Chapter 6

Jagger

I can feel her shift. Feel the moment she realized we’re not just fucking.

I don’t know how or why, but that’s worse than her angry.

I grab her around the waist and flip her over on her back so I have complete control.

I hold her chin, locking her in place as I slip back inside her wet pussy. “Fuck me, hard,” she says.

I shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “Trust me.”

She fights me, and I can feel her body tensing, but I don’t let her move, I just stay at a slow and steady pace.

Her fingernails dig into my ass cheeks. “I want it fast,” she pants.

“Trust me,” I say.

She doesn’t say anything, but her body relaxes a little. I keep on thrusting slow, taking my time, letting her know I’m in charge until I hear her breathing start to increase.

At the sex noises starting to escape I know I’ve got her sweet spot, so I keep on unwavering in my speed until she’s clutching at my shoulders, and I can feel her contracting around my cock.

I groan as she starts to rock with me, our hips moving in unison as we both get closer to coming.

I shift back a little and kiss her, using my tongue to convince her my way is better until she sucks in a breath and her entire body starts to tremble.

With a whimper, she grabs my ass cheeks so hard as she starts to come, I know I’m going to be marked for days.

I’m so into feeling her come under me, my own orgasm takes me by surprise jerking my body and making me shudder in pleasure.

When I’ve finished, I move to pull out, but Stella wraps her legs around my waist and doesn’t let me move. “Stay here a minute,” she says.

I relax a little and shift my weight so I can kiss her gently. Her fingers trail down my back and she breathes out a long sigh. “How did you know?”

I frown at her. “Know what?”

I can hear the doubt in her voice as she replies. “What I needed. How could you possibly know that?”

I press another kiss to her lips before I answer as honestly as I can. “You told me what you needed. And that was for someone to give you a reason to trust them.”

She snorts. “That simple is it? A woman tells you what they need and you give it to her?”

Since she’s not asking me to move, but she is asking for an answer I can give her, I run my hand through her hair, and give it to her. “Maybe you aren’t the only one who likes to fix things if they can.”

Her fingers stop caressing my skin. “Are you saying I’m something you need to fix? Like I’m broken?”

At the change in tone, I need to tread carefully. “Don’t put words in my mouth. I’m saying I wanted to give you something you obviously needed. Just like you helped Ken out and gave him something he needed.”

She doesn’t say anything, but when her fingers resume stroking my skin, I know I’m not in danger of pissing her off at this moment, anyway.

“Not sure I believe that, but I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.”

I smile and look at the laptop, the only thing illuminated the hut aside from the sliver of moonlight. “You want something to eat? It’s getting close to dinner time.”

She sighs but doesn’t stop me when I move to shift my weight off her. “I should probably check in with Waylon too.”

I reach into the cooler I brought with me and dig around for food while she dresses again. “Won’t he wonder why the cell coverage is suddenly so good?”

She sounds distracted as she replies. “Possibly. Not really what I’m worried about.”

I grab a couple sandwiches and a bottle of water before I answer. “And what are you worried about?”

She accepts the sandwich and in the light of the laptop, I can see her frown. “Nothing I can share with you.”

I shake my head, annoyed whatever progress we made is already gone. “Because you can’t trust me?”

She doesn’t look at me as she takes a seat at the table. “Because you won’t understand what I’m talking about. It won’t make sense to you.”

I’m not convinced that’s the truth, but she doesn’t seem as angry, more tired than anything.

Not surprising since we’ve been either fucking or working since we got here this morning.

We eat in silence, both of us at our laptops, neither acknowledging nor addressing the elephant in the room until Stella pushes back from the table.

“The rain is easing off. I’m going outside to call Waylon.”

That she needs privacy bothers me more than it should, but I just keep my eyes on the laptop and watch for any anomalies in the animals’ location while she grabs her cell.

“Stay close to the hut. And talk as quietly as you can. If this guy is around, now would be the perfect time to hunt.”

“I will,” she says.

As the door closes my cell starts to buzz on the table where I left it.

I frown at the ID and pick it up. “Matt? I don’t have anything to report.”

The words come out in a rush. “Yeah, well. Waylon’s up my ass, and I don’t like lying to him about Stella. You’re supposed to be working for my best interests. She doesn’t know jack-shit about poaching. She’s out of her league, and unless you tell me differently, I can’t see any good reason for you to keep working with her,” he says.

I run a hand over my face. “I did tell you differently. She’s helped me. And I’m not entirely sure why you’re on my case about this. I’m doing you a fucking favor.”

