Since everyone in the area knew I’d been recruited out of college by the FBI—small town life had its drawbacks—that couldn’t be hidden as part of an undercover persona. I had a past they couldn’t alter. So the feds created a new version of my present. The story went that I’d planned to take payouts from the bad guys I’d been trying to catch. While those bad guys had been caught and convicted because of it and other shady shit, I’d been fired in disgrace. Because I had close to twenty years of service and I actually hadn’t done anything illegal… yet, I hadn’t been convicted along with them. Returning to Montana with my tail between my legs, I now managed my parents’ ranch.

Some carefully placed clues about my return and Marshall had hired me on. Corrupt hired corrupt. I’d been undercover ever since.

That made me tied to Marshall and North’s father. In bad ways. I did Marshall’s dirty work; handling deals with guys like Wainright that destroyed the state. Killed wildlife, cut down forests.

It was obvious North hadn’t caught on to that part yet. If she had she’d have blown a hole in me with that shotgun instead of letting me go down on her.

It was one thing for me to think about her bent over her father’s desk, another for Marshall to disrespect her by that shit talk. North wasn’t a cheap hooker he fucked in a shady motel. I hadn’t figured her out yet, but she didn’t deserve those words.

I hadn’t stopped thinking about her in the two days since her daddy’s wake and funeral. Two days since I had my fingers inside her, my mouth on her pussy.

I still felt her walls ripple around me. Saw the panic in her eyes when I’d gotten her close to coming, then the frustration when she couldn’t make it happen.

I was man enough to have her work her clit until she came. Oh, I’d make her come without any help. Soon. But then? In that moment? The goal wasn’t to break her, it was to take the edge off, because it didn’t seem like she had any opportunity to do so.

Did she ever have fun? Did she ever let down that guard of hers?

She was so in her head. That was why, when she did come, it was so fucking incredible. The way she let go, gave herself over to me even for a few seconds.

I’d get that again. I’d get everything from her because now that I knew what she looked like when she let go completely. When she gave herself to me.

Because she was going to be mine.

He sat back, laughed. “It’s like that, is it?”