She followed him into the room and closed the door behind her.
“It’s fine,” she offered, attempting to head off the volcano that was no doubt about to erupt. “Authenticates the experience.”
Hudson met her reassuring smile with bewildered eyes. “It’s not fine, Allie. It’s anything but fine.” He shoved a frustrated hand through his hair. “This was supposed to be a romantic train ride through Europe and I’ve hardly had two minutes alone with you. Tea and tours and goddamn seating charts. And look at this place.” He flung his arms out wide. “It’s bad enough I have to go to the next car to take a piss, but fucking bunk beds?”
He yanked his bow tie loose as he made his way into the adjoining room, bumping into the luggage stand on his way to the makeshift sink and cursing under his breath.
“Who says we need a bed,” she murmured.
The seductive, breathy tone of her voice stopped Hudson in his tracks. He turned and his eyes followed her hands as she slowly lowered the zipper on the side of her dress. She peeled the fabric off her shoulder and down her arm so that it slipped from her body and pooled at her feet in a cloud of ivory silk. Beneath the gown she wore an ivory brocade corset and matching lace thong.
Hudson’s lips parted on a sharp intake of air as she stepped out of the dress. His hungry gaze traveled over every inch of her body, but he said nothing. He just watched her, his eyes dark with desire. Being like this for him, trussed up in ribbon and lace and sky-high heels while he stood there fully clothed, made her feel sexy and wanton and utterly his. Just thinking about how it would feel when he finally took her had her pressing her thighs together in an effort to relieve the pulsing ache between her legs.
“I take it you approve?” she whispered, though she already knew the answer. He was hard, his arousal a visible ridge against his fly.
His fiery gaze met hers and he nodded slowly. “Don’t stop.”
Allie’s heart pounded as she untied the ribbon that crisscrossed over the front of the corset. With a smooth tug the ribbon slid through the loops one at time until the fabric finally fell away. Hudson’s eyes flared at the sight of her hardened nipples and his tongue darted out to lick his lips.
The vibrations of the train hummed through her entire body, taking her need for him to an almost unbearable level. She wanted him so badly she trembled. Even though he stood on the other side of the cabin, she could feel the attraction that pulsed between them, same as it had been since the very first time she saw him on the beach all those years ago, a magnetic pull drawing her to him. But she fought the urge to reach for him, choosing instead to let the moment build as she waited for him to make his move.
His fingers flexed at his sides, but other than that he remained perfectly still. “This won’t be gentle,” he warned.
The rough, barely reined timbre of his voice made her core clench with greedy anticipation. She loved him gentle but she might have loved him wild even more. Because in those moments she knew he craved her with the same overwhelming desire she felt for him; knew he needed to be with her, against her, inside her, more than he needed his next breath. It was that knowledge that made the intensity of the feelings she had for him bearable. And it was what allowed her to trust him completely.
She lifted her chin. “Do it.”
He reached her in two strides, shoving both hands into her hair and tilting her head to the angle he wanted. His mouth covered hers, his skilled tongue invading, exploring, dominating. She clutched his hair with both hands and kissed him back, holding him to her as if he could somehow vanish into thin air.
“Too many clothes,” she breathed between desperate kisses. She shoved his jacket from his shoulders as he backed her against the wall of the small cabin. But when she reached for his belt he grabbed her hands, pinning both of them above her head with one of his while his other hand reached between her legs. With a tug he tore the scrap of lace away and then thrust two fingers deep inside her. Allie’s head fell back against the window on a low moan. She closed her eyes and focused on the sensations. The pulsing click of the wheels on the tracks, the howl of the wind rushing by the glass, and Hudson’s fingers pumping hard and quick into her quivering flesh.
“You want me.” The roughly spoken words were more statement than question, but she answered anyway.
“Yes. Now,” she panted.
He spun her, his weight pressing her against the cold glass, and she gasped from the feel of it on her overheated skin. It was dark outside the windows, nothing to see but the shadowed countryside lit by a sliver of moon. And no one to see them. Still, the thought of how they must look with Hudson’s body caging hers against the glass sent a thrill through her body.
“Ask me,” he growled.
“Please, Hudson, fuck me. Hard.”
He reached between them to unzip his fly and a heartbeat later he was grasping her hips and plunging forward, filling her in one long, punishing thrust. He groaned as he pulled out, then drove deep again and again. As promised, the sex was hard and fast. And exactly what she needed. The whole time his voice rasped against her ear, telling her how good it felt to push his cock into her, how he’d never been so hard, and no matter how many times he fucked her, it would never be enough.
