“Oh fuck,” I said, as we pulled into Paragon’s parking lot.

There was a custom-built hybrid Porsche 918 Spyder parked near the front.

Timmy shot me a concerned look. “You want me to come with you?”

I sat in the back of the car, dread washing over me. “That’s okay. I got it.”

“Good luck,” Timmy called as I got out of the car.

I scowled at him. He was talking too much lately.

Gabe climbed out of his car as I headed toward him, a look of absolute fury on his face.

“Hey,” I called, trying to keep my voice light. “I was going to go in and grab some—”

“Just get in the car, Lauren.” His voice was even, but I saw the muscle in his jaw twitch.

I nodded. I didn’t even wait for him to open the winglike door—I figured it out for myself and quickly jumped in before he could get to me. Then, I took a deep breath. I’d gone behind his back, and I could see that he was furious.

But I’d had reasons for what I’d done. By the time he slid behind the wheel, I’d prepared to fight him. “Listen—” I started.

“Stop.” He gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles were white. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m—”

Gabe still wouldn’t look at me. “Did he hurt you? Did he lay a hand on you?”

“No, I’m fine. I just wanted to—”

He finally turned to me, and the look on his face was enough to finally shut me up. He looked hollowed out, as if someone had punched him in the gut.

It took me a second to realize that it had been me.

He ran his gaze over me, probably looking for signs of distress, evidence that Clive had harmed me.

“How do you think I felt? Getting a call from my team, saying that they saw you in the same building as Clive Warren? That you ran out into a waiting car?” He let out a bark of bitter laughter. “I showed you those pictures because I wanted you to know that you’re in danger. Real danger. You said you were going to stay at the office. You said you were going to be smart and stay safe. And then I have to hear—from my hired help—that you fucking lied to me?”

I just sat there, reeling, all the fight seeping out of me. I opened my mouth and closed it, every excuse I had dying on my lips.

“He could have killed you, Lauren. Or raped you.”

“I had security with me,” I mumbled.

He looked as if he wanted to say something nasty, but he punched the steering wheel instead, making me jump.

I took a deep breath. “There’s a reason for what I did. I did it to try to find out what was going on. I even wore a wire. I was hoping I could get something useful out of him!”

Gabe looked at me incredulously. “I was hoping you’d keep yourself safe, like you promised me you would!” He started the car and threw it into drive. “Jesus, Lauren. You are the most stubborn fucking person I’ve ever met.”

No, that’s you. But in the smartest move I’d made all day, I kept my mouth shut about that particular thought. “I need to go back to the office,” I said instead.

Gabe snorted. “Good luck with that. My house is now your office. And you are now on house arrest.”

He waved at my driver and Timmy and motioned for them to follow us. They nodded obediently, pulling out behind us, and I felt as though I were an errant child being turned in by her traitorous babysitters.

Neither of us spoke for a while. Anger still rolled off Gabe. I would have to ride that out. I had a sinking feeling it wasn’t going anywhere, not anytime soon. I watched the traffic on the freeway, thinking about everything Clive had said. “I need to call my sister,” I finally said. “I’m worried…about some stuff that Clive said. I’m worried about all of us.”

Gabe gripped the wheel so hard, I thought it was going to snap off. “What did he say?”

“He admitted to working with someone else, but he didn’t say who. I didn’t let on that I knew already. He also said that he was upset that the technology he’d stolen wasn’t up-to-date. Can you believe that? The nerve.” I seethed quietly for a second. “Then he said that his buyers would figure out the technology soon.”

Gabe watched the road. “Is that all?”

“No…” I let my voice trail off as I watched the traffic.

“I’m just about out of patience, babe.”

I sighed. “He said they won’t stop. And that anybody who gets in their way will get…hurt. I’m pretty sure that’s what he meant, anyway.”

I watched Gabe’s face, which had paled. “Call your sister. Tell her I’m doubling my team at your house tonight. Did you get her a guard?”

I nodded. “She wasn’t happy about it.”

“That’s because she’s stubborn. Must be a Taylor thing,” he added under his breath.

“Gabe—” I started.

“Just call her,” he snapped.

