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He kissed her again, licking into her mouth, and he stoked the flame in her body to full roar. He slid his tongue over and against hers, tasted every corner of her, and coaxed her tongue into a game of chase.
He slid his hands down over her backside and picked her up. Walking them down the hall to his bedroom and over to the bed, he didn’t break the kiss. With every adjustment of positioning, he angled his head and delved back in for another kiss, desperate to devour her.
He bent over, and when her back hit the mattress and he lowered some of his weight onto her, it brought his now-throbbing cock directly into contact with the part of her that ached for him. Diana groaned.
As they kissed, he ran his hands over her face and dug them into her thick hair, occasionally tugging a little, letting her know he wasn’t always under control.
He reached over to the nightstand, unwilling to break the kiss. When he found a condom, he impatiently tore it open. On a muttered curse, he tore his lips away from hers so he could kick off his jeans properly and sheathe himself. But his lips were back on hers in seconds.
As he kissed her, he rocked his body into hers, the bite of electricity slamming into him as he sank into her. She lifted her hips to meet his and Rafe was lost. Instinct took over as he made love to her. In his head a distant voice reminded him of what he’d known all along. Mine.
When he felt the telltale flutter and quiver over his cock, he drew back so he could watch her face. Her gaze met his as the orgasm rolled into her, and in that one look, Rafe knew he wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye.
All he could do was hold on twice as hard as he finally let go and his release rocketed him into oblivion.
chapter eleven
The next day Rafe drove to Blake Security for the workout he’d been neglecting. Despite his decision to retire from the FBI, his body was his weapon, and he couldn’t afford to allow his blade to go dull.
Especially now that you have someone to protect.
He felt a sense of bone-deep right at the thought. No matter what happened, no matter what he discovered about what Diana was hiding, she’d triggered his protective instincts something crazy. He had to keep her safe. For the first time since his rebirth—the way he thought of getting out of the FBI and reclaiming his rightful identity—he had something that was just his.
Nonna and Lucia had formed a strong family bond while he was gone, and rightfully so. They’d gone on with their lives, and he wouldn’t have wanted anything less for them. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t painful to observe how close they were and how many private jokes and experiences existed between them that he simply wasn’t a part of. They didn’t need him anymore.
His cheeks warmed as he thought about everything he’d told her yesterday. His childhood wasn’t something he ever discussed. It was easier not to be bitter over what he’d lost if he didn’t revisit it. But when he was with Diana, he felt like she was used to being on the outskirts just like he was.
And it made him feel like his luck was finally changing.
Then he looked up and saw Alan watching him from across the room. Rafe bit back a curse. His good luck wouldn’t hold, it would seem.
He grabbed his phone and dialed Matthias. “Did you guys lose something?”
Matthias sighed. “Not my fault, mate. I tried to warn you. You didn’t answer. Noah told him to go on back.” Then he hung up.
Rafe growled even though he knew it wasn’t the kid’s fault. Noah knew that Alan had been his handler for years, but he didn’t know that Rafe was trying to avoid him.
Once he realized Rafe had seen him, Alan walked across the gym mats, dodging around the exercise balls and the scattered treadmills and other equipment. With a team of security professionals, many of whom lived on site, Noah had made sure to have a professionally equipped gym.
“Rafe. You look well. I thought you were going to take some time off? You know, go on a vacation. Wear flowered shirts and gain a few pounds.” Alan chuckled at his own joke.
Rafe picked up a heavier weight and started curling. “I’m not letting myself go, if that’s what you’re asking. What do you want, Alan?”
The other man’s sigh said it all. “We really need your help on this Vandergraff case. You have insight that we just can’t get from paperwork. The more you dodge this, the more questions Interpol has. I think if you just made yourself available for questions—”
“I told you I’d search for information, but beyond that, I’m not getting involved. That part of my life is over.” Rafe let the weight in his hand fall to the floor of the gym where it landed with a dull thud.
Suddenly he was irrationally angry. He’d done everything the FBI had asked of him. Sacrificed his life, his name, his relationships with his family, and essentially every dream he’d had as a young man about what his future would look like. There was no expectation of a thank-you.
Uncle Sam, like any other organization, didn’t spare much appreciation for the workers at the bottom that made the gears turn. But Rafe didn’t feel it was too much to expect some peace in his retirement from the bureau. He’d served honorably, and now he was ready to move on.
But how could he move on when he still felt the weight of his old life around his neck?
Alan blew out a breath. ““You might not have a choice here. This doesn’t look good, Rafe.”
“What doesn’t look good?”
“You know how things are at the bureau. If the wrong people start asking questions, a small thing can turn into an international incident. With you being so cagey about this, people are starting to ask questions about why a former agent is living life so large after retiring so young.”