He blows out a sigh and seems to check himself. “You’re right. I’m not thinking straight. Liz, well she’s, it’s not looking good.”

I wince as a red light starts to flash on-screen letting me know an animal has moved from the area I fenced them into.

Rather than engage him further when he’s obviously gotten some bad news, I cut him off. “I’ve got movement, I need to go check on it.”

***

Stella

Still feeling unsettled and unsure whether Jagger is who he seems to be, I use the time not just to call Waylon, but to do what I should have done before I slept with him.

I trawl the web for information and come up so empty-handed, alarm bells start to ring. So far, he’s a ghost.

Some of that might be explained by his profession, and the need for secrecy, but there should have been some trace of him somewhere.

The last time I came up against this and I wound up in a situation involving my boss and a lot of things I wish I’d never known about.

I chew on my lip and contemplate whether this is an actual issue or one I’m adding to my mental list of reasons to get out of here.

Hot sex is one thing, Jagger’s increasing interest in this being more than sex, is another.

What I need is my laptop, so I can find out if he’s as squeaky clean as he appears to be.

No man that looks that good and fucks as well as he does will stand up to what I call a ‘Stella Special’.

If Jagger is covering dirt, even if I have to dredge through the dark web to find it, I will uncover it.

I glance at the hut and decide to start working the second I’m able to.

Since I’m due Waylon an update, I check the coverage is still holding, and my slight adjustment hasn’t been noticed, and call him.

“Ms. Knight. I was getting a little worried. I tried calling the office and the motel manager said you’d not been there since this morning.”

I sit on the porch and stare at the lake. “I’m in the field. I decided it made more sense to work with Jagger.”

He’s silent so long, I know he’s not pleased. “I see. I was under the assumption you’d be working on your own?”

My brow knits. “I never said that. We had the same goal, it made sense for me to help Jagger.”

“Hmmm. And how exactly are you helping him?”

The lie comes easily enough. “He needed a remote device so he could watch the cameras and track the devices he put in the bait animals.”

I can hear him muttering either to himself or to someone else, which makes me even more curious as to why he’s so adverse to me helping someone supposedly working for him too.

“On the surface, your security system is excellent. So far I’ve only found minor issues, and nothing that would compromise you in any way.”

“Yes. I know.”

My eyebrows arch. “You know?”

“I just got a new system installed last month when Matt was away.”

I shake my head, growing more perplexed at his attitude.

But more than that, why did he install a new system when his head of security wasn’t there?

“I think you need to tell me what’s going on.”

He breaths out a long sigh. “Look, I’d prefer it if you went back to the motel. I can call you there and explain.”

I frown at the hut and hope I’m talking as quietly as I think I am. “And I’d prefer to know why how I choose to work is now an issue. You gave me full autonomy,” I say.

Waylon is silent for so long I think I’ve lost the connection, but his answer sends a rivulet of fear trickling down my spine. “I’m concerned for your safety.”

I glance at the darkened hut and think of the weapons Jagger has inside. “I’m fine. Jagger’s well equipped to deal with anything,” I say.

“I’m sure he is. But he wasn’t supposed to be interacting with you. I gave express instructions I wanted you to work alone. That he’s disregarded his instructions gives me a reason to think he’s less interested in catching the poacher than he should be.”

I open my mouth to speak, but at the sight of Jagger’s in the window closest a shudder of annoyance runs through me.

I drop my voice to a notch above a whisper. “You and Matt need to have a conversation. I’m getting mixed messages here and I’m pretty sure Jagger is too.”

Just as Jagger opens the door, Waylon’s voice starts to fade in and out. “It’s complicated. Unusual—losses—shouldn’t be able to. It could be a coincidence–go back–motel.”

I grip the phone a little tighter, my eyes locked on Jagger as he stalks towards me. “I didn’t catch all that. Can you repeat it?”

Nothing but dead air is returned. I press the end button and wince at the lack of signal and the bad timing.

I swallow hard as Jagger’s eyes narrow. “Matt called. He doesn’t think you should be out here with me.”

I nod and try to infuse confidence into my voice. “I got the same message from Waylon.”

He doesn’t seem surprised, just distracted. “I’ve got movement and I need to go check. Stay inside, keep the lights off, and lock the door. I’ve left a gun beside your laptop. I’ll take you back to the motel first thing tomorrow.”

I’m so beyond confused, I just nod. “Fine by me.”

But I’m not fine. Nothing about this is fine.

Something is going on, and if Jagger is leaving me alone for the night, that gives me more time to figure it out.

