CovertDesires by Chandra Ryan Read Free Book Online Page B

for what it
was—a command.
    “Thank you.” He sank into the uncomfortable chair and looked
at the people around him. “I know you’re all worried about Rowe and probably
have a lot of questions about what happened tonight. I’d like to start by saying
that she is doing fine and only had superficial injuries.”
    “I’m sure we all owe you a great debt for keeping her safe.
We realize how important this work is to her.”
    He looked over at Parker and just shook his head. “Thanks,
but you’ve got it wrong this time. She’s the one who kept me safe tonight.” He
quickly filled them in on as many details as he legally could. He wouldn’t
compromise the case by giving them confidential information but he painted
enough of a picture for them to understand the danger they’d been in and how
resourceful Rowe had been. When he finally stopped talking he was amazed at how
still the table had become.
    “Fuck.” Harlow mumbled the word so low he almost missed it.
    Intent on defending Rowe’s abilities in the field, he turned
to look at Harlow. “She did good. I’ve never been more proud. You should’ve
seen her as she guided us through the woods to the compound fence. We could
hear the dogs behind us but there wasn’t even a tremble in her hand.” He was so
full of pride and admiration that it probably showed in his goofy expression
but he didn’t care.
    “I swore I was going to kill you.” Harlow took a deep
breath. “Your insistence on dragging her into harm’s way was enough for me to
hate you. But when I saw you with her tonight…” Her smile held no warmth as she
stared at him. “I wanted to gut you. To take advantage of someone as gentle and
innocent as Rowe? That was a whole new level of low.”
    “Harlow.” Barkswell started to stand but a gesture from
Harlow stopped him.
    “I’m not going to kill him. Sit down. He’s suffered a much
worse fate as far as I’m concerned.” She held out her hand but there was no joy
or welcome on her face as far as he could tell. “Falling for a prophet. You’re
never going to know a moment of rest. But that’s really not my problem. Welcome
to the family. You hurt her and I’ll track you down and torture you so badly
they won’t be able to recognize the remains.”
    She’d read him. And whatever she saw in his head had been
enough for her to welcome him into their select family. It should’ve made him
feel better but it terrified him.

Chapter Five
     
    Rowe spent the next week allowing her friends to smother her
with good intentions. There was really no way for her to stop them. Besides she
couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was about to happen. She liked being
able to keep tabs on everyone. Even if they thought they were the ones keeping
tabs on her.
    “Are you hungry?” Jack’s warm breath caressed her ear as he
spoke. She loved waking up to his warm body pressed firmly against her back.
And that was exactly how she’d woken every day this week. “Would you like me to
make you an omelet before I leave for work?”
    She opened her eyes to the sun-streaked walls of her
apartment and smiled. He did make the best omelets. But she had something else
in mind. She rocked her hips so her ass would brush against his cock. Since
she’d recently started sleeping naked she could feel him start to harden
against her. “No.”
    He leaned forward to kiss her. “We don’t have time for
that.”
    “Because you’d rather cook an omelet.” She rubbed against
him once more before rolling over on her back. She loved staring up into his
eyes. They were so peaceful. It set her at ease. Everything would be okay if he
would just stay here with her. But he wouldn’t.
    “Of course not.” When he leaned forward to kiss her she
wrapped her arms around his neck so she could bury her fingers in his hair.
“But someone has to feed you.”
    “Harlow will. She’s coming over to visit today.” She didn’t
even bother to argue that she could cook for