Elena stood before Damian Reed's Tribeca loft door, heart pounding, hazel eyes sharp. The city's hum swallowed her knock, her thrift-store blazer a rebellion against the sleek building's wealth. *Mateo, I'm close. Reed's my key to your truth.* The tip burned: *Lab logs encrypted. Reed has keys.* Julian's fire, Elias's warmth, and their betrayal fueled her. *I want them, but they're liars. Can I trust Reed?* The door opened, Damian leaning against the frame, leather jacket open over a crisp shirt, blond hair tousled, blue eyes raking her. A whiskey glass dangled in his hand, his grin wolfish, ravenous.
"Marquez," he drawled, voice rough, seductive. "Come to ignite my world?"
Her pulse surged, his raw heat pulling like Julian's dominance, Elias's care. *He's danger, but he's my shot.* She smirked, stepping inside, voice sultry, hips swaying. "Maybe, Reed. If you're not hiding anything." *I need those logs, but God, I want you.*
---
The loft was dark, sleek, city lights pulsing through wide windows. Damian's scent, whiskey and smoke, enveloped her as he shut the door, gaze devouring her curves. "Drink?" he asked, voice low, eyes probing her intent.
"No," she purred, tossing her curls, blazer slipping to tease her collarbone. "I want those lab logs, Reed. You got keys?" *Mateo, I'm slipping, but I'll win this.*
He raised a brow, sipping whiskey, grin sharp. "Logs? You think I just give those up?" He leaned against a counter, eyes tracing her thighs, skeptical, hungry. "What's in it for me, Elena?" His tone was a challenge, desire thick, a man testing her fire.
Her core clenched, his doubt igniting her. *I'll make him burn, Mateo, for you.* She sauntered closer, voice silky, lips parted. "You get me, Damian." Her fingers brushed his chest, teasing through his shirt, nails grazing. "That's enough, right?" *Julian's possessiveness, Elias's kiss, now this. I'm drowning.*
He laughed, gritty, eyes blazing, but held his ground. "You? Tempting, but I'm not a fool." His voice was rough, skeptical, hand catching her wrist, firm. "Cross sent you to dig, didn't he? You his spy?" His tone cut, a man scarred by betrayal.
Her breath hitched, his grip sparking her skin. *He's playing me to hurt Julian.* "Spy?" she murmured, voice sultry, pressing her body against his, curves molding to his heat. "I'm my own, Reed. I want those logs. Name your price." Her lips hovered near his, breath teasing, eyes daring. *I want him, but is he using me?*
He groaned, low, grip tightening, voice dropping. "Price? You're fucking lethal." His eyes searched hers, skeptical, wanting. "Why the logs? What's Cross hiding from you?" His tone was hard, probing, unaware of her stake.
Her heart raced, Mateo's death flashing. *He doesn't know my brother.* "Hiding?" she purred, voice dripping honey, thigh brushing his, teasing his growing hardness. "You tell me. Phoenix was a disaster, right? " Her nails raked his chest, slow, pushing him. *I'm risking everything, Mateo.*
He stiffened, breath ragged, voice rough. "Phoenix? Cross and Navarro broke every rules, no limits, lives lost. I couldn't stay." His eyes burned, oblivious to her pain. "You're with them, Elena. You sure they're not dirty?" His tone was urgent, craving her trust, doubt in Cross.
Her chest burned, suspicions flaring. *Lives lost? Mateo?* "Dirty?" she whispered, lips grazing his jaw, slow, seductive, tasting whiskey. "I'm sure you've got secrets, Reed. Share them." Her hand slid lower, teasing his belt, core throbbing.
He growled, hand seizing her waist, yanking her flush against him, hardness pressing her core. "Secrets? You're playing me." His voice was skeptical, but his control cracked, desire raw. "You want logs, you're mine. No Cross, no Navarro." His tone was a dare, craving her.
Her nipples tightened, wet heat pooling, his heat overwhelming. *Julian's fire, Elias's touch, now Damian's danger.* "Yours?" she teased, voice husky, grinding against him, pleasure spiking, moan soft. "Get me those logs, and we'll talk." *Mateo, I'm falling, but I won't break.*
He groaned, primal, hands gripping her hips, lifting her onto the desk, papers scattering. "Talk?" he murmured, lips crashing to her neck, teeth biting, sucking, marking her. "You're fire, Elena." His fingers teased her jeans, brushing her core, ecstasy jolting, her gasp sharp.
Her body arched, thighs wrapping his waist, craving more, guilt clawing. *I'm betraying them, but they betrayed me.* "Fire?" she moaned, voice sultry, nails raking his back, shredding his shirt, grinding harder. "You're burning, Reed." *Julian's lips, Elias's hands, now this. I'm lost.*
He laughed, rough, lips grazing hers, whiskey-hot, teasing a kiss. "Burning? For you." His hand fisted her hair, tilting her head, tongue tracing her lip, daring her to surrender. "You're trouble," he growled, fingers slipping under her blazer, teasing her breast, thumb circling her nipple, pleasure spiking.
Her eyes caught a photo beside the laptop: Mateo, grinning, arm around Julian, Elias laughing behind. Her breath froze, rage and grief surging. *They knew him. All of them.* "What's this?" she asked, voice steady, pointing, heart slamming. *Stay calm, don't slip.*
Damian glanced at it, shrugging, voice casual, lips still at her throat. "Old crew. Cross, Navarro, some coder. Before Phoenix fucked us." His tone was bitter, a man burned, unaware of her pain.
Her heart raced, Mateo's grin searing her. *He doesn't know my brother.* "Fucked you?" she purred, voice silky, sliding a hand to his desk, fingers brushing a flash drive, palming it slyly. "How bad was it?" *They were your friends or your killers?*
He pulled back, eyes narrowing, voice low. "Bad. Experiments with no brakes. Data fudged, lives gone. Cross didn't care. I did." His tone was sharp, oblivious to her stake. "You're too good for his cage, Elena. Run with me." His voice softened, desire raw, offering freedom.
Her body ached, the stolen drive heavy in her pocket. *I've got it, Mateo, but I want him.* "Run?" she teased, voice sultry, sliding off the desk, pressing against him, lips brushing his ear. "I fight, Reed. You in?" *I'm playing him, but God, I want him.*
He groaned, eyes blazing, control shattering. "Fight? You're killing me." His hands roamed her curves, desperate, but he stepped back, voice rough. "Tech party tomorrow. Be my date. Show Cross you're not his. Then you get your logs." His tone was a dare, craving her on his arm.
Her heart jumped, the drive a secret victory. *A party? More chances for answers.* "Your date?" she purred, voice sultry, defiance blazing, moving to the door. "Maybe, Reed. If you can keep up." *I'm playing them all, Mateo, for you.*