Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Jade could see the surprise in his eyes, and the way her challenge affected him. He pulled her closer, so their lips were only a breath apart.

"You're under my skin, Max Devlin. All these years of separation, and I still couldn't get you out of my head. There are no ghosts between us now. Memories—yes. But no ghosts. We're just a man and a woman, and I know what I'm asking for. Give me this one time. Just to make the ache go away."

She kissed him in earnest then, lips and tongues melding. His hand clasped against the back of her head, holding her in place as he took control. If he hadn't been holding her steady, her knees would have buckled because kissing Max was like sending an electrical current through her system.

"You think just once is going to do it?" he asked, pulling away. "You'd better be sure what you're asking me because I promise, the kind of living I have in mind is like nothing you've ever experienced. I want forever."

She shook her head in denial. "I need to be touched. I've missed it so much. Please." Unspeakable pressure was building inside of her. She'd been married and widowed, but never in her life had she felt anything like what was happening to her now.

"I'm going to touch you, sugar. But I know you, Jade Jax, and I see through you. Coming to me is the perfect excuse for you to get what you want and not have to face the consequences. Yes, you're ready to live for real. I can see it when I look at you now. But you're still feeling your way back into the world, and you think I'm a safe choice for testing your wings. You won't use me and cast me aside."

She froze against him as his words mirrored her thoughts. She shook her head to deny him, but the fire burning between them wouldn't be doused so easily.

"Don't push this, Max," she said, her hand pressing against his chest. "I want you. My body comes alive for you. Let it be enough for now." She didn't bother to add he'd probably lose interest before long anyway. She knew exactly what she was getting into. A man like Max could never really love her—not when he discovered the real her.

"I've wanted and waited for this too long," he said. "Since I met you, even when I couldn't have you, it's only been you who's haunted my dreams. Once you give yourself to me, you're mine."

She shook her head, denying him the one thing she couldn't give.

"You'll give me everything you have. There won't be any hiding when you're with me. Is that something you'll be able to live with?"

Jade's mind was cloudy with the promises he made, and there was no turning back now—not after she'd come so close to satisfaction.

"I won't be a bystander in this affair," she said. "And I won't be bullied. I may not have as much experience as you when it comes to certain things, but I'm a fast learner and I can hold my own. You may call the shots in the bedroom, but we'll stand side by side when it comes to the job. One has nothing to do with the other. I want your promise on that or I walk out the door right now. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Max said, smiling. "And don't threaten to walk out my door. Because I'll just hunt you down and bring you back. You're mine, Jade."

And then he kissed her, flooding her senses with the memory of his taste and the texture of his lips. He was intoxicating, and she was already drunk on the promise of what was to come.

She was way out of her league, and as passionate and daring as she'd thought sex with Donovan had been, she realized now how sheltered her experience had been. Not that Donovan hadn't made her blood race, because he had, but the sheer chemistry she felt with Max made her realize how wide the spectrum of pleasure was.

She wished she was the kind of woman who owned sexy lingerie, but she'd never taken the time to learn to be a girl. Her whole life had been about survival, from the time she'd been a child in the orphanage to adulthood when she'd sworn to serve and protect.

But the way Max was looking at her in that moment made her feel very feminine. His eyes were dark with desire and took in every inch of her, as if he were committing the sight of her to his memory.

Her fingers spread across his chest and she'd leaned in to kiss him once more when a sharp knock pounded against the door.

"Of course." Max's jaw clenched and he closed his eyes to get himself under control. "That'll be the team. Atticus always has impeccable timing."

Jade snickered and moved on unsteady legs to lean against the counter and put herself back together. Max looked rakishly disheveled, his hair mussed and his lips swollen from her kisses.

"You look like you've been thoroughly debauched," she said. "If you don't put yourself back together then Nate is going to call you something a lot worse than Agent Danger. You'll never live it down."

"Fine," he said. "You can answer the door and deal with Atticus. He's probably not going to be happy about the way things went tonight. Maybe you can soften him up some."

Jade snorted. "Not likely. There was only one woman who could soften that man up, and it sure as hell isn't me."

