Chapter Six

Jenna

It feels like my chest will burst open at any moment from how hard my heart is pounding yet the moment his lips capture mine, I feel a sense of freedom, a sudden rush of euphoria that I've never experienced before. It's like I've been unleashed; like I've finally found something I didn't know I wanted but have been searching for my whole life.

Ryan's arms wrap around me, pulling me close as he deepens the kiss and I melt into him with a needy sigh. I'm beyond reasoning at this point, consumed by the feeling of his lips on mine, the way his tongue dances with mine, and the gentle pressure of his hands on my back.

I love it and yet, my guilt over what I've been doing to Ryan—the hacking, the spying, working as my brother's mole overwhelms me. Abruptly, I pull back and am left staring into the chocolatey depths of Ryan's eyes.

God, I wish the was simpler.

"Are you alright?" He asks, continuing to stroke his hands up and down my back.

"I—" I'm struggling to come up with a reasonable excuse to leave, but I don't have one. I don't believe Ryan is the villain in his and Henry's story, but to expose myself now would leave me without Ryan and with the risk of Henry revealing me as Ghost002.

Ryan takes another look in my eyes, clearly reading my confliction as trepidation and simply says "I'll take you home."

I nod, feeling my cheeks burn with guilt. I keep my gaze fixated on the ground for the entirety of the drive home, knowing that the next thing I need to do is confess, I just need to get my bearings first.

***

It's been three days since Ryan left for an impromptu business trip… Three days since that night at his house. And in those three days, I've tried not to think about our kisses, about how it could have led to more. I've been working like a maniac, trying to prove that Ryan is a complete bastard like Henry said. Maybe it'll be a consolation if he really turns out to be a corrupt person, but I found nothing against him. It's infuriating yet, somewhere deep inside of me, I'm relieved that he's not such a terrible person.

Henry, on the other hand, has a closet full of skeletons and even though I didn't believe his sob story about being the victim in the first place, I'm surprised at how deeply he has his head buried in filth. I also discovered that despite throwing him out of the company, Ryan has been protecting him from public outrage, taking the fall himself. It's such an unexpected twist and I'm finding it hard to process how I feel about the whole situation.

I'm also grappling with the realization that I was so easily manipulated by Henry and somehow got myself involved in a battle that had nothing to do with me. Most of all, I'm exhausted, burned out, and on the edge of breaking down.

How on earth did I get here?

My phone rings, the sound jerking me back to reality. I looked around to discover that everyone else had left the office. I glance at my watch to see it's already a few minutes past 7 p.m. With a tired sigh, I grab my phone from the tabletop, groaning when I see Henry's name on the caller ID.

I close my eyes with another ragged sigh. I'm beginning to feel the start of a headache and for a moment, I consider rejecting his call, but I know he'll just come and hound me at the house. Better to deal with him now than later.

"Hello?" I hate that I sound tired, but I can't help it at this point.

"How's my darling hacker sister?" Henry asks dryly and I can almost imagine the arrogant sneer on his face.

"What do you want, Henry?"

"What do you have for me?" He counters.

"Look, Henry," I say, trying to sound firm even though I know he's not going to like what I have to say. "I can't find anything incriminating on Ryan, and trust me, I searched. I did everything possible from bugging his personal computer to fishing for information among other employees. He's clean. At this point, I'm afraid I can't continue to do this."

Henry remains quiet for a while. When he spoke again, his voice was deathly quiet. "What does that mean?"

"It means I'm going to resign from MedPlus and return to my normal life," I reply, keeping my tone firm.

He laughs, a low and sinister sound that sends a shiver of apprehension down my spine. "No, Jenna You're not going to do that. You're going to stay on at MedPlus until I tell you otherwise and you're going to find me evidence of Anders' corruption."

"I told you, there's nothing…"

"Find something, dammit!" He cuts in sharply, his voice laced with irritation and something else… something he's trying hard to hide. Desperation? Fear?

"What do you mean; find something?" I ask carefully, keeping my tone even.

"Fabricate something, Jenna!" he snaps, his voice rising in anger. "Create a trail, plant some evidence, I don't care what you have to do, but find a way to bring him down! Do you understand?"

I feel a chill run down my spine as I realize the extent of Henry's desperation. He sounds like a man who'll go to any extent to get what he wants. "I-I can't do that," I say, trying and failing to keep the shiver from my voice. "You're telling me to ruin a man's life and reputation based on lies. I won't do it."

