Snatching my purse from the passenger’s side seat, I get out of my car and head across the street, walking toward Acerbi Imports. It’s not three seconds into my stride that I pause in the middle of the drive, facing the closed bay doors.

That’s odd, I think.

They’re never closed. There are always trucks loading cargo that has come in on ships. Trucks come and go around here like clockwork from sunup until sundown, so my eyes and ears immediately go on alert. I look around, taking in my surroundings. There are several vehicles near, but not many. Drago’s Tahoe is pulled up next to the side door, but otherwise, all is quiet on this side.

The other business over here looks to be running as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary over there.

Clicking my tongue on my teeth, my head turns back to look at the steel building in front of me. Something’s up, but what?

My feet carry me to the side door where I find it unlocked.

Walking through, I gaze around finding the lights on, but the place seems empty, so I let my eyes glide up, looking at Drago’s office.

I’m halfway up the stairs when I hear the low rumble of a voice, which must mean his door is open and he’s up there.

As I near, I’m able to make out his words.

“He was here.” D’s voice is flat, bored. “No,” he says next, making me think he’s disagreeing with the person he’s talking to.

I lean softly into the wall; relaxing so I can concentrate on his conversation. If he’s not going to willingly tell me anything, then I’m going to have to be resourceful to find out more. If he doesn’t want me eavesdropping every chance I get, all he needs to do is clue me in.

“Not yet. It’s not enough.” His voice rises, getting heated. “I’m not planning on cutting off one of his hands. He has a highly capable other one. No!” There is a silent beat. “I’m going for his head. A snake can’t survive without that.” His voice is deadly, making chills roll down my back.

“That’s no concern of yours. I’ve got it handled, E.”

E? Is that a person’s name?

I wait a solid minute, eyeing my smartwatch, and after I don’t hear any further conversation, I assume he must have hung up.

Pushing off the wall, I raise my hand, rapping my knuckles on his door when I hear the sound of keys clicking on a keyboard.

“Yeah,” he says, beckoning me in.

Pushing on the door, it opens the rest of the way. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, yourself.” He leans back in his chair and a genuine smile spreads wide like he’s happy to see me. That’s good. It makes me happy too, but more than anything it means he doesn’t suspect I’ve overheard his intense conversation.

I step into his office, placing my purse down into one of the chairs adjacent to his desk.

“What brings you by?”

“Would you believe I was in the neighborhood?”

One of his eyebrows rises before a huff comes out of his nose. “If you hadn’t have said it like that, then yeah, I might have. Okay, detective, why are you here?”

Waltzing over in my sexiest strut, I position myself between him and his desk, looking down at him with an easygoing smile in hopes to lighten the accusation that’s in his eyes right now.

I do want him to give me information that will clear his name, but I’m not going to get it by demanding it from him. Although, it completely baffles me as to why he doesn’t want to help me get LAPD off his back. If I had law enforcement up my ass, I’d do whatever it took to prove my innocence. Drago is just a stubborn ass with secrets I need him to come forth with.

I wrap my palms around the edge of his desk, perching my ass against the hard surface and widening my stance as far as my pencil skirt will allow. Days that I have court I tend to wear dresses or skirts to give me a break from the boring pantsuits I normally wear to work. Since I had to testify this morning, my current outfit just might work to my advantage. His eyes have dropped to where the tight fabric ends and my thighs begin. It doesn’t hurt that when I open my legs, the material hikes up a couple of inches.

Drago’s chest rises slowly, taking all of me in. The silence between us only heightens the sound of his labored breaths.

“You like what you see, D?”

“Baby.” His hungry eyes snap up. “I want to eat your pussy so bad, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to stop even if you asked me to.”

A rush of heat I wasn’t expecting flows through me, straight to my core, coating my insides with need.

Fuck me. I hadn’t been prepared for him to affect me like this. It was supposed to be the other way around so that I could drag any piece of new information out of that sexy mouth of his. Instead, he looks like he is about to pounce on me like a starved animal.

He leans forward, rolling his chair toward me, placing his hands on both sides of my bare legs. The contact is electric, sparking a current that rides up my back and down my legs.

He’s not beating around the bush on this. Drago’s hands roam underneath the material of my skirt, pushing it up as he moves toward my hips.

“Get rid of the jacket and unbutton your blouse.” He licks his lips and I’m all too quick, too selfish not to obey.

