Revenge (Divided Loyalties) Read online

  Revenge

  Divided Loyalties Part 2

  Lilah Blake

  Copyright © 2013 Lilah Blake

  All rights reserved.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  All Books in the “Divided Loyalties” Series

  Copyright and Disclaimers

  Chapter 1

  Alexa sat uneasily in the hard wooden chair. She felt as if she was back under the scrutiny of the gang members of the Death Adders but instead, it was the man in the crisp, blue suit and impossibly short haircut who sat across from her, whose gaze was so probing.

  “I’m just trying to understand how exactly all of this happened,” he said in a gruff tone, as he flipped over a piece of paper.

  “I think the debriefing makes it pretty clear,” Alexa said quietly. She felt as if she was in the principal’s office or worse, confession.

  “Maybe you could explain it to me, in your words,” the man suggested.

  “Mr. Banks, do you really think that’s necessary?” Nick objected from his own wooden chair beside Alexa. “I mean, you don’t really want her to…”

  “Tell me how it is, that in one night, she managed to unravel an entire operation that has been going on for several years?” Mr. Banks barked back, his eyes narrowing sharply as he glowered at Nick. It was obvious the two had a hate relationship to begin with. Mr. Banks was Nick’s handler. He had no official title, as he was just that important and secretive. But, he certainly wielded plenty of power. He had managed to get Alexa’s chief to allow him to interview her along with Nick, even though they had both already recounted their stories.

  “Now, Alexa,” he said with a small professional smile as he looked back at her. “If you could, please explain to me what you were doing at the bar.”

  Alexa lowered her eyes, her heart beat quickening. She knew that if she lied, she would put herself at risk of losing her job but she knew if she told the truth, she would likely be in for a psych evaluation. So, she split the difference.

  “I was just trying to unwind, after a big bust,” she said.

  “In a bar known to be frequented by criminals?” he pushed her again. His gaze fixated on her from behind silver framed glasses. He seemed to be trying to ferret out the whole truth.

  “I just wanted to be some place where no one would know who I was.” Alexa cleared her throat and tapped her fingers lightly on her knee. Nick had to resist the instinct to reach out and take her hand. He knew that his boss would not approve of such a gesture. But still, he wanted to reassure her.

  “So, you decided to go to a criminal infested bar to get some privacy, okay then,” he cleared his throat and swept his hand down along his pencil thin tie. “What happened next?” he asked.

  Alexa closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “I noticed Nick.”

  “What made you notice him?” Mr. Banks prodded.

  “Are you serious?” Nick snapped. “This is a little ridiculous.”

  “Is it?” Mr. Banks asked. “It seems rather coincidental that Alexa would suddenly show up where you were and select you, out of a crowd of people, to take out into the alley.”

  “Uh, first of all, I didn’t take him out into the alley,” she protested, and then blushed. “Okay, fine. If you want to know the truth, here it is.” She took a deep breath and began speaking without stopping. “When I make a big bust I get an adrenaline rush and that adrenaline rush needs to be subsided in certain ways. So, I went to the bar, I saw Nick, thought he was attractive, and we struck up a conversation. Neither of us had any idea who the other was, and yes, we ended up in the back alley.”

  She threw her hands up into the air. “Does that satisfy your perverted curiosity or do I need to detail exactly where Nick touched me?”

  “Alexa!” Nick protested, and Mr. Banks stared at her in shock for a moment.

  “No, that isn’t necessary,” he said quickly. “Please understand, it is important that I am thorough.”

  “Right,” Alexa quirked a brow.

  “So, when you were in the alley, at no time did Nick reveal to you that he was undercover in the Death Adders, and at no time did you reveal that you were a police officer?” he asked.

  “Right,” Alexa nodded shortly. “We weren’t exactly talking much.”

  Nick had to hold back a low chuckle that strangled out in his throat. They certainly had not been saying much at all.

  “Then at some point you realized that these men in the alley belonged to the Death Adders,” Mr. Banks continued. “At which point you were threatened, and then abducted.”

  “I was,” Alexa nodded. “They would have killed me right there if it hadn’t been for Nick’s quick thinking,” she added. She glanced affectionately at him.

  “Right,” Mr. Banks glowered in Nick’s direction and Alexa got the distinct impression that he would have preferred it if it had all ended in the alley instead. She shifted in her chair uncomfortably.

  “Is there anything else you need to know?” she asked.

  “No, but there is something that you both need to know,” Mr. Banks said sternly. “Because of Nick’s exposure, and the fact that the Death Adders are well aware that you are a police officer as well, Alexa, you are both in great danger.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Nick said dismissively. He was certain that he could protect Alexa. Alexa was certain that she could protect him.

  “No, you won’t,” he said sternly and looked at each of them in turn. “The two of you are not to see each other again after we leave this room. Understand?”

  Nick’s eyes widened as he stared at the man in shock. Alexa leaned forward and glared right back.

  “You can’t dictate who I see,” she said tersely.

