Could Jackson have said something? I know they’re keeping something from me, which pisses me off and raises my red flag. Jackson, on the other hand, doesn’t know me. He knows I’m an operative. I’m a professional liar. I can con, talk, and bullshit my way out of almost anything. There’s reason to distrust me, if I’m perfectly honest, but Mark has never exhibited a lack of trust. I hate what I’m about to do, but I can’t forget my end game.

Once we’re in the air, I decide it’s a good time to start talking.

“Mark,” I murmur. “What happened on your walk?”

He rolls his head my way. “Nothing happened.”

“You’re lying.”

He sighs and rests his head back against the seat. “No, I’m not.”

“Okay, then what was said?”

He opens his eyes but keeps his gaze at the ceiling. “We talked about some of Jackson’s concerns about getting hitched again. He was married before, lost his wife, it’s been a lot of shit for him the last few years.”

That makes sense, and Catherine confided that he’s been especially stressed. Still, there’s this nagging part of me that insists that’s not the whole story.

“So, nothing about the nature of the company?”

“I agreed to become partner.” He finally meets my gaze.

“Oh?”

“He’s been up my ass about it for awhile. I told him once we get everything under control, I’ll come on as part owner. Why are you asking?”

I lift the arm bar between us so I can get closer. I need all of his attention, and all of his mind focused—elsewhere.

He’s about to find out just how manipulative I am.

Mark watches me with narrowed eyes, but he doesn’t stop me. I slide closer and release his hand. He glides it around behind me and presses against my back. I’m forced to put my hands on his chest to keep myself from falling. He doesn’t let me stop there, though. He leans down and pulls my leg so I’m straddling him.

He’s making this too easy for me.

Our bodies press together as he keeps me secure. “Mark,” I purr.

“Shut up, Charlie,” he says before he grips my neck, pulls me to him, and kisses me.

I keep hold of my control because this kiss has to be mine. This one is a means to an end. All of this is. I need information, and I’ll screw it out of him if I have to. I glide my tongue across his lips, but he resists me. My head is being held tight—I’m at his mercy.

I know he feels me fighting him. My hands push against his chest, but he doesn’t budge. After a moment, his lips part and allow me in. That’s when his hands move. He cups my ass, lifts me, and before I know it, he’s standing, carrying me back to the bedroom. I want to cry. For the first time in my life as a spy, I wish I could abandon my mission. I realize, right now, that I would forsake it all for someone like him.

“What are we doing?” I ease the pressure of our kiss to speak against his lips, but return my mouth before he can answer.

Mark keeps me in his arms effortlessly. He kicks the door shut with his foot, walks toward the bed, and gently lays me down, causing my heart to kick into overdrive. I can do this. I have to do this. I will get the information I need at any cost. I’ve never done this, though. Sure, I’ve toyed with men, but never like this. Not with one I care about.

“You underestimate me, beautiful,” Mark says while undoing the buttons on his shirt.

“What?”

He stalks toward the bed. “You think I can’t see.”

“You sure like to tell me what I can see and can’t see.” I rise up on my elbows.

Mark climbs onto the bed and hovers above me. “Tell me, do you think I’m an idiot?”

I lie back and slip into my mind where nothing can touch me. He can’t even get close, because this act is for information, not pleasure. “No,” I reply. “I hate how you make me feel. I hate that you make me want you.”

His smirk falls as his head descends toward my lips. I think he’s going to kiss me, but he shifts his face to the side, his warm breath tickles my ear. “You’re going to hate a lot more than that, princess.”

Out of no where, he grips my wrists and pins them above my head. At first, I think nothing of it, until I realize it’s not sexual. I try to fight him, but he’s so much stronger than I am. Without breaking a sweat, he ties his belt around my wrists and rests his weight on my hips so I can’t move.

“I’m going to gut you like a fish.” I try bucking my hips to move him, but to no avail.

“I like dirty talk.” He chuckles.

“I hate you.”

“Another lie. See, you tell so many that it’s hard to keep up after awhile,” he muses. Mark’s one hand holds my arms up, while he rests his head leisurely against his other. “Here’s what I figure. You like me. I can see it. I know it, you know it. But you’re afraid. So you play these mind games with yourself to push me away.”

“If I did like you—which I don’t—I hate you now.”

“As I was saying, you really need to see things between us for what they are.”

“Over?”

“Not even close.” Mark moves so I can feel his erection against my core. God help me, it turns me on. “You want me so much right now. I can feel the heat coming off you, see the color in your face change. It’s all there. I clearly want to fuck the stupid out of you, but I won’t just yet.”

“That’s called rape.”

“You can’t rape the willing, baby.”

“Untie me!” I push against him.

“Why did you think trying to seduce me would work?” Mark asks. “Did you think you’d find out something you want to know? Did you think I would give it up so easily? We could’ve been back here while I suck on your tits, eat your pussy, fuck you until you see stars, but you wanted to play this game. Remember that . . .”

I loathe him. I wish him nothing but to burn in the fiery pits of Hell. Satan can use him for a damn pig roast for all I care. He’s ruining me. I’m better than this, better than him. “I swear, you better leave me tied up the duration of the flight, or I’m going to butcher you.”

He digs his hips deeper, rubs against my clit. I try to fight the moan. I try to bite it back, but it escapes. “You’ve tortured people, haven’t you, Charlie? You’ve pulled information out by using any means necessary, huh?”

Mark moves again, and shoots a current through every limb. “Fuck you. You’re dead.”

“I thought so, but see, so have I. I’ve had to use methods against people in order to fulfill my mission. And right now . . .” He leans against my ear as his voice drops to a menacing whisper. “You’re my mission.”

He’s out of his ever-loving mind if he thinks I’ll tell him anything. “For someone who thinks he’s so smart, you’re awfully dumb. I’ll die before I tell you a thing.”

“I won’t hurt you,” he explains as his hand travels to my breast. “I’ll pull every ounce of pleasure your body can handle. I’ll show you why I’m right for you. Why you want me so much that you hate yourself. Why you think about me, because we both need answers, and we’re going to get them now.”