"You say that like you have a choice," Henry says with a humorless snicker. "Do you want the world to know about your secret, little sister? I bet the media will have a field day running your story."

"Not if I beat you to it," I say, trying to sound braver than I feel.

My words are met with a tense silence. "What are you talking about?" He asks after a while.

"Oh, I found some interesting things on you while digging around Ryan's computer," I say. "I have records of your embezzlement and a list of your secret offshore accounts. No one will pay attention to a mere hacker if it comes out that the ex-CEO of MedPlus is a corrupt bastard. Ryan protected you but I won't."

"You bitch!"

A soft gasp escapes my lips. "What did you just call me?"

"How dare you threaten me?" Henry snarls, his voice dripping with venom. "If you think you can blackmail me, think again, little sister.

"And let's see what Ryan thinks of you when he finds out you're nothing but a backstabbing bitch; I hear you're getting chummy these days."

And with that, he ends the call. I drop my head in my hands as a small sob escapes my lips. My chest feels too tight, and I feel like I can't breathe. I've never felt so trapped and frustrated. I'm on the verge of losing everything; my anonymity, my career, and possibly my life because if it gets out that I'm Ghost002, I'll be in a lot of trouble.

But more than anything I'm worried about what Ryan would think of me… I shouldn't even care about his opinion, but I do. I can almost imagine the disgust in his eyes when he finds out the truth and the thought has me crying harder into my palms.

I wish I never got myself involved in this mess in the first place. I wish I didn't succumb to Henry's threat. I wish I'd never started working at MedPlus and I definitely wish I had brushed off Ryan's advances, but most of all, I wish I hadn't fallen in love with him.

"Jenna?"

I look up to see Ryan standing in front of my desk, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and concern. "Why are you crying?"

This is the worst possible time for him to return. And he looks perfect as always. Just. My. Luck.

Why are there butterflies fluttering around in my stomach?

"Jenna?" He calls again, his frown deepening as his eyes search my face.

Maybe it's the way he called my name or the genuine concern in his infinite brown eyes, but something breaks inside of me. I'm suddenly assaulted by a mirage of intent emotions; sadness, confusion, anxiety, but most of all, anger… I'm angry at Henry for dragging me into this mess, at Ryan for making me feel so small, but mostly at myself for being a fool for both men.

It all ends now.

I sit up straight in my chair, taking a deep breath. "I have something to tell you, Ryan."

Chapter Seven

Ryan

I saw the moment she decided to tell the truth even before the words fell from her lips. She raises her chin, her tear-filled eyes glinting with nervous determination as they lock on mine.

"You might want to sit for this," she says with a small sniffle, and I suddenly want to sock myself in the guts.

I bet I'm worse off than whoever made her cry. I'm the biggest jerk of all…

"Go ahead," I say, perching on the edge of her desk.

She swallows visibly and clears her throat lightly. "Your ex-partner, Henry Henson, is my stepbrother." She drops her gaze from mine, but not before I see the pain in those dazzling green depths of her eyes. "He somehow found out about my alter ego and threatened to reveal to the world that I'm Ghost002 if I didn't…"

"Wait… you're Ghost002?" I cut in, unable to believe my ears. She nods and I stare at her in disbelief, my brain scrambling to connect the dots. I've followed Ghost's work since he surfaced five years ago, and I'm always fascinated by him. Ghost is brilliant, righteous, and ruthless; a total badass and it's my secret wish to meet him. And now, Jenna Henson is sitting in front of me, claiming to be Ghost. I'm finding it hard to reconcile the image of the soft, dainty woman in front of me with that of the ruthless, domineering hacker in my head. Yet, somehow, it makes sense… that silent strength about her, her resilience, and the intelligence that I always glimpse in her eyes. It's all the evidence I need.

"Henry threatened to reveal my identity to the press if I didn't help him," Jenna continues, keeping her gaze fixed on the tabletop. "He lied to me that he was framed and that you were the corrupt one and I needed to find evidence of your corruption. So, I- I bugged your computer and I've been poking around your systems. I- I'm so sorry for my part in this. I…" she lets her voice trail off, then peers up at me, her expression filled with remorse. Then she pauses, her brows deepening in a slightly perplexed frown as she searches my face. "You don't seem surprised."