***

Jagger

Saturday 8.12pm

From the spot I’ve chosen to hide in, a half a klick from the hut, I’m hungry, I need to piss, and I hate knowing Stella is now on her own when I assured her she wouldn’t be.

The stag I tagged is still in my sights and is still happily munching on a thicket just out of the boundary line.

For whatever reason, the electric fence had failed in this section, leaving me to wonder if this is how the poacher, if he exists, has been getting in.

Now I’m hiding in the grass with a rifle scope pressed against my eye, watching for a poacher I’m wondering is only a figment of Matt’s imagination.

I’ve seen no evidence of anyone, and after the shit with Stella, I’m beginning to wonder if the injury he sustained five years ago, knocked a screw loose.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

If he’d been anyone else, if he hadn’t been so torn, I wouldn’t have agreed to do this without solid evidence.

But I have agreed, I made him a promise to stay here this weekend, and the only person who can verify the information Matt’s given me is the woman I’m currently trying not to think about.

Everything about her is designed to scramble men’s brains. And if I hadn’t gotten a glimpse of her softer side, I’d be convinced she’s as tough as she claims to be.

A scowl grows that has nothing to do with my current situation and everything to do with the way she runs hot and cold.

She’s hiding from something, shielding herself and for the dumbest reason I want to find out why.

Whether I want to, I need to talk to her again. Something is off about this entire op, and if anyone is going to help me figure out what it is, it’s going to be her.

I ease the rifle off my shoulder and look at the power box in what is turning out to be a fruitless search.

As I roll my shoulders back and contemplate taking a leak where I’m lying, movement to my left makes me freeze.

I slowly bring the rifle to my shoulder, heart rate increasing as I search for the source.

Using the scope, I scan the area, rechecking three times before I give up. Growing more frustrated and more convinced I’m wasting my time when I could be checking on the power supply to the fences and not lying on wet grass waiting for someone who may never show.

But checking means going back to the hut, and the hut means dealing with the drop-dead gorgeous woman I’m trying not to think about.

That, and everything else I’m supposed to be doing is an exercise in futility, and one I’m no longer sure I want to participate in.

I promised Matt I’d check things out, but the electric fence being down on one side of the reserve means the poacher has another way in.

Whether I like it or not, I need to go see if I can get the power back up and running.

I do another quick check, and when I’m sure no one else is out here with the stag, I belly crawl my way out of the grass and as quietly as I can, ease into the shadows.

Stella may have given me the ability to see from the hut, but I need to find out if the fence is down anywhere else we don’t have eyes on.

I’m running out of time to catch this guy, and Matt isn’t making it any easier for me by putting conditions on how I can work.

That was never part of the agreement, and given he’s admitted he’s not thinking clearly, I have no intention of listening to his direction to not involve Stella.

Using the shadows to mask my movement, I carefully make my way back to the hut and pray Stella isn’t the type to hold a grudge.

***

Stella

I’m drinking a can of soda, fighting eye strain from the poor lighting, and reading a lot of confidential records when I hear the door creak open behind me.

I grab the handgun Jagger left for me, and spin around, ready to shoot whoever is entering.

“You didn’t lock the door again,” Jagger says.

I release a breath and try to look relaxed as I close the screens I don’t want him to see. “Did you see anyone?”

He closes the door and takes a seat at the table beside me. “Nothing. But the power’s out to the electric fence in one section. Can you get it up and running from here?”

I frown and pull up the mainframe to the generator in seconds. “How long has it been out?”

He peers over my shoulder as I read the monitors. “Not sure, maybe a few hours?”

I scratch my ear as I look for the information I need. “You think he might have gotten in during that time?”

“If he has, none of the bait animals have moved. And I’m more interested in whether this has happened before.”

I nod. “You’re looking for a pattern?”

“Yeah. And wondering if he has a way to access the power supply and remotely cut off the sections he needs access to. Is that possible?”

I look over my shoulder at him and find him glued to his own laptop, watching the red blips marking the animals on the screen. “It’s possible. And it might also explain why he was able to bypass the main gate. If the power fails, the system resets which means the old code will work.”

His eyes shoot to me, and a smile curls at his lips. “We make a good team.”

Since it’s the closest thing to a compliment he’s given me, I give him a wry smile. “Not that it matters.”

His smile falters. “It matters. A lot. Matt handed me a two-person job, you stepped up, not everyone would have.”

I frown at him. “Why would Matt ask you to do a job he knew you couldn’t do on your own?”

He nods and seems to realize what he’s implying. “His wife is sick, and his balls are on the line. I was home so he called. Guess he was desperate.”