Max slipped into the bedroom and she grabbed her weapon from the counter and went to the door—you could never be too careful. She checked the camera and opened the door to the team.

"Sorry to interrupt your party," Atticus said, moving past her and straight to the kitchen. "Some of us would like to get some work done around here."

"Don't mind him," Nate said, following close behind. "You know how antsy he gets when he has to fly. I've never met a man who hates to fly as much as he does, yet has to do it so often."

Nate made himself at home in Max's kitchen and opened the fridge, grabbing a beer for himself and tossing one to Atticus. "I figured we deserve this since things didn't exactly go to plan." Then he looked at Eden. "There's juice or water for you."

Eden rolled her eyes and set her laptop on the table. Jade didn't know Nate's wife well, but she liked her. And she recognized her skill. Israeli Mossad agents were considered the elite by agencies all over the world.

Eden Kane was an extraordinary woman. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face, showcasing high cheekbones and large dark eyes framed by thick lashes. She was dressed in black and her weapon was still strapped to her thigh.

"I'll take water," Eden said. "Though I'd prefer coffee."

"You'll be up all night," Nate said. "And you drink too much caffeine."

"Which is why I'm drinking water," she said, eyes narrowing.

"She says I hover," Nate said, completely unrepentant. "But she overdoes it if I don't keep an eye on her."

"Women have been having babies a long time," she said, rolling her eyes. "I doubt you've come up with any new advice since the beginning of time. The body knows what to do. Just trust the process."

"Easy for you to say," he said, winking. "Just wait until you can't see your feet and you're asking me to tie your shoes."

"If Eden is anything like Jane was, your opinions are likely to get you kicked in the head the closer she gets to her due date," Atticus said, looking down at his beer as if he'd just realized it was in his hand.

There was an awkward silence as everyone realized it was the first time he'd spoken of his wife since she'd died. Jade knew better than anyone how big of a step that was, and what Atticus must be feeling in that moment. Someone needed to break the silence and the tension, but everyone seemed frozen. And then Max walked into the room.

"Despite the fact that you probably deserve to be kicked in the head," Max said, coming into the room now dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. "This isn't your first rodeo."

"Yes, but Stella is eighteen and I'm out of practice," Nate said, taking a swig of beer. "I'm older and wiser now. And you're stuck with me, and that includes my hovering. I've got to watch out for my best girl." He winked at Eden and the love between them was so pure and sweet Jade felt the knot in her throat and looked away.

"Maybe we could move on from the mushy stuff and get down to business," Atticus said. "We've got a firestorm on our hands. Or maybe we should just stop and try to hug it out with the bad guys. Y'all tell me. I'm just in charge."

"I was just asking Jade how she'd gotten pulled into this when you pounded on my door," Max said.

Jade felt the heat in her cheeks before she could stop herself, remembering what they had been doing when Atticus had knocked at the door.

Max let out a slow breath and ignored the long look Atticus gave him after he watched Jade's reaction to him. Atticus was protective of Jade, just like all of the team was, but Max didn't need the subtle warning he saw in Atticus's gaze. Jade was going to be his. And he'd fight anyone who tried to tell him differently.

He headed to the coffeepot, poured himself a steaming cup, and didn't bother to add cream or sugar. He needed the kick, and he was hoping the caffeine would take the edge off the pain in his head. The pills he'd taken had eased the headache, but the dull throb was still there. At least it was manageable.

"I'd like to know what happened tonight and why Atticus had to come down from his mountain on high," Max said.

"Sometimes I like to mingle with the commoners," Atticus answered dryly.

Atticus took a seat at the head of the table and everyone else grabbed a chair to pull up. He passed out a manila file folder to everyone.

"Senator Henry is screaming from the rooftops about the breach of his security tonight," Atticus said. "Henry doesn't know who broke into his office and tampered with his computer, but he suspects Martin Vassin."

Nate let out a long whistle and Max leaned forward in his chair and said, "I thought Martin Vassin was killed in that explosion at the Kremlin last year."

"Martin needed a little time to regroup after he found himself short of liquid assets when an arms deal went bad with a Turkish terrorist cell," Atticus said. "The weapons were intercepted by the authorities and the Turks were screaming for Martin to make good on his promise by sending someone to enforce the deal. Martin took the easy way out and chose to die for a little while instead of facing the iron crowbar of the Turkish enforcer."

