’s angry with me?

My hot water pressure fades. Grr. I turn my hot water on full so that he has no water pressure in his bathroom.

Take that, asshole.

The water pressure disappears again. Oh, don’t you dare take my water. I stand to the side and turn the hot water on full charge so that he’ll have none again.

Don’t mess with me.

I hear his shower turn off and I smile, and then I hear his bedroom door snap open.

Oh shit.

He barges into the bathroom, wearing nothing but a white towel.

“What do you think you’re playing at?” he growls.

I narrow my eyes. “Using all your hot water, what does it look like?”

“You know, I am fucking pissed off with you. I wouldn’t push me tonight if I were you.”

“Well, I’m pissed off at you,” I yell.

He points at me and raises his eyebrows. “You’re pissed off with me?”

“Yes, you!” I shout. “You should have told me where you worked. Of course I would be shocked.”

He huffs. “Shocked is an argument. Shocked is the silent treatment. You fucking left me!” he growls. “That’s a little more than shocked, Bridget.”

“Don’t you scream at me,” I snap.

“I’ll do whatever I like with you!” he yells.

We glare at each other, both furious.

It’s then I notice that he’s just in a towel, and as if he’s having the same epiphany I am, his eyes drop down my naked body.

The room is hot and steamy, filled with tension.

His eyes darken and then rise to mine. “Get on the bed.”

My eyes widen. Huh? ”What?”

“You heard me. Get on the bed, on your hands and knees.”

Oh jeez… that’s probably not a good idea at this very moment. “W-what do you want to do to me?”

“Whatever I fucking well like.” He throws his towel to the floor, and he’s rock-hard and ready.

My eyes drop to his dick and, unable to help it, I lick my lips. It’s been a long two weeks without him.

With his eyes locked with mine, he steps into the shower and under the water. He grabs a handful of my hair and drags my head back so that my face comes up to his. He kisses me, all suction and domination. I feel my feet lift off the floor.

“Ben…” I whimper into his mouth.

“Get on the bed. We need to work this out.” He grabs my hand and puts it on his dick. I grab a handful of him.

My insides begin to melt.

“We need to talk,” I whisper, half-scared of the animalistic look in his eye.

He bites my bottom lip and I yelp. “No. We need to fuck. Hard.”

Then he’s on me and I’m pinned against the wall, his hard cock sliding up and over my stomach. His lips are everywhere, on my neck, sucking on my nipples, biting me, kissing me. Then he lifts me against the wall and wraps my legs around his waist before he slams into me.

“Ahh. You’re going to hurt me!” I cry.

He slams forward again and he tears my head back by my hair to bring my face mere inches from his. “I’m repaying the favour.”

He pumps me hard up against the wall and I cry out.

Oh, fuck… this is so wrong, but so good.

“The favour of what? Of hurting you?” I whisper as he grabs my legs over his forearms to get deeper. Oh, hell, he’s like an animal. Our bodies slap together hard.

“Stop fucking talking,” he growls. He pulls me off the wall and walks out of the shower, still inside me, until we get to his bed and he kisses me as he drops my feet to the floor.

There it is… the hint of tenderness.

I grab it with both hands and kiss him again. He melts momentarily into it as I grab his face.

“I love you,” I whisper against his lips.

He stiffens and then regains his composure. He turns me away from him and pushes me down on the bed, on my hands and knees, and then spreads my legs wider apart.

“Drop to your elbows,” he commands.

I shuffle my legs apart and wiggle my behind as a tease. He slaps it hard.

“Ouch,” I yelp. Fucking hell, this is not a good idea.

I watch him through my legs. His cock hangs heavily, and pre-ejaculate is dripping from his end. I’m just itching to lick it off.

He begins to pace behind me, back and forth, back and forth, and I know he’s trying to calm himself down so he doesn’t hurt me. This is how he works. He can’t verbalise his thoughts so he needs the physical contact.

He’s fighting his instincts to hurt me.

I turn my head and our eyes lock. “Give it to me, baby. Hurt me for hurting you.”

He glares at me, his jaw clenches, and I drop my head to prepare myself for his onslaught.

Then his lips are tenderly pressing on the dip of my lower back. He gifts me with deep, long licks, and I lift off the bed to meet him. His hands are on my breasts as they hang beneath me, kneading them as if he can’t get enough. He kisses all the way up my back until his teeth graze my neck, and I feel his hard length on my behind. I can feel the trail of pre-ejaculate that he leaves behind.

