Beneath the Secrets: Part One

  Beneath the Secrets

  Part 1

  By Lisa Renee Jones

  Part of the Tall, Dark, and Deadly Series

  Includes the FREE Prelude in case you missed it and as a fresher if you need it.

  Books in the series:

  Secrets Exposed

  Hot Secrets

  Dangerous Secrets

  The Beneath the Secrets Serial:

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the supplier and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at lisarenjones@gmail.com

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination. www.lisareneejones.com.

  Table of Contents

  Titlepage

  Prelude – One Dangerous Night

  One Dangerous Night - The exchange…

  One Dangerous Night - The negotiation…

  One Dangerous Night - The Escape…

  Chapter 1 – One Week Later

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  FREE PRELUDE

  One Dangerous Night

  Blake’s journey begins...

  The first meeting...

  Hot women, fast cars, and living on the edge pretty much summed up Blake Walker’s life for the past two years. All of which were simply diversions, ways to distract himself until he had the ultimate prize he sought...revenge. Though at the moment, the leggy brunette who’d just sashayed into Denver’s ‘The Rooftop Lounge’ inside the ritzy hotel his client had booked for him, her hair pinned up, and her sexy curves tucked beneath a prim cream colored skirt and blouse, had his eye.

  Blake draped his arm on the back of the booth he was lounging in, devouring her with his eyes, while he nursed a beer he didn’t want. He’d seen enough booze and drugs in his days at the ATF to last a lifetime, enough death along with those things, to last a lifetime. No. Not enough. It would never be enough until the murdering son-of-a-bitch cartel leader, Alvarez, was ten feet under. Then there would be enough death and not a second sooner, and since that attitude didn’t set well with his higher-ups, he’d decided working with his brothers at Walker Security sounded pretty damn good. Of course, his brothers Royce and Luke weren’t keen on murder either but based on how they felt about their new spouses, he’d bet his weight in gold they’d change their mind if it had been their fiancée killed in cold blood.

  The woman scanned the dimly lit modern room, taking in the carved out circular booths like the one he was in and the mini-round tables with candles flickering on top, until her eyes found him, and he sensed a hint of trepidation in her. He almost snorted. She was working for a guy named ‘Richter’, a high-up in one of the many corporate shells Alvarez used for money laundering, and she actually seemed to size up his long dark hair and leather jacket with disdain. He knew her type, the ones who justified their work in the world they were living by hiding it beneath righteousness or naivety. In her case, she came with a dose of prickly and prim, no doubt, for effect. Oh yeah, he knew her type all right, and didn’t like them, but as her eyes met his a jolt of awareness rocked him. There was something about this woman. The idea of tearing away the mockery of her properness and forcing her to admit what she was appealed to him in a big way. After all, he needed intel, and what better way to get it than halfway to orgasm with the promise of going all the way. Get fucked or do the fucking. He wasn’t getting fucked anywhere but the bedroom, and by choice, ever again.

  She tore her gaze from his and his lips quirked as she scanned the bar yet again. Despite her rather successful attempt to look uneasy, he had the distinct impression she was counting heads, like he had. He did the inventory in his head again with her. A couple in the far right booth. Another in the far left. A middle aged drunk telling his troubles to the bartender and two girlfriends chatting it up at a center table. She wasn’t naive, this one. She knew what she was doing. Finally, her attention slid back to him, her only prospect for the meeting her boss had arranged.

  He arched a challenging brow at her. She straightened her spine and marched towards him. He watched her walk and didn’t hide his admiration. He wanted her uncomfortable. He wanted her to slip up and tell him things she wasn’t supposed to tell him.

  “Mr. Wright?”

  Blake gave a nod. “That’s right,” he joked, playing on words. “But call me Blake.” He used an alias for his last name but found sticking to his real first name was safer than not. It made little slips of tongue less likely. “And you must be-”

  “Tiffany Snow,” she said, but there was something awkward about the way she said her name that made him question it being real. Of course, the fact that it sounded like a porn star didn’t help him keep his mind off undressing her.

  “I thought Rachel Merit was coming.”

  “She was suddenly tied up so you got me.” She motioned to the seat. “May I?”

  “Be my guest.” He lifted his beer. “Drink?”

  “No,” she said, slipping her briefcase and purse from her shoulder. “I don’t drink.”

  He barked out laughter.

  Her brows dipped. “What’s funny about that?”

  “More ironic than funny considering who your boss is.”

  “I wouldn’t know what that means. I’m new to Newport Industries.”

  “How new?”

  “One month.”

  “And you were sent to meet with me? You must have exceptional skills.”

  “I’m efficient.”

  “How efficient?”

  Her eyes, a milk chocolate brown a shade lighter than his own, held his. “I guess you’ll have to decide that when we complete out business.”