"So now Vassin is alive and well and his coffers are full?" Max asked. "What's the connection with Senator Henry?"

Atticus leaned back in his chair and steepled his hands across his stomach. Max knew he'd already committed to memory every piece of information that was in the closed file in front of him. Atticus's mind was a machine.

"Vassin is one of the more intelligent arms and information brokers. And he's tapped into Senator Henry. He's got deep pockets and his position on the defense committee is well placed."

"I don't like where I think you're going with this," Max said.

"Wherever you think I'm going just took a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn," Atticus said. "It's a sticky situation. We knew Henry was involved in the high-level security leaks, and this all started about six months ago. Since then we can place the loss of the Iranian military convoy last month and the bombing at the US Consulate in London that killed Senator Ryan at Vassin's feet. Gabe Brennan and his ISF agents are investigating and hunting the parties responsible since Vassin didn't do the dirty work himself. Vassin is just the facilitator."

Max raised his brows at the mention of Gabe Brennan. If both Gabe and Atticus were involved in this, it was big. They'd always been closer than brothers and there was no competition between the agencies. The six of them had been a unit—a deadly force of men who were proud to get the job done and who knew the risks. He could trust his brothers.

"Then Henry's a traitor, plain and simple," Nate said. "And he should pay just like Vassin is going to pay."

"Not so simple." Atticus shook his head. "That's what we found on the flash drive from Henry's personal computer. His nineteen-year-old daughter is a sophomore at Harvard and was studying late one night at the library when Vassin and his men kidnapped her."

"Hell," Max said.

"I started the ball rolling as soon as Eden gave me the information. We don't know where Vassin is keeping her, but he has homes all over the world. My gut says she'll be close though."

"And the senator would do anything to protect his daughter. Even betray his country."

"Bingo," Atticus said.

"Am I to assume you're going to need the Devlin name for this mission?" Max asked.

Atticus's lips twitched. "Why do you think we keep you around? That blue blood comes in handy on occasion. And your cover as the disenchanted agent doesn't hurt either. The word has been put out that you've got sensitive information from your days at the CIA, and that you're willing to part with it for a price."

"Wow, I'm a real jerk," Max said, deadpan.

"This time more than normal," Nate said, making everyone laugh.

"Your mission is to lure Vassin into the open. He never negotiates deals one-on-one. It's how he's stayed alive so long. He'll want to send someone in his stead to make the transaction. You've got to convince him that you'll only work with him directly. We need to take out Vassin and we need to find the senator's daughter. Cal and Evangeline are coming in early from their honeymoon, and Gabe's agents are at our disposal."

"Even his wife?" Nate asked, brow arched. "I thought she'd turned mercenary, but the last I'd heard he'd brought her back into the fold."

"Gabe says she's back," Atticus said, shrugging. "He knows his people, and I trust him. We're shorthanded on this and need everyone we can get."

"What kind of information am I supposed to have that Vassin will want?" Max asked. "I don't have security clearance anymore."

"No, but you have the drop and destroy locations for all of the confiscated weapons. We have to make it real or Vassin will know it's a setup."

Max raised his brows and ran his hand over the top of his head in agitation. The DEA confiscated ridiculous amounts of contraband weapons in its day-to-day activities. Weapons that not even the military had access to. Arms dealers were more prevalent in the United States than one might think, and the successful ones had a network set up so they could ship contraband weapons all over the world.

Once the DEA got word of a deal and confiscated the shipment, the weapons were taken to a warehouse on one of the military bases where they were highly guarded until the warehouse was full. Then the weapons were taken by convoy to a secured location where they were melted down to scrap. Once the weapons made it to the meltdown location, there was no danger, but the convoy transporting the weapons to the base was vulnerable, even though they were carefully guarded.

"Are you sure?" Max asked. "It could backfire on us if Vassin did happen to get the routes." What Max really meant was that if Vassin somehow captured Max, there was a possibility the location could be tortured from him anyway.