Sliding out of my dress jacket, I leave it on top of his desk where it falls from my arms. Then starting with the top button of my red top, I release each one from each hole, opening myself to Drago’s gaze. Pulling my shirt down my arms, I let it pool on top of my jacket and then I discard my holster with my weapon in it off the rim of my shirt and stretch over Drago, placing it out of the way.

Inching my skirt up, I lift off the edge of his desk so that he can finish pushing it up to my waist.

“Someone’s ready for me,” Drago says, his voice laced with a bit of humor.

Looking at him looking at me, I know the meaning behind his comment because there is no hiding the damp spot on my panties.

Running his hand down the back of my thigh, he lifts my knee, opening me up in front of him where he takes the opportunity to bend, leaning his head between my legs.

I take in a sharp breath of air when his nose touches the fabric. He inhales, breathing in my scent. I gasp, loud and quick when his tongue juts out, licking the wet spot on my underwear.

“You smell like the sweetest of all sins. I don’t even have to taste you to know you’re going to turn me into a junkie.”

Before I can respond, my panties dig into my skin, making a ripping sound.

“Did you just tear my panties off?” Seriously, I want to whine. They’re practically brand new. I’ve only worn them one other time.

“I’ll buy you another pair,” he tells me as he pulls the ruined material from my body, tossing it to the floor.

Oh, he’s going to all right, and I’m about to tell him just that when a rush of air exits my mouth the moment Drago’s tongue licks up my slit, creating the most delicious tingles to cascade through me.

“Jesus,” I say damn near out of breath.

I fall back, losing the strength to hold myself upright and landing my forearms on top of my discarded clothes on his desk.

He inserts one of his long fingers, his middle one I think, pumping in and out of my pussy at a slow pace. It feels good; no, it feels glorious. And I want more as he keeps coating himself with my slickness.

“D,” I breathe out long and slow. “That feels . . .”

“More, baby?”

“Uh-huh,” is the only response I can muster.

He laps at my clit as he slides my ass just off the edge of his desk. My feet push down, digging into the leather padding on the arms of his chair.

His finger pulls out only to be replaced with his thick thumb. Drago’s tongue starts circling my clit and I just about lose my shit in the pleasure of the consistency of it all. I’m so deep in need—in the pleasure—I don’t realize he’s inserted the previous finger he had in me into my asshole until he’s an inch in me. No one has ever been in there before, not even me, and I can’t fathom telling him to stop. It’s only adding to the madness he’s started.

My legs begin to shake uncontrollably. My head wants to drop to my shoulders so bad, but I push through it, as Drago and I both stare into each other’s eyes.

He licks me like a man possessed, like he’s on a mission. And God it’s so good.

My body moves in a rhythm, dancing with his mouth, with his fingers. He’s fucking me and I’m helping him.

Pant after pant leaves my mouth and it’s everything I can do not to grab his face and smother him with my pussy, taking control like I so want to do.

“That’s it, baby,” his breath coats my hot core, eliciting chills everywhere. “Move with me. Fuck my face like I know you want to, Bri.”

My pace kicks up a notch, as does his tongue. His fingers pump in and out of both holes faster. Using my arms, I push my body to move up and down, bringing me to Drago and backing away. We’re both fucking each other to the point of insanity and when the waves start coming forward my chest starts to heave, and I let out a scream just as they crash into me.

Drago’s middle finger is the first to slip out of me, followed by his thumb, and then he licks me from bottom to top, cleaning every drop of cum I released.

When he’s finished, he stands, and for a few long seconds he just looks down at me. I must be a mess, but I don’t care. That was by far the best orgasm of my life.

He leans over me, slipping his hand and arm gently under my back and then lifts me up into a warm embrace, but before our lips meet he stops, staring again.

“I think I like you a little more than just a lot.”

He doesn’t give me a chance to respond to the words that are wrapping around my heart. His mouth crashes into my mine, sucking up my lips in a scorching kiss that damn near has me coming again.

Finally, he sets me down on his desk, but he stays standing between my legs.

The reality of why I’m here comes rushing back. I have to prove his innocence one way or another. I want Drago, but in order to take our relationship public, he can’t be the star of my investigation or any investigation. The scrutiny around his name—around him—must come to an end, and I have to make that happen. Because if I don’t, I fear Tom’s drive to put an Acerbi behind bars will destroy us.