Then his tongue drops to my behind and he licks my back entrance.

My eyes roll back in my head.

Holy fucking fuck. Ben is the anal master. He taught me how to fuck that way, and I’ve never done it with anyone else since.

That’s his and his only.

I watch him through my legs, watch the pleasure on his face as his hard cock hangs between his legs. I watch myself writhe onto his face.

“Ben,” I moan. Perspiration sheens across my skin and my hair is still wet from our shower.

I feel his lips curl into a smile and I smile against my pillow. God, this is too good.

He is just way too fucking good at this. It should be illegal to be this rude.

I rock back onto his face. Oh, fuck, I need it hard.

He stands and takes one of my hipbones in his hand and then bends and kisses my lower back tenderly. I smile against my pillow and then he slides his thumb into my behind.

I moan when he slowly begins to pump it in and out.

“So tight,” he whispers to himself.

“That’s your ass only, Ben. Nobody has been there but you,” I murmur into the pillow.

He stills and then makes a guttural moan, his pumps getting harder.

Then he stops and leans over me. He gently kisses my shoulder blade. “I can’t fuck you there tonight, angel. I’ll hurt you,” he whispers.

“No…” I whimper. “I want it.” I remember how intimate it is and I need that tonight. “Ben, give it to me,” I pant as I slowly ride his thumb. “Please, Ben, I need all of you.” God, I want that connection.

“You have all of me,” he growls. “And you fucking know you do.” He slams into me hard and sends me flying onto the mattress.

Oh, God.

With one thumb in my ass and his other hand on my hipbone, he starts to ride me hard. Deep, punishing hits, and I can’t even catch a breath.

I can do nothing but hang on.

He starts to pump his thumb, and oh, God… oh, God… oh, fucking God.

I cry out as I’m rocked with the strongest orgasm I’ve ever had.

My body goes limp and he rides it hard and fast. The loud slapping from our bodies hitting together echoes throughout the apartment. I close my eyes to try and deal with him but, God, he’s so worked up. Finally, he makes a deep guttural groan as he comes deep inside of me. His body glides in and out of mine as he empties himself slowly. He pulls out and then lays me down onto my back, spreading my legs.

I hold my breath as I watch him slowly slide his fingers in and out of my sex, as if in awe from what his body just did in there.

“Ben,” I whisper.

His eyes stay fixed on my sex as he watches his fingers.

“Look at me, please.”

He drags his eyes to meet mine.

“I love you. I’m not leaving again,” I whisper.

He stares at me flatly.

“I promise.” I sit up to kiss him, and after a moment I feel his walls come down. He throws his arms around me and holds me tight. We kiss again and he scrunches his face up against mine.

“You hurt me,” he whispers.

My eyes fill with tears. “I know, baby, I know. You hurt me first.”

He lays me down and slowly, tenderly slides back into my body, and we become one.

And now, finally, my storybook greeting begins.

I wake groggily to the sound of Ben breathing next to me. He’s fast asleep and lying on his back. I roll onto my side and smile as I watch him. He’s such a complex man. He’s this alpha male who is so strong in every way, and yet it’s the vulnerability in him that I love the most. I bend and softly kiss his chest, allowing my eyes to roam down his body. He’s broad and muscular, and his dick is soft. I smile. I should take a photo. His dick is never soft.

God, I love him—everything about him—and I love that I know him well enough to read him now. He was hurt last night, and the old me would have fought back and then left.

But the new me stayed and fought.

I trail my finger down the centre of his chest, down over his rippled abdomen, and down the trail of dark hair that leads to his pubic hair. My lips dust his shoulder. He inhales deeply and his arm comes around my shoulder to pull me closer to him.

“Hey, babe,” he murmurs groggily as he kisses my temple.

“Hey.” I smile as I reach up and kiss his lips. “Are you okay?” I whisper softly.

He stares at the ceiling and frowns, trying to refocus his eyes.

“I nearly went home with someone last night,” he finally murmurs.

My face falls. “What?” I hesitate for a moment. “Why didn’t you?”

He shakes his head softly. “Didge, I can’t go on like this. I can’t love you and not be with you. I couldn’t be with someone who isn’t you. I can’t do that anymore. The thought of being with another woman turns my fucking stomach.”

I smile and kiss his lips. “Oh, Ben,” I whisper sadly.

“We have to get our shit together because this last two weeks have been a total misery,” he murmurs.