"It'll be fine," Atticus said. "You'll have your bodyguard there as backup. Max Devlin never goes anywhere without a bodyguard. Even the newspapers have remarked on that more than once."

Atticus had started building him a solid cover while he'd been lying unconscious in the hospital, and he'd kept layering on top of it for the three years after. Max was a reckless playboy. A man who skated the line between former hero and current criminal. His friends, associates, and morals were considered questionable. Max was the bad boy everyone in polite society was too afraid of offending. They wouldn't dare turn their backs on him because he wielded too much power over the companies and stockholders that were part of the Devlin fortune.

"And who gets the privilege of standing in the line of fire for me?" Max asked.

"That would be me," Jade said, her lips quirking in a smile. "I am the best shot after all."

"You know, if that wasn't completely true, I'd resent that statement," Nate said.

"I think your ego can take it, big boy," she said.

Nate nodded soberly. "Eden says my ego is very—healthy."

Everyone at the table broke into laughter. Except for Max. He was motionless in his chair, his eyes drilling holes into the side of her head. She'd seen the way his gaze shuttered at the mention of her going in as his bodyguard, and she tried not to let it bother her. But—it did. She was tired of the men in her life trying to stand in front of her all the time. They'd been partners before and he'd never had a problem relying on her. But things had become personal and now there was an issue.

"Max, you and Jade will head down to your ranch tonight," Atticus said. "It won't be long before Vassin gets in contact with you. The rest of us are going to stay here for the time being and keep going through Senator Henry's passcoded files to see if we can find anything else that could lead us to where his daughter is being kept."

Atticus scooted back his chair and stood, tossing his beer bottle in the recycler before heading toward the door. The others all followed suit, and Jade went with them to the door while Max leaned back in the chair on two legs and watched them all.

"Take what you need out of the weapons room with you," Atticus said. "And take the black Explorer in the garage. We'll dispose of the one you lifted earlier. Both of you stay on your guard. Vassin likes to play dirty."

Jade closed the door behind them and turned to face Max, her arms crossing over her chest. "I can tell you right now you're not going to say one word about my assignment," she said. "I saw the look on your face the minute it left Atticus's mouth. This is my job. And I may sleep with you, but that doesn't give you the right to act like a Neanderthal and make me stand two steps behind you. I mean it, Max. The minute you try to stand in front of me, I walk. Period."

Max's lips thinned in a straight line and he stalked toward her until he stood so close they were almost touching. His arms came up on each side of her shoulders and trapped her against the door. She narrowed her eyes in warning.

"Stop threatening to walk out on me. I know better than anyone how capable you are on the job. But that doesn't mean I can help the natural instincts to try and protect you. I'm a man. I think the Neanderthal is in our genes."

"Some more than others," she said sweetly. "Do you trust me to have your back?"

"Always," he said, with no hesitation. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it. Especially since you are going to be sleeping with me. There are certain allowances that have to be made for people you're intimate with."

"Clearly you've been reading Emily Post again."

"Don't be a wiseacre." He leaned down and gave her a hard kiss, and Jade couldn't help but twine her arms around his neck and kiss him back with everything she had. When he broke away they were both breathing hard and she wondered how soon they had to leave for Max's ranch.

"We'd better not chance it," he whispered, reading her mind. "Atticus will be down here pounding on the door if we're not out of here in the next five minutes."

She laughed, knowing he was right. She felt good. Free. And she realized it had been a long time since it hadn't felt like something was strangling her from the inside. She wasn't weak. And she didn't need to be coddled. Donovan would always have a special place in her heart. He was her first love and the man she hadn't gotten to spend nearly enough time with. The memories would always be there. But time had softened the grief—whether she'd wanted it to or not.

She realized Donovan would've been happy she'd chosen Max. They'd been close as brothers. The last of the guilt that had been wrapped around her heart broke free and a peace settled over her she couldn't explain—as if Donovan were laying a hand on her shoulder and telling her it was okay.

Jade turned away from Max and headed to the door so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. She could no longer feel Donovan imprinted on every part of her life. He was no longer her first thought when she woke in the mornings or her last when she went to bed at night. Moving on had happened whether she'd wanted it to or not.