I did, and she picked up immediately. “Lauren? Are you with Gabe? He called me about ten times. He’s really pissed at you. He said that he was going to wait for you in the parking lot—”

“I’m with him,” I said through gritted teeth. “Sorry he called you so many times.”

Gabe let out a low grunt next to me.

“Listen, remember what we talked about earlier? About being…safe? Smart?” Gabe grunted again, and I ignored him. “I need you to go right home after work and stay there, okay? Gabe’s sending over more guards tonight. You should be safe, but keep your phone with you anyway. Did Eddie introduce you to your bodyguard?”

“Yeah—Wes. He came by,” she said, sounding suspiciously nonchalant.

“Why do you sound weird?” I asked. “Was there a problem?”

“No,” Hannah said, “not at all.”

“Do you promise?” My voice sounded small to my own ears. I needed to be sure my sister would be safe.

“I promise.” She sounded as though she were her normal, perky self again. “Are you staying with Gabe? He said he was going to make you work from home tomorrow.”

“Yeah, he told me that too,” I said, annoyed. “But I’ll be in the office at some point. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I turned to find Gabe watching the road, his jaw clenched again. “You’re not going into the office tomorrow.”

My guilt was being pushed to the side by my rising irritation. “I hate to break it to you, but you can’t tell me what to do.”

He snorted. “Oh, you’ve made that very clear. So I’m not going to tell you. I’m simply going to lock you up inside of my house and not let you go anywhere.”

I couldn’t tell if he was serious. “Isn’t that sort of…stalker-ish?”

“That’s not stalking.” His face relaxed into an almost-smile for the first time since I’d seen him. “Stalking is when you’re chasing somebody. After you catch them, then it’s called something else.”

“Uh…what’s it called then?” I asked nervously.

His eyes sparkled, and I swallowed hard.

“Then it’s called kidnapping.”

* * *

Gabe brought me into the house, and I put my stuff down. I watched him warily as he headed toward the kitchen. “You’re kidding, right? About the kidnapping thing?”

He still looked angry. “I don’t know what you call it when it’s for someone’s own good.”

“I can make my own decisions, you know.”

His eyes flashed. “Oh, I know you can. You just make bad ones.”

We stared at each other, stubborn CEO versus stubborn CEO, neither of us giving an inch.

Gabe poured himself a bourbon. It was the first time I’d seen him drink hard liquor. I assumed that meant he’d had a shit day, and I felt responsible. He took a sip, and his shoulders relaxed a little. He looked over at me. “If you don’t want to be here, you can go. I just ask that you take extra security with you. I’m not your jailer. I have no interest in keeping you here against your will.”

I sat down on the couch. “Really?” I smiled for the first time since he’d picked me up. “Well…phew. I thought you were turning a little psycho on me, and I was seriously disappointed.”

He didn’t smile back. “I’m the one who’s seriously disappointed. I don’t like being lied to. And I don’t understand how you can put yourself at risk like that when…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. He finished his drink instead, then poured himself another one.

“Can I have one of those?”

“No. But there’s wine if you want some.” He didn’t budge from the island.

I headed to the fridge. “I guess I’ll just get it myself.” I poured myself a glass and tentatively walked over to him.

He watched me guardedly, not moving, not saying a word.

I moved closer, rubbing his arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing.” If he’d done the same, I’d be devastated.

He just blinked. His face was still lined with anger, his eyes guarded.

Relieved he was letting me touch him, I moved closer. “When I woke up this morning, I felt sick. Seeing those pictures of us… I didn’t realize that we were in danger like that. It scared me to death.”

He scoffed. “So you ran off to confront Clive?”

I drank some wine. “I realized this morning that it’s my fault that you’re in danger. They’re after my company, my technology. The only reason they’re after you is me. I wanted to see Clive face-to-face to see if he’d tell me anything I didn’t know…and tape him while he said it. I just wanted to get to the bottom of this and move on.”

Gabe raised an eyebrow. “Did you actually get anything?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “He didn’t tell me anything new except hint that the buyers were ruthless and determined. He made it sound like they would do anything to get to market first.” I paused for a beat. “Maybe, if we’re all really in danger…maybe I should let them.” The thought of giving up, unwelcome and unbidden, had started to seem like a plausible option.