  “Yes, actually, I can,” Mr. Banks said. “If you do not obey these orders you will both be arrested for obstruction and interference with an ongoing case.”

  “That is absurd,” Nick nearly shouted. “You can’t do this!”

  “Yes I can,” Mr. Banks said again, starting to lose his patience. “Nick, no one told you to have a little fun in the alley with some stranger. And really, Alexa, you should have known better than to get involved with a random guy. Don’t look at me as if I caused all of this. You both need to learn to control your hormones.”

  “Excuse me!” Alexa stood up so suddenly from her chair that she nearly knocked it over. “This interview is over,” she said and strode towards the door.

  “Yes, it is,” Nick snapped as he began to follow after her.

  “Nick,” Mr. Banks called out after him. “Think of your career!”

  Chapter 2

  Alexa made it to the parking lot first. She was so offended and furious that she could barely think of driving. Then she remembered she had no car to drive. Randy Lucot, the leader of the Death Adders, had his men strip it and part it out, so her abduction would not be linked to them. That was, of course, before Nick had saved her from a certain torturous demise. She knew she could call her partner, Matthew, to pick her up but he was home with his family. She didn’t think he would react kindly to her asking for a lift. She figured if she hung out long enough, she could catch a ride with one of the uniform cops.

  “Alexa,” she heard his deep voice, with her name wrapped up in it, and instantly her body began to relax. She had never met a man who had such an intense influence on her. She turned slowly to face him, her lips parting slightly in anticipation of the kiss that she knew he was aching to offer her.

  Instead of speaking,
he wrapped his arms around her waist, and drew her close so that he could take that kiss. They prolonged it, savoring the sensation of the warmth and desire they exchanged, until she abruptly pulled away.

  “What about your orders, Detective Nick?” she asked with a smug smile on her lips. He kissed away the smile, leaving her with nothing but a dreamy look.

  “I don’t take orders very well,” he whispered and tangled his fingers through her strawberry blonde hair. Her cinnamon hued eyes sought out the dark green spheres that she had been intoxicated by since the first moment she saw them.

  “Me neither,” she laughed.

  “Yeah, I know that already,” he grinned and pulled her close for another kiss. “What do you say, we both just disappear for a while, hm?” he asked hopefully.

  Alexa hesitated. She was not so impulsive as to run off with a man she barely knew, even if he had just saved her life more times than she could keep track of. But, at the same time the best way to be safe from the Death Adders was to do something out of character.

  “Okay,” she smiled slowly. “What did you have in mind?”

  He brushed his lips along her high cheekbone, all the way to the soft curve of her ear, before he spoke.

  “Well, I know of a few dark alleys,” he whispered.

  “Ha! Very funny!” she gave him a playful shove as she recalled how amazingly enticed she had been by him. Were it not for them being interrupted, she had no idea just how far things would have gone in that alley.

  “Seriously, I have a place,” he said softly. “But you can’t tell anyone about it,” he met her gaze intently.

  “Don’t you trust me yet?” she asked, her tone becoming a bit more serious.

  “Do you trust me?” he countered. The tension built for a moment before they both had the same idea. Kiss, instead of answer.

  “If we keep this up, we’re never going to make it,” he muttered, his lips still lingering along her lower lip.

  “Okay then, whisk me away,” she grinned up at him. She was eager to leave behind all of the drama of their experience and have a chance to truly get to know if the spark between them was born of being in harrowing circumstances, or was something that might run a bit deeper. This was new territory for Alexa, who tended to resist getting into any kind of serious relationship. Nick hadn’t even considered the idea because he had been working in undercover for so long. But it didn’t matter what their minds told them, their hearts were racing, and seemed to be in charge of the decision making processes. He led her to his car, and as he opened the door for her, she briefly recalled the first time he had done so. It had been a less than pleasant experience. However, the hatred she had felt for him at that time had not lingered. She now realized, everything that he had done, he had done in an attempt to protect her.

  Chapter 3

  As they drove, silence fell thickly between them. It was not an awkward silence, it was an aching one. It was the silence of restraint, as it was taking all of Alexa’s willpower not to reach over and run her fingers through his hair. He seemed to be suffering with the same struggle, as he kept glancing towards her, and then quickly away.

  “So that’s your boss, huh?” she asked mildly, hoping to distract them both.

  “Something like that,” Nick replied and stole another glance at her.

  “And what is he going to do when he finds out little Nicky didn’t follow his orders?” Alexa asked teasingly.

  “Do you think I care?” Nick asked in a husky voice. She knew in that moment that there would not be much more resistance. His hand glided up over her knee, rubbing lightly along the thin material of her uniform trousers. She shivered at his touch and placed her hand over his.

  “Now now, you’re driving, I’ll have to give you a ticket,” she joked.

  “Should I pull over?” he asked and met her eyes.

  “No!” she growled. “No dark alleys, remember?”

  He sighed heavily and looked back at the road.

  “What you said to Mr. Banks, was that true?” Nick asked abruptly.

  “Said about what?” she was a little confused.