  Whoa Mama. There was an invitation if he ever heard one. So Alvarez had sent him a present to fill his fancy hotel room with. Wasn’t that something? “I guess I will.”

  Her teeth scraped her coral painted kissable mouth. He could think of a lot of places he’d like that mouth. “I understand you have a file for me?” she inquired.

  The file being dirt on a certain businessman her boss wanted to blackmail, a test to see if Blake was worthy of bigger and better things. Blake would have felt guilty about just how thorough his file was if said business man wasn’t a lowlife thief. “And you have money for me?”

  “If you’re owed money, I assure you it’s in the package. I’ll just need the file first.”

  “It’s in my room.”

  Those lush lips parted. “Your room,” she repeated.

  He leaned in closer. “Some things are better done in private. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  Seconds ticked by, and the air thickened, charged. There was more to this woman than met the eye, and he found himself wanting to discover every inch of that more, and then some. “My boss did stress discretion,” she finally said, her voice just a bit breathless.

  “Well then,” he drawled. “Let’s be sure and give it to him.” He tossed money on the table and pushed to his feet, before offering her his hand to help her up.

  She stared at his hand a moment, playing the cat and mouse game, oh so well. She wasn’t a mouse though, this one. More like a wildcat, he was willing to bet, and looking forward to finding out.

  She retrieved her things before standing up, ignoring his offer of help. “Lead the way, Mr. Wright.”

  Oh, he intended to. If she was willing to sell her body and soul to a murdering monster for a paycheck, he wasn’t going to feel guilty about using her for everything she might have to offer.

  The exchange...

  They stepped onto the elevator alone, and his little would-be good-girl secretary that wasn’t, turned her back to the right wall to face him. Blake punched in the floor of their destination and leaned casually against the wall. She was wearing a thin dress and it was winter in Denver, Colorado. Where was her coat?

  A couple pushed into the car just before the doors shut, separating the two of them, then backing against the wall so that they could still make eye contact. He sized up the couple – middle aged, corporate types – both wearing wedding rings he didn’t think they gave each other. He dismissed them as no threat almost immediately, refocusing on Tiffany – if that was really her name.

  They might not be alone but the awareness was there between them nevertheless, that charge he’d already felt in the air intensifying with each passing second in a way he hadn’t experienced with a woman in far too long. Why it was this one he didn’t know, but he figured it was simply the high of how close he was to Alvarez. Finally, he’d found his mockery of a corporate shell, and he was inches from locating him.

  Two floors passed and the elevator doors opened. Blake motioned to the newfound informant, who didn’t know that’s what she was about to be, silently letting her know this was their floor. She pushed off the wall and headed into the hallway. He joined her, resisting the urge to touch her. Not yet. Soon. Very soon.

  “I’m at the end of the hall,” he commented.

  “Of course
,” she said quietly.

  He cut her a sideways look. “Of course?”

  “I’ve never known anyone to be at the door by the elevator,” she supplied. “Have you?”

  He shrugged. “I never gave it much thought.” But he had. The location of the elevator for fast escape was always a consideration, as was the long walk to what was likely a one night stand, in which you question how smart your actions were. Only he wasn’t questioning any such thing. She was, though. Where she’d been cool and confident before, he sensed barely contained nerves that didn’t quite match the persona beneath the exterior he’d assumed. What was it about this woman that didn’t quite compute as right? And why the hell did he suddenly want to comfort her? He resisted the urge to scrub his jaw, aware of her beside him, of the feminine, alluring way she moved. Of the soft scent of some sort of flower – jasmine or honeysuckle – or some sweet something he’d never liked until now.

  At the end of the hall, they stopped at his door to a room he’d intentionally had changed in case the original one had been bugged. Not that he couldn’t debug or defunct anything electronic he chose to, but safe was always better than sorry.

  Impatience wasn’t a trait he favored, but his blood ran hot for this woman and his hand moved quickly to swipe the key. On some level, he recognized this was an invitation for trouble. He shoved the idea away as ridiculous as he opened the hotel door and motioned her forward. She didn’t hesitate. In fact, she rushed forward, seeming eager to get out of the hallway.

  Blake shut the door behind him, sauntering into the room to find her tossing her purse and briefcase on the typical luxury room high back chair by the window. He shrugged out of his leather jacket and tossed it on the king sized bed separating them. “You have my money?”

  “I’ll need to review the file.”

  He crossed the room, stopping at the desk and pulled the chair out, putting them within a few steps of each other. Blake opened the drawer and removed the file, setting it on top of the desk. He tapped the top of it. “Now you show me yours. Full exposure at the same time.”

  Her lashes lowered, and he could almost hear her thinking about her next move, before her brown eyes met his and for just an instant he saw trepidation in her eyes. She blinked and it was gone, but he’d seen it, recognized it for the hesitation and fear that it was, and silently cursed. Holy hell. He was her first gig like this. She wasn’t even sure this was where she belonged but something made her desperate enough to do this. Fuck me. He was going to try and save her.