"That's because I already knew about you," I replied, then shrugged. "Well, most of it, anyway. The fact that you're Ghost is news to me."

"You knew?" She whispers in a stifled voice, her expression morphing into a mixture of shock and disbelief.

I nod in response. "Yes, I knew you were Henry's stepsister right from the beginning. I had you investigated by my PI. Also, I discovered the bug you planted in my computer after the first day you stayed back to assist with the executive meeting. I knew about your intentions for working here and I was going to get my revenge. I planned to seduce you and get you to reveal Henry's plans and I was going to use that against you both."

Jenna doesn't say anything for a long time, so I just watch her. I watch the series of emotions cross her face as she takes in the information I just told her. Everything from betrayal, to hurt, to anger, to sadness, and finally, defeat, crosses her face.

"I see," she says, her voice quivering slightly. "Well, with that, I should probably get off the premises. I did enjoy our time together, for what it's worth," she gives me a sad smile before walking out the door.

I run across my office, grabbing her wrist just as she's entering the hallway. "Jenna! Wait!"

"I don't think we have anything more to say to each other, you manipulated me, I manipulated you. It's better for us to party ways," she says softly, barely restrained tears bubbling in her eyes.

"Jenna—I don't want you to go. I want to be with you… the last three days away have been torture without you. I don't care who your stepbrother is or what he sent you here to do. The past three days have been the hardest of my life; the thought of losing the woman I love for someone as vindictive as Henry has driven me crazy. Please, baby, stay," I plead, still grasping her wrist.

"Did you say you love me?" She asks, staring at me in wide-eyed disbelief.

"Yes, Jenna," I responded, smiling softly into her eyes. "I think I have from the moment you walked into my office. And after I confirmed your affiliation with Henry, I tried to stop myself from feeling this way about you, but my efforts were useless. You make me feel alive, Jenna. I love you."

"Oh, Ryan," she says, raising her hand to my face. Tears spill down her cheeks, despite the big smile brightening her face. "I love you too. I-I'm so sorry for doubting you and sneaking around your back."

I lean over to kiss her forehead, wrapping my arms around her back to hold her body tightly against mine. "It's alright, my love… You only did what you had to do to survive. It's fine. I've got you now."

She looks up at me, her gorgeous green eyes sparkling with emotions that seem brand new yet familiar all at once. I feel my breath cease in my throat when she smiles at me, and it instantly dawns on me that I'd give my life just to see her smile like this forever.

With that, I lean forward and begin devouring her mouth.

"Now, Little Fox, it is time for me to have all of you," I say with a growl as I lift her up and she wraps her legs around my waist. I'm already hard, desperate to be in her warmth.

"I want all of you too, Ryan… but I have to tell you… I'm a virgin, in fact, you were my first kiss, too." She's blushing now, unable to meet my gaze.

I can't believe that was her first kiss, she seemed so experienced, so tailor-made for me.

I remove a hand from under her thigh and tilt her chin so she has to look in my eyes.

"Good," I say, "I'm glad you are, that means I am the only one that will ever claim you."

With that, I move my hands to her ass and smash my mouth to hers. I can feel her warmth radiating from where her core meets my hips.

I turn and drop her on the table, pushing her dress up her thighs. Jenna throws her head back and spreads her legs apart with a coy smile. I slide my hands up her thighs until I find her core. As anticipated, she's soaking wet already.

"I love how you get wet so quickly for me, baby," I say, running my fingers over her moist folds. Hooking my fingers in the hem of her lacy panties, I tug them down her legs, taking a deep sniff.

"Damn, you smell so good, baby," I mutter, throwing the panties aside. "Now, to the real thing."

I run my thumb over her clit, loving the way she arches into my palm. A soft moan escapes my lips as I press my thumb harder over her clit. I keep my gaze on hers, taking in her lust-filled eyes and slightly parted lips. I smile, teasing her further with my thumb. She tries to move her hips so that she can impale herself on my thumb, but I press her back so that my hand keeps on teasing just the entrance of her open vagina.

"Oh, Ryan!" She shouts. I take that as my sign to continue.

I lower my head to her left breast, taking her engorged nipple into my mouth. She gasps softly, arching her back to push further into my mouth. I roll my tongue over her nipple, suckling gently at first then more aggressively. She buries her hands in my hair, making small breathless noises.