Gabe’s face softened toward me, at least a little. “You can’t do that.”

“Well, maybe I will.” I swallowed hard. “It used to be that the only thing I cared about was getting to market first. I realized this morning that there are other things I care about too.”

I felt him watching me, so I watched my wineglass. He sighed, and I could almost hear the reluctance in it, as if he were preparing to be kind to me and wasn’t really ready yet. But maybe he was finally going to be nice and make me feel a little bit better.

“You can’t let them have your technology. First of all, they’re basically corporate terrorists. You can’t negotiate with them. Second of all, what if you did? What if you let them have the patch, and then they misuse the technology? Or bring it to market at a much higher cost—one that the intended recipients can’t afford? Who wins then? Not you, not your employees or your investors, and not the people you are seeking to help and protect. The same thing could happen if you prosecute them. I hate to admit it, but it’s true.”

I looked at him. Finally, I’d met someone who understood me and understood what I struggled with—and how high the stakes were. He still looked tense and angry, but he finally put his arms around me and pulled me to him.

I melded myself against his chest. “I’m so sorry.” I meant it.

“I know you are.” He kissed my hair. “But I’m still really fucking pissed at you.”

I held him tighter. “I know. And I don’t blame you…I shouldn’t have gone behind your back.” He was upset with me, but now that I’d seen how I’d hurt him, I was even more upset with myself.

I went quiet for a minute after that, my mind racing.

Gabe pulled back. “What is it?”

I bit my lip. “This is going to sound crazy, but I’m worried about Clive.”

“That does sound crazy.”

“I know.” I nodded. “But he was unkempt. He had a nasty-looking beard, his shirt was rumpled. He didn’t even notice us for a few minutes, he was so wrapped up in his phone. It wasn’t like him at all. He’s always so meticulous.”

“He’s been busy selling your secrets to the Chinese,” Gabe said. “He’s been living at his office.”

“But he sold them faulty technology.”

Gabe watched my face. “And you’re worried about him because of that?”

I nodded. “He sounded like he’d given up. Like he’d accepted his failure, and now he was waiting for judgment. Both of us keep taking turns saying that we’re going to do something bad to Clive, but now that it sounds like someone else might do it…”

“You don’t have the stomach for it. That’s because you’re a good person.” Gabe sighed, pulling me back to him and wrapping his arms protectively around me. “We don’t know what his deal is with Jiàn Innovations—if they even still have a deal. If they already bought the specs, I don’t know why they’re in contact with him. It sounds like he’s afraid of them, and that we should be too. But I can’t make myself worry about Clive, babe. He took this upon himself, and even though we don’t know the exact circumstances, I am fully prepared to have him lie in the bed he made for himself.”

He leaned down and kissed me. “I don’t care about keeping him safe. He can go fuck himself. You, on the other hand, are my priority. So don’t pull what you pulled today ever again. Do you finally understand that we’re in danger? Real danger?”

I nodded against him. Thoughts of Clive’s safety got pushed aside as I relished the feel of being back in Gabe’s arms.

I brushed my body against his, suddenly aware that he was stirring against me. “I can try to make it up to you.”

“That’s not fighting fair,” he said gruffly. “I’m not ready to forgive you.”

I ran my hands across his chest and over his stiffening cock, feeling it thicken and throb at my touch. “It doesn’t matter if it’s fair, if it’s for the greater good. You taught me that. Plus, you don’t have to forgive me…yet. But maybe you can find it in your heart to forgive me afterward?”

I unzipped his pants and pushed them down, his underwear too. His cock sprang out, enormous and fully erect. I ran my fingers down his length, feeling the wetness at his tip. I swirled it with my thumb then put my thumb in my mouth and sucked on it.

I looked up to see Gabe swallow hard. “Weren’t you a virgin just two days ago?”

I shrugged. “Only if you’re keeping score.” I took his shirt off and kissed his chest, running my hands over his taut muscles, and then he was standing before me, naked and magnificent and hard. Hard for me. He wanted me, and he’d been sick with worry about me, and he was so angry with me that he was going to lock me up in his house.