I rub my fingers through his two-day growth and I smile. “I left my job.”

He frowns.

“I’m here to live with you, and when we get this stuff sorted we will move back to Australia, and you are moving in with me. This is it, Ben. No more games. No more bullshit.” I kiss him softly. “And if we have a fight, I promise not to leave, but you have to promise to talk to me.”

He watches me carefully. “There’s a problem with that plan.”

“What’s that?”

“I’m not moving in with you.”

I frown.

“You’re moving in with me.”

I smirk. “And what’s wrong with my house?”

“You’ve been with other men in that house and I can’t stand the thought of it. My apartment means a fresh start.”

I smile broadly. “Okay. I guess we can do that.” We kiss softly. “Now, tell me about this girl you nearly went home with.” I raise my eyebrow sarcastically.

He smirks. “Blonde, hot, big tits.”

I narrow my eyes. “Be very careful.”

“And dumb as an ox,” he adds.

I giggle.

“It wouldn’t matter what she looked like anyway. She didn’t stand a chance,” he murmurs. He rolls onto his side to face me, and he cups my breast in his hand. His thumb dusts over my nipple as he thinks.

“Why is that?” I whisper.

His eyes rise to meet mine. “Because she’s not you.” He leans in and kisses me tenderly.

I smile as I roll over on top of him. “Ben,” I whisper.

“Yes, Bridget.” He smiles.

“You need to take me out for breakfast now because I’m fucking starving. I haven’t eaten in two weeks.”

He chuckles, and I know that wasn’t the answer he was expecting. “Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere but the all-you-can-eat buffet.”

We sit at the café as we wait for our breakfast, and I take his hand in mine. I need to get to the bottom of this, as it’s been bothering me for two weeks.

“Tell me about these men who wanted to kill you.”

His face falls serious and he shrugs. “I don’t know, to be honest. I know they weren’t after me, but they wanted someone dead that wasn’t cleared through the government.”

I frown. “Have you researched this guy they wanted?”

“Yes, at length.”

I watch him for a moment. “What do you do in this kind of situation?”

“The guys and I will work it out; you don’t need to worry.”

“What guys?” I frown.

“I have four best friends. We work together. We’ll meet up for drinks, so you can meet them.”

“They do this, too?” I ask, surprised.

“Yes,” he replies. “You’ll like them.”

“Do they know about me?”

“Yes. Two of them have been in the army with me since I was seventeen. You met Rick last night. We’ve gone through the ranks together. They’re like brothers; they know everything.”

“What did you tell them about me?” I ask.

“That you give really great head.”

My mouth falls open in horror. “Ben,” I whisper, mortified. “What the hell?”

He chuckles. “No, I didn’t say that. I said that you have the most fuckable ass in all of history.”

“For God’s sake. You’re an idiot.” I roll my eyes.

He raises his eyebrows cheekily. “This is important information for guys to know, how fuckable an ass is.”

Now I know he’s just shitting me. “What did you really say?” I huff.

He smirks sexily as he contemplates his answer.

“Yes?” I tease as I raise my eyebrow. “I’m waiting…”

He falls serious. “I don’t need to say anything. They know what you mean to me.”

I try to contain it, but I can’t, and I smile goofily. I lean forward and run my fingers along his jaw. “I like this new talkative version of Ben.”

“Don’t get used to it,” he whispers.

I sit back and our eyes lock. The air crackles between us.

“I wish we were alone,” I whisper.

His gaze drops to my lips. “What would you do to me?”

“It’s what I want you to do to me.”

His brow furrows and he sits back, as if readjusting his length in his jeans. I smile. He licks his lips and his eyes drop to my breasts.

God, we’re like animals with each other. We just can’t get enough.

We’ve been through so much in the last fifteen days that I just don’t want to share him with the world for one more minute

I need him alone, all to myself.

With just two sentences I can make him hard. I hope I always have this effect on him.

Our moment is interrupted as our lunch arrives. “Thank you.” We smile as the waitress puts the food down on the table.

We begin to eat. “So, I’ve been thinking about it…” I continue as I take a bite of my food. “How did you know that those two guys had left Prague anyway?” I ask.

He shovels a mouthful of his pasta into his mouth. “Their chip came up.”

I frown as I chew. “What does that mean?”

“We’re all micro-chipped,” he replies matter-of-factly. “HQ knows where we are at all times.”

My eyes widen and my fork freezes halfway to my mouth. “What?”