  “All right,” she said, and she reached for her briefcase but instead of removing the file, she carried it with her towards him. She stopped at the chair and set it down, but didn’t reach for the file. Instead, she stepped around the chair, close to him.

  Blake didn’t wait for her to act. He pulled her to him, and maneuvered her against the wall. “Why are you here?”

  “I thought we were pretty clear on that point?”

  “I’m not.” He pressed one hand to the wall beside her, his body framing hers but not touching it. He wanted this woman, but if he could scare her the hell out of this room without touching her, it would be in her best interest. “Spell it out.”

  “I have something you want. You have something I want.”

  His body responded to that tease, his cock thickening against his jeans. “And yet you’re in my room, alone with me. You have to know that’s asking for more than a simple exchange.”

  “It’s as simple as it gets. You brought my boss a file. If I like what’s inside it, I’m to make sure you’re rewarded. So I suggest you show me your file, Mr. Wright. Otherwise, you won’t be getting anything.”

  She delivered the seductive promise with such Grande that he almost – almost – believed he’d been wrong about her, but not quite. “You don’t have to do this, you know?”

  “You’re right,” she said. “I don’t. I can walk out of here with my envelope and leave you with yours. I just choose not to.”

  “What is it he’s promised you to make you willing to sell your soul and your body for him?”

  Her hand slid to his chest. “I have a choice.” She leaned into him and pressed her lips to his. She tasted like the same tangerine of her lipstick, sweet and tangy, tempting.

  He didn’t respond at first, thinking through what came next, what he should do. She was inside Alvarez’s operation. He had no reason to trust her, or help her, and he wanted her more than he remembered wanting anyone in a very long time. So, why was he hesitating to take what she offered?

  With a low growl, he slid his hand to her back and called her bluff. If he was right about her, he’d scare the shit out of her and have one hell of a cold shower afterwards. His mouth slanted over hers, tongue delving past her teeth, hand settling on her back, molding her soft curves to his hard body.

  She melted against him, a soft moan sliding from her throat, her arms wrapping around his neck. Holy hell, he thought again. He could make love to this woman. Make her feel soft, sexy, and pleasured, and enjoy every damn second of it, seduce her into helping him. They had chemistry and attraction that would make this easy to blow off as a hot night that wasn’t as dangerous as it was for her future. But that wouldn’t save her, and she needed to be saved. He didn’t know why he knew this, but he did. The only way to help her was to scare the living shit out of her. To take her places she wouldn’t want to go and force her to see that this wasn’t where she belonged. That meant this was going someplace down and dirty, and hard and gritty.

  His hand caressed over her side and upward, until he palmed her full, high breast, his fingers finding the already stiff peak of her nipple under the soft silk of her dress and, surprisingly, barely there bra. She arched into his touch rather than pulling away and he knew this was where he set the stakes higher. Where he pushed her.

  He set her back from him, his eyes meeting hers, searching her face, searching her lovely, passion filled face, and damn it, he wanted her to stay all soft and wanting, just like she was now. But in all good conscience, and he hated he still had one, he couldn’t let that happen.

  Blake backed away and sat on the edge of the bed, and damn she looked sexy with her hair down. “Take off your clothes.”

  She blinked at him, and her creamy ivory skin paled even further, but she recovered quickly, drawing in a breath and reaching for the zipper running up the front of her dress. His blood thundered in his ears like he was some kind of randy teenager who hadn’t seen plenty of hot woman, and hot flesh, before. What the hell was it about this woman that set off a firestorm inside him? But he knew. His gut twisted with just how well he knew. She was gorgeous, out of her element, and she needed to be saved. Like someone else he’d failed to save. And damn it to hell, he thought he had enough distance from this to be calculated and cold, to finish this once and for all.

  The dress shimmered down his new temptation’s hips and fell to the ground, leaving her wearing a cream-colored bra and panties set with little diamond sparkles, thigh-highs and heels. He drew in a heavy breath, reeling in the desire he knew he had to control. There was so much more on the line than sex, mostly for her.

  She reached for her bra and he moved quickly, surprising her, and shackling her wrist. She was flat on the mattress, and beneath him in an instant, one of his legs between hers, because both would have been too much to bare. As it was, that scent of hers, all sweet and flowery, was like fire licking at his limbs. And his cock, which was against her hip, throbbed with the promise of how close he was to the also sweet V of her legs.

  “You don’t have to do this,” he told her.

  “I thought we already covered this?”

  “Not well enough. You aren’t too far gone to turn back.”

  “This coming from a man who has me almost naked in a hotel bed with him?”

  “Almost, sweetheart. I didn’t think you’d have the courage to really strip for me. Whatever it is you think working for this guy will fix, it won’t. What do you need? Money? I’ll give you money if you promise to walk away from this and never look back.”