I wanted to show him what I wasn’t capable of saying to him. So I got down on my knees and took the tip of his cock in my mouth. I swirled him tentatively with my tongue and ran my hands down the base of his shaft. Then I pumped him into my mouth, licking and sucking him, loving his taste.

“Babe…what’re you doing to me?” His whole body tensed, the cords in his neck straining. “I’m still mad at you. But that feels so fucking good.”

I felt pure satisfaction at his words. Using sex that way might arguably be wrong, but I couldn’t stand the distance between us. He moaned above me, and I loved not only his taste but the feeling of power I had over him. He groaned again, and I took him deeper, relishing the fact that he liked what I was doing. He thrust a little into my mouth, and I took it, in spite of his length and width. Then I sucked him harder, my hands continuing to circle him.

His hips bucked, almost as if he couldn’t help himself, before he shuddered and moaned, then went still. I could hear his ragged breathing. “Holy fuck. Stop—stop.”

I pulled back and looked up at him, suddenly afraid. Had I done something wrong?

He pulled me up and set me on my feet. “Jesus Christ.”

I’d been operating on pure instinct. Was it bad? “Did I do that wrong?”

He let out a short bark of laugher. “Hell no. But I have plans for you. Go. Now,” he commanded, pointing to his bedroom. “To my bed. Get your clothes off and wait for me. I’m going to be inside you shortly. And then I’m going to make you scream my name. Multiple times, until I’m satisfied.”

Apprehension and pleasure coursed through me. I headed toward his room, wanting to please him. He sounded as if he meant business. “Aren’t you coming? What’re you going to do?”

He was still standing by the island, breathing hard. “I’m going to try to calm the fuck down.”

That same feeling of satisfaction filled me as I went to his room. I’d never felt sexy before Gabe. I’d never known the pleasure of having someone want me like he did. And I’d never guessed that giving someone else pleasure could be so intoxicating. A whole new world had just opened up for me. At twenty-five, I’d finally unlocked the secrets of my body. As both a woman and a scientist, I cursed myself for waiting so long.

Still, it had been worth it. I hadn’t known it, but I’d been waiting for Gabe.

My body hummed in anticipation of him joining me. I turned on the fireplace for atmosphere rather than heat. I slowly stripped off my clothes, giddy with excitement, and waited for him on his bed. It seemed as if he’d forgiven me, that I was back in his good graces. A minute later, he stalked through the door, his erection protruding, and I sucked in a breath.

Now that I knew I could take it, I couldn’t wait to ride him. I shivered in anticipation of the pleasure he was about to give me.

But he didn’t come to the bed. He stood away from me, near the fire, watching me. He started to fist his cock with long, smooth strokes. “Good, you’re naked. At least you’ve done one thing I’ve told you to today. Now you’re going to do more.”

“What do you mean?” I watched, mesmerized, as he stood just out of reach, touching himself. “Come here. I’m ready for you.”

“I’m sure you are. Are you wet?”

I didn’t answer him. I writhed on the bed, watching him jealously. Very ready for him, and naked, the anticipation of release was killing me. He was mine, and that was my plaything that he had in his hands, and I wanted it. Now.

“I said, are you wet? Touch yourself. Tell me.”

I looked at his face, startled.

He kept stroking himself. “I’m not fucking kidding, Lauren. You’re going to do what I say for once, or you won’t get this.” He ran his hands down his shaft.

I wanted to give him a dirty look, but I wanted something else much more than that, and I wanted it bad, so I lay back on the bed and tentatively parted the lips of my pussy. Two can play this game. I ran my fingers down myself luxuriously. “I’m wet,” I called. “I’m so wet for you, Gabe.”

He grunted. “Touch yourself,” he commanded.

Fine. If he wasn’t going to take me, I would just pleasure myself. I pinched my own nipples and arched my back, hoping to drive him wild. Then, I opened my legs so he could see me, and I circled my clit with my own fingers, rubbing it finally and moaning in pleasure. I looked up to see him watching me in the firelight. I was so close, right on the edge of an orgasm.

“Stop,” he ordered.