“Give me access to your shipping manifest.”

The happiness pouring out through his eyes vanishes faster than a slice of pie at an eating contest and is replaced with irritation I’m all too familiar with now.

“No.”

“If you hand them over, you won’t look guilty. Be open with my department and help me prove you aren’t hiding anything.”

“No,” he bites out harder as he takes a step away from me.

I push off his desk, standing. I almost stumble not realizing how weak my legs are, but I push through, needing him to give me this one thing.

“D, you have to give me something here.” C’mon, I silently plead with my eyes. “Your cargo documents will go a long way to clear your name. I have to give my boss something.” Why doesn’t he understand this? If I don’t bring Ramirez something back, he’s going to plant someone under Drago’s nose and there isn’t shit I can do to warn him.

“I can’t.”

“Dammit!” I place my hands on my hips over my still bunched up skirt. “Stop being difficult. It’s not like I’m asking you to let me bring in a forensic team—but . . .” I leave the imply hanging in the air.

He drops down into his chair, sighing. “I’m not being difficult. I can’t because there are discrepancies in those logs. I haven’t figured out why yet and if I let you or any cop have access to them I’d look pretty fucking guilty of something.”

“What kind of discrepancies?” And why hasn’t he already divulged this to me? Fucking hell. This is something I needed to know, oh, six fucking weeks ago, when I started this whole messed up investigation.

“Can’t you just tell them you’ve come up empty-handed and there’s nothing here to find?”

“I tried that. It didn’t work.”

I know he’s not a cop, so he doesn’t understand these things, but even he should know how stupid of a suggestion that is.

“Lose the skirt.” I raise an eyebrow as he goes for the buckle on his slacks. “Playtime isn’t over.”

Looking down, I see the hard-on tenting the front of his pants. Once Drago finishes with his belt, he unbuttons his pants and pulls down the zipper so slow I think he’s trying to seduce me.

And if he is, it’s working. I quickly pull my skirt back in place just so I can unzip it from the back. It pools to the floor and I kick it a few feet away from me.

Watching him, he pushes his pants and boxer briefs down his legs in one move. His cock, looking fat and in need, stands high, waiting to be serviced.

“Put the black heels back on and get rid of that bra,” he nods, pausing as a slow smile spreads across his face. “Then sit on my dick.”

“You want to fuck”—I raise an eyebrow—“then put on a condom.”

“We’re not going to fuck, well, not like that. I just want the rest of your cum on me and then I want you to suck it and me off.” His dirty words have an effect on me that I enjoy way more than I should. Drago’s salacious words sound hot coming from his mouth. And then an idea sparks, lighting up my thoughts. I smile on the inside at the picture it paints.

Placing my hands on the arms of his chair, I turn him around until the back of his chair stops against his desk, then I straighten, looking down at him while I remove my bra, dropping it to the floor.

He beckons me forward with his finger.

Crawling onto Drago’s lap is easier than I thought it would be. Being slender helps when I position my knees on each side of him.

“Mmm,” I moan when I lower myself, sliding down his shaft. I haven’t been with many men, but being in my line of work, you see more cock than you really care to ever see, and I can tell you, Drago isn’t sporting a small dick by any means. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the feel of his intrusion. It’s a shock to my system, but it’s also a connection I’ve never experienced with another person. There is a sense of being exactly where I’m supposed to be in the very moment.

Wrapping his hands around my ass, he squeezes, lifting me up only to drop me back down. A hiss slides through Drago’s lips when I’m planted at his root.

Pushing me back up, he takes my nipple into his mouth, sucking and then rolling his tongue around and around.

As much as it crushes me to think, what we’re in the middle of doing can’t go on much longer. I’m not on birth control and we can’t risk losing control and taking this past the point of no return.

Pushing him back, his mouth pops off my nipple; I lean down, capturing his lips.

“I really think it’s time I suck you now,” I say, breathing in deep in hopes of gaining an ounce of control.

He snatches my lips once again in a quick, frenzied motion, smashing my front to his.

Slowing, he slaps my ass.

“Get on that then.”

He lets go of me, placing his forearms on his armrests and wraps his fingers around the leather. His eyes are shut tight, so I take the opportunity to grab my surprise, wrapping my hand around them as to not make a sound. Then I slide off his dick, slipping slowly off his lap and sinking to the floor on my knees.