I open my mouth to tell him something but know if I do, I’ll be crossing the line, and breaching the directive Waylon gave me.

Since I can’t tell him what I know about Matt or reveal how I know it, I just switch the subject. “Why were you in the area?”

“My dad and brother live in Seattle. He’s been sick, and I was due leave, so I came home.”

“You’re close to your family?”

“Yeah. Very. You?”

It’s such an oddly polite conversation, I’m not even sure how to reply, so I don’t. I just steer the question back at him. “Are your parents still together?”

With my eyes still on the screen as I run back through the outages, the system has clocked, I can feel him looking at me.

“They would have been. But my mom died six months before I joined the corps.”

I wince, not sure I want to push, but aware he’ll ask me about my family if I don’t keep him talking about his.

“How old were you?”

“Eighteen.”

I stare at the screen, unblinking until the lines on the feed start to blur. I know I should say something, but all I can think about is where I was and what I was doing at eighteen.

Getting my first tattoo under the influence of the latest drug I could get my hands on, if I remember rightly.

“Is that why you joined the Marines?”

I think he’s going to answer, but he finally seems to cotton on that I’m avoiding his question.

He sighs. “I joined the Marines for a lot of reasons. But yeah, I couldn’t deal so it was easier to duck out. And if you don’t want to tell me about your life, it’s no skin off my nose.”

I turn and look at him, to find him eyeing me like I’m about to burst into flames. “What does that mean?”

A shallow smile flickers over his face. “It means I’m not offended. It’s a British saying. I’ve picked up a few in the last few years.”

I nod before I turn back to my screen. “The power spiked three hours ago. And you were right, it’s a pattern. It happens about the same time every month and it would leave an entire section of the reserve vulnerable.”

He curses under his breath. “So, he’s got access to the power supplier? Maybe an employee?”

I turn around. “Could be. Or it could be a legit reason. I won’t know until I go ask.”

His forehead creases. “You go ask? That’s not part of your detail.”

I shrug. “If I think it’s relevant it can be. And I’d rather look into every possibility before I leave than have to come back here again because I missed something.”

When he doesn’t say anything, I gesture to the laptop in front of him. “And you need to watch the animals and the cameras. It makes more sense if I go.”

His eyes never leave mine. “And that’s got to be tomorrow?”

I hold his gaze, willing myself not to say anything that could compromise me further. “I’ll stay in contact and pass on any information I think you need to know about.”

His eyes drift south before a reluctant smile twitches at his lips. “Good. I’m working blind here but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to get a little lonely in here.”

I chuckle, ridiculously pleased he’s mentioning it. “You’re a big boy. I’m sure you’ll find a way to amuse yourself.”

A filthy smile appears. “It’ll be more amusing if you send me the video you took.”

I arch an eyebrow and have to force myself not to smile. “Not a chance,” I say.

***

Jagger

Sunday 6.11am

I wake, groggy and with a headache, I’m sure is down to so much time watching the damn computer screen and a night with too little sleep and too much time to think.

Since Stella is still asleep, snoring lightly, her back pressed against me in the narrow cot, I stay where I am and think about her leaving today.

After a quiet night where the poacher didn’t show, I’m getting restless, and with Stella set to leave in a few hours, I’m beginning to think I should join her.

I haven’t spoken to my brother since the first day I got here, and the brief conversation last night about my mother has reminded me why I left Malawi in the first place.

It sure as shit wasn’t to help out Matt, and it wasn’t to get involved with a woman I’m now sure is capable of destroying my sanity.

I check my watch, and ease off the bed, groaning as my back lets me know I’m getting too old for roughing it.

Stella stirs and flips on her back as she rubs her eyes. “Did you bring coffee?”

I shake my head. “We’ll have to go to the office for that. And if we leave, I may as well risk taking you back to the motel.”

She sits up as I pull on my boots. “No need. I need the exercise. I’ll walk back to the motel and stop in at the power station on my way.”

I look up at her. “We discussed this. I can’t have you wandering around the reserve.”

She tilts her head. “I won’t be wandering around. I’m going to head straight to the office then back down the track. I’m not a fucking idiot.”

I shake my head. “This isn’t about you. It’s about me. I still don’t know who is out there, and you’re my responsibility. I’m not going to risk you getting hurt.”

A little of her anger seems to fade as she runs a hand through her hair. “Fine. But I do need coffee or things will get ugly.”

I smirk as I finish lacing my boots and move to the laptop again. “I won’t deny you coffee. Or anything else you need to do your job,” I say.