I can barely concentrate with the sound of her moans clouding my head, driving me crazy. I can feel my cock pulsing violently in my pants, begging to be freed. I want her so badly and I know it's her first time, but don't think I can be slow and sweet right now. Not when I want to slam my cock into her and fuck her until we're both breathless with pleasure.

I've never wanted any woman with such vigor, such urgency…

I slip my thumb into her dripping wet pussy, and she wiggles on the table, her grip on my hair tightening painfully. Her moans get louder as I start to fuck her with my finger while suckling gently on her breast.

Everything about her turns me on; the way she yields her body completely to me, her eager response, and her reckless cries. She pushes herself upright and fumbles with my pants. She unbuckles my belt and tugs down my zipper. My cock springs free, hard, and throbbing. She gasps softly, her gorgeous green eyes darkening with lust.

"You're so big," she says, her voice filled with awe as she gapes hungrily at my cock. She licks her lips in a way that sends blood rushing to my head then peers up at me innocently.

"Keep looking at me like that and I won't be responsible for how hard I fuck you," I say, grunting when she raises her leg, opening herself wider to me. "Oh, you're looking for trouble, Jenna."

Grabbing her raised leg, I bring it down before pulling her off the table so that her body slams into mine. I capture her mouth in mine, kissing her hard. I push my tongue between her lips, groaning with satisfaction when she opens up eagerly for me, perfectly matching the strokes of my tongue as I ravage her mouth. I run my hands down her back to her ass, giving her a rough squeeze. She moans into my mouth, her nails digging painfully into my shoulders.

Not like I can feel the pain when insurmountable waves of pleasure are coursing through every vein in my body. Jenna instinctively raises her leg and wraps it around me so that my hand supports her back while the edge of my cock teases her belly, sometimes grazing over her clit. I can feel my precum leaking all over her stomach as she kisses me back as hard as she can, trying to match me in the tongue battle that seems to be going on.

When I pull back, we're both breathing hard. She's never looked hotter than in this moment, her eyes are glazed and unfocused. "I need to be inside you now, Little Fox. If you feel any pain, tell me and I'll be gentler."

She nods and shutters when I place a light slap on her clit. She instantly writhes, showing me she's ready.

"Oh, fuck," I mutter, then push her back gently against the table so that her back is resting against the table while she's standing. With that, I use my hand to guide the tip of my cock into her wetness, slowly, pausing to search her face for any clues of pain.

But she takes me well.

A soft hiss escapes my lips as I grow impossibly harder inside of her. I remain still for a moment, overwhelmed by the tightness and delicious heat of her pussy. I pull out, pushing in again an inch at a time, my eyes fixated on her, taking in every one of her reactions.

She gasps as I stretch her core, her mouth parted in a soundless scream. I pull out again and slam into her with such force that has her body rocking backward. She grips the tabletop for support, her breathing ragged. I pin her down and start to slam into her with all the force I can muster, sometimes rotating my cock as I move.

Her cries bounce off the walls of my office, urging me faster. And deeper. She screams my name as her body starts to vibrate with a powerful orgasm. But I didn't stop. I keep slamming into her until my vision starts to swim. I lift her off the table to slam into her in another powerful thrust, causing another wave of orgasm to rack through her body.

And even then, I continue to fuck her until we both lost control of our bodies, submerged in the deep waves of an overwhelming climax.

Just when I'm starting to regain my senses, Jenna turns to me, looking shyer than ever.

"Can I… can I taste you?" She asks, her mouth nearly watering as she watches my cock harden at her question.

I nod, and she is instantly taking me in her mouth.

I let out a string of explicit words as pleasure zaps through my body, blurring my vision. She starts to bob her head on my cock, her movements awkward but pleasurable all the same. I bury my fingers in her thick, dark hair, guiding her movements until she gets it down. But there's only so much I can take before taking control. Gripping her hair tighter, I slam my cock into her mouth. She gags a little but doesn't withdraw so I continue to fuck her mouth until it feels like my cock is about to burst open. I release her hair, pulling out in time for my juice to spurt onto her gorgeous face, white and thick.

She captures me in her palm and takes the rest of my juice in her mouth, running her tongue over my length and after she's done licking me clean, she peers up at me with those damn innocent eyes, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"You taste so good, Ryan."

I love this woman.