“Unbutton your shirt,” I request, wanting to see his beautiful, dark chest.

Dropping his chin down, he smirks at me knowing I enjoy looking at him just as much as he seems to like looking at my body.

“Yes, detective.”

He undoes his tie first, throwing it at me once he’s pulled it from beneath his collar. I giggle when it hits my tits before falling to the floor in front of me. Watching me, Drago begins to slowly unbutton his dress shirt, pushing the material to his side to give me the best view of his torso.

“I like.” I bite my bottom lip to keep myself from smiling too big.

“And I like that hot, sexy mouth of yours . . . on my dick.”

Leaning between his legs, I bow my head, but before I reach the tip of his cock, I peek up from my lashes, looking at Drago. “Keep your hands where they are. This is my show.”

“Roger that, baby.”

Opening my mouth, I continue looking into his eyes as I stick my tongue out, licking wetness and his pre-cum off the tip of his dick. I’ve never tasted myself before—or Drago. It’s almost too perfect to be lapping up at the same time, enjoying the taste of us both melded together.

His chest expands as he breathes air deep into his lungs.

Wrapping my fingers around the base, I lick around the entire head of his cock, coating it with my saliva, wetting him to take into my mouth.

“Mmm,” he moans out, enjoying it.

I open my mouth, sliding him over my lips and then I slowly pull away, kissing the tip of his dick.

Pushing him back inside, I inch down his thickness, moving my tongue from side-to-side underneath him.

“Jesus, that feels good.”

Smiling at his praise, I sink my mouth down farther until his head meets the back of my throat. I pull back a little faster, so when I push him back through my mouth, I open my throat, taking an inch down and then back out.

A pleasurable moan escapes his lips. “Holy fuck.”

It’s hard not to smile around his curse, but knowing I’m pleasing him spurs me on, so I bring him back into my mouth faster and a little farther down my throat this time.

This is really the first time I’ve ever tried deep-throating a man, so it’s taking a minute to get used to it. It’s not as easy as it looks in porn, but I guess with anything, practice makes perfect. And for some odd reason, I want to be perfect for Drago.

I suck faster, greedier, continuing to bob my head up and down his shaft, sucking at a steady pace, creating a man whose body is starting to tense up with the need to release.

Giving him the best blow job of his life is hard when you’re trying to be sly, multitasking something else at the same time, and I’m not exactly a pro at either, so this isn’t easy. It’s damn near impossible, but just the thought—the image I have of him in my head—is all I need to continue with my plan.

Feeling for the item I placed on the floor, Drago lets out a loud grunt. He’s close to coming, so I need to get my ass in gear.

I grab the metal cuffs with my free hand, lifting them off the ground and feeling around on the chair for a place to attach them to. I’m lucky because I’m able to secure one side to the wooden piece that connects the armrest to the seat.

“That’s it, baby, keep sucking that dick.”

I smile on the inside as I pick up my pace, sucking and slurping, not caring that my saliva is running out of my mouth and down Drago’s cock, pooling at his base.

He tenses, and then hot, salty liquid shoots out, coating my mouth. I swallow everything he gives me, wanting every drop of him going down my throat.

Before he finishes, I’m able to click the other end of the cuff around his wrist without him realizing what I’m doing.

There is no way I have time to wrap his necktie around his other wrist, so I forego that part of the plan. I’ll at least be able to make my point—same as he did to me.

When he’s done coming and I’ve cleaned his cum off him, I pull him out of my mouth.

D’s eyes are closed. He’s spent and that pleases my soul greatly. Sitting back on my heels, I watch him. I admire him from above me still coming down from his orgasm.

I watch as his eyes flutter, opening back up to our world. His head rolls forward and with it a satisfied grin.

He tries to lift his arm, the one that is cuffed to his chair. A giggle bubbles from my throat as I see his lazy smile vanish, turning into confusion at first. Then they widen when they land on the restraint, and that’s when everything goes to hell.

“What the—” He yanks on his wrist, pulling like he’s going to be able to free himself. He should know better. “Bri, what the fuck?”

His eyes cut to mine as he continues pulling.

“Payback, baby.”

My celebratory smirk dies when Drago starts bucking in his chair. I quickly jump up from my spot on the floor so that I don’t get kneed or my hand smashed with one of the legs of the chair that’s hopping off the floor.

