“Thanks.” I held out my hand. “I need to get going. Take care, and think about what I said.”

“You, too.”

I turned to walk away.

“Hey, Nate,” Tom called, making me turn back around. “At least think about what I said as well. Do the world a little good to get a man like him gone.”

I pursed my lips and nodded, glancing to the corner of the restaurant as I pushed the door open and walked out. Lila was waiting for me at the edge of the parking lot, Drew and Caroline already gone.

“Who was that?” she asked when I got closer.

“No one.”

She grabbed onto my arm and halted my steps. I turned to look at her, the playfulness of lunch gone and replaced with concern.

“What’s yours is mine, and that includes your burdens.”

My chest tightened, the truth in her words almost strangling me. It wasn’t right to keep him or my concern bottled up from her.

“His name is Tom Preston. We used to work together. He’s the one building a case against Vincent Marconi.” I pulled at my neck, trying to work the growing tension out.

She stared at me, then nodded. “He wants your help.”

I swallowed hard. “Yes.”

“You told him no.” She looked into my eyes. I nodded. “Because of me.”

Again, I nodded, unable to find the words.

She wrapped her arms around me and held me close, kissing my neck. “It’s all right. I’m here.”

I was confused by her words until I realized I was shaking. A harsh breath left me, and I pulled her close.

She agreed to be with me, knowing the danger, but was I so selfish to risk her life further?

CHAPTER 20

The next day, I was a wreck.

Meeting Tom was a mistake.

Granted, it wasn’t like I planned to run into him. That was what made it worse. If Marconi had someone watching us at that moment, I was screwed. It was a chance meeting that could get Lila killed.

An innocent f**king errand that brought the devil down.

After what Noah told me, I knew it wasn’t an “if” someone was watching. I’d recognized one of his men sitting in the corner as we talked. Marconi probably thought I was working the case.

I needed to figure out a way to keep Lila safe.

My mind was cracking, and the beast paced, whimpering. Everything was spiraling out of control. I was losing my grip.

It was times like this the beast in me was let out. Nothing calmed it more than Lila. My body ached only for her touch. I needed it to survive. I’d die without it—without her. She let me ravage her, letting go in ways no other would. Euphoria and comfort—the soothing balm to my screaming agony.

I couldn’t go hunt her down and drag her off. I needed her to come to me, so I picked up my cell phone and texted her.

Need you. Now.

I tossed it back down on my desk and rubbed my face. My foot tapped on the floor as I listened to the tick of the clock, waiting for her response. Wound tight, my muscles locked down. I needed to relax.

There was a light knock on the door, and I sighed. I didn’t even have to say anything before the handle spun and Lila walked in. She flicked the lock on my door, a devilish smirk on her lips.

In her hand was a fresh cup of coffee, which she set on my desk as she walked up to me. She was silent, reserved…submissive. Exactly what I needed.

I turned my chair, following her movement as she sunk down to her knees in front of me. I wet my lips as I leaned forward, my hand gripping the back of her neck as I kissed her. It wasn’t soft—it was rough and needy.

I stood up and moved to free my aching hard-on. Her eyes followed my hands as they moved to my crotch. I palmed my c**k and groaned at the hungry look in her eyes as she stared at it.

“See how much I need my c**k slut?”

She nodded, licking her lips as I pulled down the zipper and reached inside. My c**k was hard and hot, ready to mark her as I pulled it out. I moaned, pumping it in my hand as I looked down at the sexy sight of my wife on her knees before me, looking up at me, eager for my cock.

“Stay still.” I adjusted my stance and ran the head across her lips, my mouth open as her lips parted, tongue teasing my slit.

My eyes rolled back and my toes curled when her lips wrapped around the head of my cock, the sensitive edge overstimulated, making me shake. Nothing in the world was better than Lila wrapped around me. Her sweet mouth moved down, making me shake as my entire length slid in and the tip eased down her throat.

I hissed out a “fuck.” She’d gotten so good at deep-throating me over the last year.

My fingers tangled in her hair, fisting it as I guided her luscious mouth up and down my hard shaft. I was seconds away from holding her head still and f**king the shit out of her mouth. The twisted and sexy thing was that she’d let me, and she’d enjoy it.

Lila made it all disappear. Being inside her, all my thoughts and worries were replaced with white, mindless bliss.

My balls were so tight, c**k so hard—I was about to come.

My eyes flickered around, trying to take my mind off the intense pleasure of her mouth. I needed more, needed to last longer. Her coffee cup was sitting on the edge of my desk, steam coming off the top. It was black, and not the way she took her coffee.

A wicked grin formed on my face, and I looked down at her.

“Do you want some cream in your coffee, slut?”

She hummed around me and tried to speak—the vibration made my eyes close and almost tipped me over the edge. I was so close to exploding. My hands released her hair, and I leaned over, my c**k popping from her lips as I grabbed her cup. She chased after me with her mouth, her tongue lapping at my tip.

I grabbed my c**k and gave it a tug, then slapped it against her lips. She smiled up at me as my hand worked up and down, teasing the underside of the head, getting me that last little bit further before I popped.

Her mouth was open and waiting. My whole body tensed, every muscle coiled tight. The first explosive bursts landed in her mouth, then I pulled away and let the remainder land in the cup.

“Don’t swallow,” I said with heavy breaths. She did as I asked, her mouth open as I finished off, emptying into her coffee.

When I was done, I held the mug in front of her as she let my come roll off her tongue into it. I set it back down on my desk, a hard shudder running through me as she sucked the last drop from the tip.

I felt lighter and a bit sleepy as I slumped back down in my chair. “Fuck, I needed that.”