  “About how you just had to work off some adrenaline, I mean…” he paused, and looked over at her again. “Is that what it feels like for you, when we’re together?”

  Alexa frowned as she knew that this conversation was going to come up at some point. He wanted to know from her how she really felt. She wasn’t sure that she was ready to tell him. Alexa didn’t like to be vulnerable in any way, maybe that was why she had become a cop. Her childhood had been generally sheltered and balanced, but what she had seen on the streets since then made her realize that there was a lot to be afraid of.

  “Alexa?” he prompted her when she didn’t answer.

  “When I am with you, it feels like I’m the luckiest woman on earth,” she offered in a playful tone. When he met her gaze, she could tell that he wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but he didn’t push her any further. Maybe he was afraid he wouldn’t like what she admitted to.

  As he pulled onto a long gravel road, she realized they had left the city far behind. They approached a small log cabin, which seemed to be the only building for miles.

  “This is yours?” she asked with surprise.

  “Not technically,” he said. “It’s a place I use in between assignments. It’s far enough from the city that I shouldn’t be spotted, and its deed is under a different name. It’s like, my safe haven,” he smiled as he parked the car in front of the cabin.

  Alexa felt honored that he had thought to include her in such a place. She stepped out of the car and followed him up the steps to the porch of the cabin.

  “So,” he said, without looking at her as he unlocked the door to the cabin. “Just to let you know, if you tell anybody about this place, I’ll have to kill you,” he sneaked a look over at her.

  Alexa blinked, wondering if he was that serious, but the sparkle in his eyes was a dead give away.

  “You’ll have to catch me first,” she joked and bolted past him as the door swung open.

  “Gladly,” he called after her, letting the door fall shut behind him. He chased her all the way to the bedroom, where she found herself laughing and waiting for him.

  “Mine,” he growled when he wrapped his arms around her.

  “Hm, we’ll see about that,” she smirked and pecked his lips softly.

  “Is this what they call forbidden love?” he breathed as he guided her back towards the bed.

  “I don’t care what it’s called,” she laughed as she tugged his shirt off over the top of his head.

  “Me neither,” he agreed, and began unbuttoning her dark blue blouse. “Mm, seeing you in uniform. I have to admit, I like it,” he chuckled, a low deep and rolling sound that seemed to make her blood warm with desire.

  “Better than seeing me out of it?” she smiled and tossed aside the remainder of her clothes, while he kept a close eye on every aspect of her body that she revealed to him.

  “No, I think this is much better,” he sighed and reached for her. She wagged a finger at him, and pointed to the clothes he was still wearing. He didn’t hesitate to discard them. The moment he tugged his last sock free, he lunged towards her. She squealed with amusement and anticipation as he playfully tackled her onto the bed. When his lips began exploring the curve of her neck, her entire body relaxed. The familiarity of his mouth, the warmth of the tip of his tongue, was more than pleasurable. It made her feel as if she was in the exact right place at the exact right moment.

  “Nick,” she sighed and passed her fingertips through his dark curls. She had not forgotten how lovely they felt skimming across her skin. His lips moved lower and she arched her back, enjoying the attention he offered her. Only the sound of nature interfered with their quiet expressions of passion, as they took their time, savoring one another. Nick’s lips were like balm for all of Alexa’s concerns. Every time she worried she was feeling too strongly for him, their caress would wipe all of that con
cern away. She found herself climbing higher into a place of pleasure, higher than she had ever reached before.

  This was what she felt when she was with him, this was what she was afraid to tell him. His arms slid beneath her back, pulling her body close to his. She could feel her skin brushing along his, and knew that their shared warmth was exactly where she wanted to spend all of her time.

  Her fingertips stroked along his back, and lower, encouraging his motions as his lips sought hers and drew her into a heady kiss. The passion that spun her mind in slow lazy circles was enough to make her believe she had found paradise. His kisses trailed down along her stomach and she gasped. He knew exactly how to make her feel amazing. She had been with men before, but none who could ever know her as well as Nick did. He seemed to understand her need for her pleasure to be drawn out, for her heart to first pound, and then race, before she reached her culmination. Maybe that was because he seemed to need the same thing. Their timing was so blended that neither had to utter a word, nor could they if they wanted to, because their mouths were filled with the calls of desire, and pleas for more.

  Chapter 4

  Randy Lucot lived a fairly charmed life. At least, he thought he did. Until he made the mistake of allowing cops into his gang. Of course, he had not been aware of Nick being a cop. In fact, even when he took off with Alexa on the back of his motorcycle, he had not been certain that Nick was a cop. He thought he might just be some poor romantic kid who thought he was doing something good by rescuing the damsel in distress. However, a little bit of research had proven him wrong. He was certain that if he did not do what he needed to, if he did not make an example out of Nick, then his reputation would be dealt a serious blow. That was something that he could not allow to happen, as his reputation was what commanded the men beneath him. He had a good run as the leader of the Death Adders, and he was not ready to give it up. So, he did the only thing that he could do. He instructed Lou to station himself outside the police station.