He’s not just mad or angry, he’s livid; losing his mental control at a rapid pace.

“D,” I call out, stepping farther away from him.

He stands, twisting to face his poor chair and still he yanks.

“Drago, stop,” I order. “I’ll take them off.”

He doesn’t listen; he continues his madness to free himself.

“D,” I try again without any success.

Picking up the chair, he slams it on the ground. I jump, shocked, not expecting this behavior from him.

“Drago,” I say louder.

Holy fucking shit. He’s losing his damn mind and breaking the chair in the process.

I can’t laugh, and I’m not scared in the least because the look on his face is clear as sin. There is terror in his eyes—and I’ve caused it.

The arm of the chair suddenly breaks from where it’s attached to the seat, sending the rest of the chair to the ground. The cuff that was attached to the wood connecting the arm and seat comes right off.

Drago doubles over, his hands coming down to his knees. His entire body is shaking, convulsing uncontrollably. I want to go to him, but I’m having a hard time understanding what just happened. It was fine minutes ago. He was fine until he realized I had handcuffed one of his wrists to his chair.

It was only meant as a joke—a funny “ha ha” kind of joke, just like he did to me not that long ago.

Lifting back up, he yanks his boxers and pants up his legs, adjusting them in place.

“So you can handcuff me, with my cuffs, but I can’t pull the same shit on you? Are you serious right now?”

He just shakes his head side to side, breathing ragged as he buttons his pants.

“Can you please explain what the fuck just happened?”

Bending, I snatch my skirt off the floor and quickly pull it up my legs and then I zip it, securing it to my waist.

He walks to the window, placing the hand that still has the handcuffs dangling from his wrist to the glass. When I notice more tremors coming from his body, I shoot forward, not caring that the upper half of my body is still naked.

Touching his back seems to calm his shudders, but only slightly, so I wedge myself between him and the glass, wrapping my arms around his body and holding him tight, trying to offer what comfort I can.

What the hell happened? Why did he lose his shit like that?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t—” I try to apologize, but I’m cut off.

“Fuck.” His other hand comes up behind me, cupping the back of my head and pulling me even tighter against him. “I’m . . .” He inhales, not finishing. “Shit,” he huffs out finally.

I don’t know whether to keep my mouth shut and wait for him to tell me or prod him again. Eventually, my need to know wins out.

“D,” I start to press him, but that’s all I have to say for him to open up.

“I thought I was over this shit. Past it. Goddammit,” he draws out in frustration.

“Past what?”

“My hang up with restraints.” Another shudder rolls through him when he breathes, taking air into his lungs.

I want to help him. I want to make it right, fix it, but I don’t know how and that causes an ache in the center of my chest so great it feels like I might break.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t—” I try again, but he cuts me off once again.

“It’s not you, Bri. I’m the one that’s sorry. I didn’t mean to flip my shit on you.” He pulls back, looking down at me with the most haunted expression I’ve ever seen. His eyes slowly close, tightening, as does his jaw. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

He must take my worry and the pain I feel for him as being scared.

“I’m not scared of you, D. You’ve never done anything that’s made me feel frightened.”

His eyes open, giving me that hard look he does sometimes when he’s trying to read between the lines, as if he’s trying to figure out if there is more to what I’m telling him.

We’re a lot alike in that sense.

His hand, the one that still has my cuffs dangling from his wrist, skims up my front, stopping just below my throat. Drago presses gently on me, making my back touch the cool glass window, holding me in place. His head dips and he kisses me. First on my cheek, then on my jaw, moving to my chin and then to the other side of my face, repeating the feather-like kisses before stopping on my lips.

When he’s done, I open my eyes to find him looking at me. He’s calmer now; his breathing back to normal.

“Babe?” I coax, needing to know why this happened.

“I’ll tell you,” he nods. “I just can’t tell you today.”

He pulls me to his chest, my breasts smashing against his open shirt. Drago keeps me in that embrace for several minutes, and all I can wonder is what happened in his past to cause a man as strong as Drago Acerbi to be brought damn near to his knees over something that was supposed to be fun?

There is no telling and not knowing irks me. I can’t help him if I don’t know and I so badly want to help ease whatever torment he’s clearly going through inside himself right now.

But when I do find out, I have a feeling someone is going to need to pay for Drago’s pain.