Bad Bitch(66)

“Ms. Angel.” Lincoln stood.

My legs were suddenly tired. I leaned on the nearest chairback just to stay standing.

Lincoln ate up the distance between us in two strides and took me in his arms.

“It’s you” was all I could say.

“You think I wouldn’t find you?”

The deep rumble of his voice was like a shot of morphine. I was euphoric. Lincoln Granade was my drug of choice.

“I . . . I . . . didn’t know. I hoped. But we can’t—”

He lifted me off my feet so we were at eye level. He was smiling, green eyes sparkling even under the fluorescents. A fresh dose of his scent washed over me, far stronger than what was left on his dress shirt that I slept with every night. I wrapped my arms around his neck, a reflex, as natural as tucking my hair behind my ears.

“You know what happens when you tell me no, angel. And you’re already in for some rough treatment for running away, among other bad behavior.” There was mischief in his voice.

He grew fuzzy in front of me, tears overcoming my vision. He took my mouth. Gently, despite his words. After a long, sensuous kiss, he pulled away. The morphine pump was working overtime. I’d dreamed of kissing him again, tasting him. I was far too jaded to ever believe dreams came true, especially for people like me.

“Don’t cry, angel. I never want to see you cry.”

“It’s not you. I mean, it is. I just, I just wanted you so bad. And now you’re here—”

He claimed my lips again, more insistently this time. Deepening our kiss, he let his tongue explore. I answered, opening my mouth and pulling him in even closer. He turned me around and sat me down on the conference table. I opened my legs, and he snugged himself between them. I wanted to give him anything, everything. Whatever it took to make him stay.

He pulled away despite my groan. He smiled and took a lock of my hair in his hand.

“I prefer the red.” He kissed my forehead.

“I have to hide. Blond allows me to do that.”

“You don’t have to hide anymore.” He let the strands drop and tried to take my mouth again.

“B-but how did you find me?”

“Wouldn’t you know it? I had some delicious Italian the other day. Prepared fresh by a real virtuoso of the art of cooking, and also the art of baseball.”

He stared at my mouth as my jaw went slack. Shock radiated through me. “Sal gave me up?”

“Sure did. I tracked you there. Do you have any idea how hard it is to retrieve records of phone calls going to or from a federal courthouse?”

“I can imagine.” My curiosity was fading and being replaced with the need for his mouth. I was no longer interested in the how or the why. I only wanted him to kiss me again with his fire, his heat. Hi, my name is Evangeline Pallida, and I’m a Lincoln addict.

“That’s what took me so long. Sal said he knew I’d come looking for you eventually. He wanted to know if I was the one who called you angel. Told me to say ‘hi, bella’ once I’d found you.”

I smiled, fond memories of Sal playing in my mind.

“I told him to lay off my woman.”

I leaned closer to him, needing his lips on mine. “How did he take that?”

“Not so well at first. But a few bottles of Italian wine later and we were the best of friends.”

I couldn’t wait any longer. I pressed into him, savoring his taste. He pushed me back, covering me on the table. He was the fantasy come to life, the alpha taking me in a boardroom. I wrapped my legs around his back and squeezed, feeling his hard shaft against my stomach.

“You’re going to make me do bad things.” He kissed down to my neck, sucking and biting along my shoulder and collarbone.

“I’m not scared.” I was thrilled.

He straightened, picking me up and crushing me to him. He stared into my eyes, the scar giving him a dangerous look that wore well on him. His nose had long since healed; only a sliver of a scar remained. The flaws were what made him, made us. I wanted to kiss every scar.

“Let’s see if we can’t do something about that, angel.”

“M-my secretary will be back in fifteen minutes.”

He smiled, beautiful and intense. “I guess we’d better hurry. Where’s your office?”

“Not here?” I asked.

He grinned. “All in good time, Ms. Angel. I’m going to fuck you in every location I can find.”

I swallowed hard. “Last door at the end of the hall.”

He carried me, dotting kisses along my face and neck as he went.

“I hope you have a couch. Otherwise, you’re going to be suffering from some rug burn for a little while.” That grin never left his face, the devil.