“The hell you will. I’ll knock your teeth out.”

I let my voice drop. I use the one that gets all the panties dropping. “Sounds like foreplay.” She scowls. Talk about infuriating females.

“You need to fly into another country. We’re not flying directly to Bahrain.”

I lift my brow. “I’m sorry.” I look around. “There’s no way you’re telling me how we’re running this. I didn’t have to bring you in.”

She shifts forward slowly on the bed. “Mark” Her tender tone goes straight to my nuts. Her tiny hand rests on my forearm. “I’m telling you we can’t fly in where anyone knows we were planning to go. I’m saying that if it’s someone we know or someone who knows your plan . . . we can’t.”

Why does she have to be so good at her job?

“Tell me your name,” I plead.

Her head snaps back. “What?”

“Tell me your name and I’ll go anywhere you want.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“You’ll eventually tell me.”

She lets out a deep breath. “Let’s go see the pilot, shimmer boy. I’ve got to plan.”

Charlie squeezes my forearms and then stalks off toward the cockpit. She may have won this round, but we have a very long flight—time enough for another bout. Time to see who comes out victorious.

“Rise and shine, Twilight.” She slaps my stomach to wake me.

“Good morning to you, Chastity.” I groan, rolling over. “Sleep well? Or do blood sucking evil demons only use coffins?”

“You’re the expert, I hear. You’re the one named after a vampire.”

I groan while I sit up and pull the drawer open next to me. I remove the contents, and toss an envelope at her. “Here’s a passport and new ID.” She opens it, looking suspicious—as always. “Memorize it. We don’t have time to get tripped up because you’re unable to remember.”

“I don’t have a problem keeping my cover,” she snaps. “Plus, this is from my bag! Don’t act like you did anything but retrieve what I already own.”

“Talk to me once I’ve had my caffeine. Right now all I hear is wah, wah, wah.”

We head into the main cabin where I smell the coffee. I grab a cup, take a few gulps, and sit at the table across from her.

“As I was saying,” Charlie says impatiently. “I’ve heard all about the SEALs and how big their muscles are, but their brains . . . not so much. So if anyone should be worried about their cover being blown, it’s me with your tiny pea brain.”

“There’s nothing small on me, princess.” I smile and lean back with my hands laced behind my head.

“We’ll be landing in Egypt soon. I assume we’ll use that cover to figure out whatever we can about the issues you’re having there and then change into the new identities when we leave. You trust the pilot?”

“I trust him.”

“I have a plan.”

It’s way too early to think, but no way is she leading this. I chug the rest of the coffee sitting on the table. “That’s great. I have one, too.”

After Charlie and I talk about the missed checkpoints from our guys in Egypt, she and I decide we need to investigate it a little more. We’re in agreement that Mazir is somehow connected to Cole Security Forces. There’s nothing substantial, but enough coincidence to make me question it.

Nothing with this woman is easy. It takes me two more cups of coffee before we finally come to some kind of understanding regarding how to handle this. Of course, she argued so much that I now have a splitting headache.

The pilot comes over the intercom, “We’ll be landing in about fifteen minutes.”

Charlie and I share a brief moment of resolution. We’re both committed to seeing this through. Neither of us is willing to allow failure as an option.

She clears her throat and looks away. “He needs to leave and fly home as soon as we land.”

“He already knows.” I smirk. “I took care of it while you were napping earlier.”

She scowls. Even her dirty looks make her hot as hell. I don’t think she could be unattractive if she tried. It’s when she’s in her hostile form that makes it impossible for me not to want her. I love her ability to argue, except when it comes to me touching her. Then I seem to affect her more than she likes.

Charlie sits in her chair, racks her nine millimeter, and slips it into her thigh holster. My cock strains in my pants as she pulls her skirt down a little. She looks up and gives me a snarling glare. I deepen my stare, challenging her to say something. I could give a flying fuck if I get caught looking. I’d do a hell of a lot more than that if she weren’t so hell-bent on fighting me off.

“Stop looking at me like you’re going to eat me.”

“Stop looking so damn delicious.”

“You know you don’t have to say everything you’re thinking.”

I laugh. “I’ll remember that.” I don’t say close to half of what I’m thinking. I’m pretty sure she’d have kneed me in the balls if she knew the things I plan to do to her.

She quirks her eyebrow. “Good.” Her mouth sets as if she’s battling saying something more. Of course, she can’t resist. “Even if I don’t believe you. You’re a major pain in my ass.”

“I’ll be happy to rub the pain away.”

“Point made.”

“You know,” I stand and walk closer to her. I study her face, and watch for any small indicators that tell me she feels what I’m feeling. “You’ve probably never had a real man.” My body presses forward as she stands her ground. “No one was strong enough to deal with your penis envy.”

“Penis envy?”

“Yeah, sweetheart.” I reach my hand to cup her cheek. “You live in a man’s world. You fight harder, stand straighter, and battle for your place.” I see the flash in her eyes that lets me know I hit a chord. “I don’t need you to assert your shit, babe. I’ll own you. You won’t want to have control because I’ll make it so fucking good that you’ll beg me to take it.”

Her lips form a perfect ‘o’ and she just stares at me. I exploit this moment of speechlessness and crush my lips against hers.

Charlie

Goddamn him.

Goddamn him for being the world’s best kisser. Each second our lips touch feels like heaven. I want to tear my mouth from his, but I can’t. The truth is—I don’t really want to stop. He gets me. He knows what I need even though I’ve never wanted this. I need control; it’s power, and without it, I’m weak. But Mark takes that power. He steals it from me, but it doesn’t feel like theft. It’s a gift.

Our tongues dance as his hand grips my ass. Mark’s kisses aren’t gentle. There’s no give and take. It’s take and take some more. He growls and grinds his cock against my leg. His hands are relentless holding my face as he controls the kiss.

He demands this kiss.

He possesses this kiss.

He possesses me.

Mark’s teeth pull at my lip as he breaks away.