My breath hitched painfully, but I didn’t move my hand. I was just about to come. So close…

He came over and moved my hand, holding it over my head and securing it to the bed with his. He did that with my other hand too, so I struggled beneath him, unable to give myself release or put my hands on him.

“Not yet, babe.” A glimmer of a smile passed over his lips as he kissed me, his tongue tentatively searching my mouth.

Our tongues connected, and I moaned beneath him, arching my back. I could feel him against me, thick and hot.

“Gabe. Please.” I could feel my own wetness soaking my thighs. After finally having him inside me, I knew nothing else could satisfy me like that. “Don’t you want to?” I pleaded, exasperated and frustrated.

“Of course I want to. But I have self-control. And I’m going to teach you a lesson.” He leaned down and took my nipple in his mouth, sucking and nipping at it.

My hips bucked against him. “What lesson?”

He took my other breast in his mouth and drove his hips against me, grinding his erection into my thigh.

So close, but yet so far. “What lesson, Gabe?”

He slid down between my legs and lapped at me expertly, from my vagina up to my clit. He swirled the tender bud with his tongue, making my world go white. I was so close again.

Then, he stopped, and I cried out, wanting his mouth back on me, desperate for release. He is torturing me.

“You’re going to learn not to cross me and not to lie to me. Because I’m the only one who can give you what you want.”

I licked my lips in anticipation. “What’s that?” Desire twisted in my belly. I had a feeling I already knew, but I needed to play along so maybe he’d give it to me.

“This.” He notched the top of his cock into me, and I exhaled in release. “This.” He thrust into me deeper. “This.” He entered me to his hilt, his thickness filling me completely. My eyes rolled back in my head.

I clenched around him. “Oh yeah—that’s what I want.”

Then, he pulled out.

“Gabe!”

He kissed me deeply then pulled back. “You think you can do what you want just because you have that tight little body that drives me wild?” He ruthlessly sucked on my nipples and I bucked beneath him, wild for him to get back inside me. He palmed my pussy then circled my clit, finally rolling it between his fingers.

I cried out, arching against him in desperation, and he stopped.

“You’re mine. I’m the only one who can give this to you…” He lazily entered his cock into me again and rolled my nipple between his fingers, causing shockwaves of pleasure to course through me. Then, he pulled back out.

There was so much pent-up frustration in me, I could burst. “Please, Gabe.”

He put the tip of his cock back inside of me tantalizingly, promising so much more. Then, he withdrew again, leaving me bereft. “Promise me—and this time, you better mean it.”

I cursed him. “Promise you what?” I asked. It sounded as if I were begging, and I was. I would have promised him anything at that point, I would have traded anything just to have him take me.

He took my face in his hands and looked me in the eye, all pretenses of teasing gone. “Promise me you’ll never put yourself in harm’s way again. I can’t take it, Lauren.”

“I promise.” I meant it. I knew in that moment what I’d suspected all along: I would do anything for Gabe.

“Good girl.” He finally penetrated me and started driving deeply, filling me, making my vision blur around the edges. I moaned, relaxing against the bed even as I writhed beneath him. Finally. My body stretched to accommodate him as he buried himself in me.

“When you’re good, you get rewarded.” His voice was husky as his hips bucked against me and he worked his fingers over my breasts, my hips, and finally down between my legs again. He rose up and continued to fuck me as he fingered my swollen clit, pinching it and driving me wild.

The combination of sensations pushed me over the edge. I came apart beneath him, grinding myself against the base of his cock and his hand.

Just as he’d said I would, I screamed his name.

His orgasm chased mine, and he exploded into me. He cursed as a powerful spasm shook his body; he was still shaking after he stilled and pulled me into his arms, cradling me against his chest.

I closed my eyes and pressed myself tightly against him, never wanting to be anywhere else. He held me as we both drifted off toward sleep. “You see?” he asked after a while.

“What?” I mumbled.

“You like me. You should stop fighting me so we can do that a lot more often. Like every night. Like in an hour, after I let you rest for a while.”

“Okay,” I murmured, pressing my naked and finally sated body against his. I felt a smile on my face as I drifted off to sleep.

“Okay,” Gabe said. For the first time that day, he sounded as though he meant it.