“We’re implanted when we begin with UNI.”

I sit back in my seat, shocked to my core. “You’re micro-chipped like a fucking dog?” I whisper angrily.

He rolls his eyes.

“That shit’s coming out immediately,” I snap as I pick up my phone.

“I’m not allowed to take it out. Government policy.”

“Your contract is over. You had someone who has access to this information try to kill you. Don’t be an idiot, Ben.” I shake my head in disgust. I scroll through the numbers in my phone and I dial. “Why the fuck haven’t you done this already?”

“Who are you calling?” he snaps.

“Cameron. He can get that out. He’s a surgical student.”

Ben closes his eyes in frustration. “That’s over the top. It’s fine.”

“It is not fine,” I whisper angrily. “I am not going anywhere with you, knowing that those fuckers know your whereabouts all the time.”

He looks at me flatly.

“This is for my protection, too, Ben. Don’t be so damn selfish.”

He shakes his head and rolls his eyes again.

“Cameron Stanton,” Cam answers.

Just the sound of his voice brings a smile to my face. “Hey, Cam, it’s me.”

“Didge.” He smiles down the phone. “What are you up to?”

“Listen, I’ve got a favour to ask.”

“What’s that?”

I cringe as I try to think of an excuse. “I’ve got an earring that I need you to cut out.”

“What?” Cameron asks.

Ben slaps his forehead, and I scrunch up my face. Well, if that isn’t the dumbest cover story I ever heard.

“What do you mean?” Cameron chuckles.

I shake my head and look to the ground. If I look at Ben, I am going to burst out laughing.

“I’ve got this earring where the back is screwed on, and we can’t get it off.”

“What the fuck, Bridget?” Cam laughs. “Only you.”

This is the most ridiculous story I have ever heard.

“It’s not in your clit, is it?” he then asks. “I’m not cutting no clit.”

I burst out laughing. What must this sound like to poor Cam? “No, my navel.”

“Eww.” He grimaces.

“So, I’m going to be in L.A. at the weekend…” I continue.

“Oh, I won’t be here.”

“Where will you be?” I ask.

“I’m going to New York.”

“What for?”

“To look for this chick I met in Vegas last weekend.”

I scowl. “I have no idea what you are talking about, but can you do it tomorrow night then?”

“Yeah, I can have a look at it.”

“Cam…” I pause. “Can you not tell anyone I’m coming?”

“Why not?”

“Oh, well...” Shit, what do I say here? “I want to surprise Adrian, and if anyone knows I’m there you know they’ll let it slip.”

“This is true. See you tomorrow night. I get home from work about seven.”

I smile. “Thanks, see you then.”

“Bye, Didge.” He hangs up the call.

I smile at Ben. “And that is how you get shit done.”

He shakes his head. “No. That is how you embarrass the fuck out of yourself with a locked-on earring story. Whose earring locks on?”

I burst out laughing. “I have no idea.”

“Where the hell did that even come from?” He frowns.

I shrug. “But you do have to admit, it would be pretty bad to have an earring locked on.”

“Stop talking, Bridget, and please, don’t ever mention a locked-on earring story to anyone else,” he warns dryly.

I laugh, and shake my head. “I won’t. I save all my good stories just for you and Cam.”

We’ve eaten our breakfast and are waiting for my take away coffee. Ben’s hand is placed protectively around my waist, and I am leaning on him as he stands behind me. I’m online on my phone trying to book flights to L.A. “Coffee for Bridget,” the girl calls.

I smile and take the coffee, and then Ben and I walk out into the street. A man charges through and bumps into me, sending my coffee flying out of my hands.

“Watch where you’re going!” he screams.

Ben glares at him. “Apologise,” he commands.

“Fuck off, man,” the guy sneers.

At lightning speed, Ben grabs him by the neck with one hand so he’s in a chokehold. “Apologise to the lady now!”

My eyes widen in horror. “Ben, it’s… it’s okay,” I stammer as my eyes flicker between them. Holy shit, passersby are staring.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” the man starts to chant as he turns blue.

“She’ll have a cappuccino with one sugar,” Ben growls.

“Yes, of course,” the man croaks, and Ben lets him go, letting him scurry into the café.

I roll my lips and smile at the ground as we wait.

The man soon reappears and hands a coffee to me. I nod. “Thank you.”

Ben glares at him and throws his arm around me. “Let’s go.”

We turn and walk up the street and I peer up at him and smile.

My man is a bad ass.