Her teeth catch her lip, and she arches an eyebrow. “What if I need a quickie to do my job?”

I choke out a laugh wondering if she’s joking, but when I look up, there’s nothing funny about the way she’s looking at me.

She runs a finger down her breast and looks at my crotch. “What if I need your cock?”

I don’t bother to deny myself one last time. I just step into her, press my lips against hers, and enjoy what has to be the last time here.

I pick her up and carry her to the bed, pleased she’s not bothered to get dressed and tug off her shirt so I press kisses to her skin.

I take great pleasure in sucking her nipples while my fingers slide to her pussy.

She gasps as I run my fingers over her bush and probe lower until she’s grabbing my hair and ramming her mouth against mine.

Her tongue meets mine eagerly as my fingers rub her pussy until she’s starting to get wet and I’m rock hard.

I break the kiss and shift so I’m between her legs. As I look up at her, she licks her lip. “Make me come.”

I give her a smile and tease her a little by kissing her inner thighs before pressing a final kiss to her clit.

She moans and grabs my head. “Now. Now,” she says.

I oblige her and start massaging her clit until I’m sure I have the perfect spot. I keep licking tasting her cream as she gets wetter and wetter until she’s moaning her appreciation and clutching my shoulders.

Her entire body starts to shudder as she holds my head steady as she comes in my mouth.

When she stills but doesn’t push me away, I keep licking until she’s shaking again and she’s cursing as she comes.

I look up and grin. “You want more?’

She whimpers as she nods. She’s so wet now, I have to grip her hips so I can keep my mouth in the right place.

“Ohhhh, fuuuuuck,” she yells as she comes again.

This time she does push me away and in one move pushes me on my back, yanks down my jeans none too carefully, and inhales my cock.

With her tongue and mouth working my tip, I relax back onto the mattress and watch her as she gives me some of the best oral I’ve ever had.

I’m so close to coming I grab her hair and tug it so she gets the hint. She swipes her mouth and moves back so I climb on top of her.

I kiss her hard, then wriggle my jeans down a little so I can slide my cock inside her. “Fuck me. One last time,” she whimpers.

I kiss her again, and she moans and wraps her legs around me as I slip inside her again. “Yeah. Yeah. That’s it. Fuck me, hard.”

I’m too horny to do anything else, so I give her what she wants and fuck her as hard and as deep as I can until she’s coming under me and I’m exploding inside her.

I collapse on top of her and catch my breath before I roll off her and give her a lazy smile. “You wanted a quickie,” I say.

She chuckles and runs a hand over her face. “I did.”

I press a kiss to her shoulder. “We’ve still got a little time before the deadline. Give me a few hours and I’m sure I can pull a better one than that out of the bag.”

She looks at me and gives me a wry smile. “I already know you can. But that was all I needed.”

I move to wrap my arms around her, but she shifts back, all business as she picks up her shirt. “We should go. I still have a lot of work to do.”

I know she’s drawing a line in the sand which she doesn’t want to cross. But I see no reason why we can’t stay in contact after she leaves.

I huff out a breath and pull my jeans back over my ass. “Why don’t we exchange cell numbers? Personal ones. Just in case,” I say.

She frowns but doesn’t answer me, just starts packing up her things. “Not sure there’s any point. I’ll be heading back to Washington and you’ll be getting on a plane to Africa.”

At the tone, and the way she’s not looking at me, I know she’s not going to budge on this.

Since I’m not in a position to offer her anything anyway, I haul myself off the bed and amble over to the table so I recheck the laptop and do a sweep of the hut while I wait for her.

There’s enough mess for anyone to see someone has been living here. The window I’ve been using to keep watch is tinted, and this is probably the last place the poacher would come, but I tidy up anyway and make sure the trash and my sleeping bag are out of plain sight.

The lock won’t hold if anyone really wants to get in, but it’ll pass a cursory sweep in case anyone shows while I’m taking Stella back to her motel.

When I’m as ready as I can be, I find Stella already waiting at the door, her own laptop, and equipment stowed ready for the short hike to where I hid my truck.

She didn’t complain on the way here, and even though she needs a caffeine hit, I doubt she will now.

I twist the lock and close the door, trying to ignore the tug at my chest that this is all coming to an end.

If she’s feeling equally sentimental, she doesn’t say anything, just hands me her business card as she catches me looking at her. “My work email. In case anything work-related crops up,” she says.

I slide the card into my pocket, slightly pleased she’s at least given me that. “Let’s go get you some Java. Just don’t pour it over my head.”

Her lips twitch into a half smile. “No promises,” she says.