provide that assistance.â
âIf you are so inclined, sir. With you, Lord Keyes, and Madame Helene on our side, I believe we can establish ourselves quite credibly.â
âAnd what do I get in return?â
âYou donât wish to help us?â
His mouth twisted. âYou havenât changed at all. You still answer my questions with questions of your own. What of Mrs. Lennox?â
âMy mother?â
âIf that woman is your mother, Iâll eat my hat.â
Violet let out her breath. âSylvia is also in need of help. We agreed to aid each other.â
âShe is another poor spy?â
âNo, she is my fatherâs second wife. He died about three years ago.â
âHow convenient for you all.â
Violet shivered as she recalled Jackâs version of what had happened to their father and how heâd barely escaped with his life trying to save the older manâs wife.
âI am not lying.â
He cupped her chin. âAs if I could ever tell the difference between your lies and your truth. Iâm not sure even you know. When we first met, I thought you an innocent.â
âI was.â She jerked away from his touch. âI still know what is true.â
His mouth descended and caught hers, nipping at her lower lip until she let him in and he deepened the kiss. She moaned as his tongue tangled with hers, making her arch helplessly toward him. He ripped his mouth away, but he didnât retreat.
âThis is true, your response to me. It always has been.â
The male satisfaction in his voice as he dove in for another kiss made her recoil.
âHow do you know that? If I am such an accomplished liar, how do you know I donât lie about this?â
He pulled back, his expression lethal, one hand attacking the buttons of her trousers until he cupped her wet, needy sex.
âYou canât fake this, Violet.â He plunged one finger deep inside her. âYouâre wet for me.â His tongue slid into her mouth, mimicking the thrust and retreat of his finger.
She couldnât escape him, could only drown in the complex emotions he aroused in her and surrender to the determination of his kiss and the rhythm of his probing finger. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against the front of his trousers.
âI cannot lie about this either. I want you.â
Her fingers curled around the throbbing heat of his shaft and he groaned.
âIf this is the truth, Richard,â Violet whispered, âit is just lust, and it means nothing. â
âNothing?â He withdrew his finger from the heat of her core and sucked it into his mouth. âLust is more than nothing. It is the most basic need a human has, the need to copulate.â
âDonât you mean to procreate?â
âYouâre a man, now, Violet, and Iâll fuck you like one. There is no need to worry about us procreating.â
She shoved at his chest, but he didnât move an inch. âAnd what if I donât want to fuck you?â
âWeâve already established that you want me.â His stare was pointed. âBut do you want me enough to play by my rules?â
She stared at him, her mind trying to recover from the haze of desire and work out what he was trying to say.
âAre you suggesting I trade my body in exchange for your help?â
âI hadnât thought of it in quite those terms, but Iâm quite willing to go along with it.â
âBut youâll only fuck me like a man.â
He nodded, his gaze drifting down to her still-open trousers. She wanted to cross her legs to placate the ache there but knew heâd enjoy it too much.
âYouâll not betray Jack either?â
âMuch as it pains me to say it, no, I will not betray Jack.â
âThen if this is the only way I can persuade you to help us, I will agree to your terms.â
Richardâs smile was slow in coming. âThank
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
John O'Riley
Brenda Sinclair
Christopher George
Stephen Lloyd Jones
Karl Iagnemma
Celya Bowers
Jill Gregory
Aria Cunningham