His hand slid around her, his fingertips giving her the friction she craved. But still she wanted more. Mindless in her need to come, she arched into the glass, the rumbling motion of the train moving through his hand as he pressed hard against her sex. The rhythm of the metal moving beneath her while Hudson moved inside her was too much. Her legs shook and her fingers clawed at the glass, grasping in vain for something to steady herself as she spiraled into an orgasm that had her entire body quaking.
Hudson’s arm banded around her waist, supporting her weight as he drove to the hilt once more, then stilled. “Allie,” he cried out, her name a passionate plea as he emptied himself inside her. His head dropped to her shoulder, his breath heavy in her ear, his heart thudding against her back.
Unable to move, Allie lay limp against the window, her ragged breath fogging the glass. When she found the strength, she turned her head and pressed her lips to his temple. “You’re still dressed,” she murmured against his damp skin.
A deep chuckle vibrated in his chest. “Well then,” he said, turning her in his arms. “What are you waiting for?”
The early morning sunlight streamed through the window, waking Allie. As her eyes fluttered open she became aware of her surroundings: a too-tiny bunk bed in a small cabin, the floor cluttered with frantically discarded formalwear and the air heavy with the lingering scent of sweat and hard sex. A slow, sleepy smile formed on her lips. She couldn’t think of more decadent accommodations if she tried.
Hudson was still sound asleep with his head on her chest, one arm wrapped possessively around her waist and his legs tangled with hers. Allie loved these quiet moments before he woke. It was a rare occasion that she was up before him, but when it happened she relished the chance to focus on nothing but the feel of his body against hers, the warmth of his skin, the easy rhythm of his breath and the steady beat of his heart.
“Hmm,” a low sound vibrated in his throat as he began to stir. His arm tightened around her waist and he nuzzled her chest. “Something to be said for close quarters after all.”
Allie stroked her fingers down his back. “Good morning. Sleep well?”
“Surprisingly yes,” he murmured against her skin. His voice was rough with sleep, but his body was wide awake, an impressive erection already prodding against her hip. One hand palmed her right breast, his thumb brushing back and forth across the nipple, while his lips and tongue paid homage to the other. Allie’s back arched as his teeth nipped and his fingers tugged. When he bit down she groaned, the sweet sensation echoing through her core. He’d only been awake for a few minutes and already she was melting in his hands.
The solid weight of Hudson’s body shifted over hers and she spread her legs for him, wanting to feel him inside her despite the lingering soreness she still felt from the night before.
There was a knock on the door and Allie stilled. Hudson raised himself on one arm, no doubt ready to tell whoever it was to get lost. But after a second knock it became clear the sound was coming from the cabin next to theirs.
“Just a minute,” said a muffled voice on the other side of the wall.
Hudson looked down at her, clearly amused. “They didn’t invest much in sound insulation back in the roaring twenties, did they?”
Allie had expected Hudson to be annoyed, aggravated, or maybe even angry. But certainly not amused. She frowned, confused by his reaction until realization dawned.
“Oh, shit!” She clasped her hand over her mouth for a moment, then whispered, “If we can hear them, then . . . that means they heard . . .”
Hudson’s blue eyes gleamed as he nodded slowly.
Allie felt her face heat. “This is mortifying.”
He dipped his head to press a soft kiss to her shoulder. “Perhaps they just think you’re very religious.” She felt him smile against her skin as his lips drifted up her neck. “All those shouts to God and whatnot.” He chuckled.
Allie swatted him on the shoulder. “That’s not funny.”
“Oh, but it is.”
She pushed him back so she could look him in the eye. “And it doesn’t bother you in the slightest?”
The sound of squeaking cart wheels could be heard through the wall, followed by more muffled conversation.
“No, but the thought of our ever efficient steward interrupting for a breakfast delivery does.”
Oh jeez, as if she wasn’t already embarrassed enough. The last thing Allie needed was another “in flagrante delicto” moment with poor Andrew. “Let’s get dressed and head to one of the dining cars.” She managed to wriggle out from under Hudson, but when she tried to scramble out of the bunk his arm banded around her waist, pulling her back.
“Don’t move. I finally got you into this tiny bed. I’m not letting you out.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but Hudson silenced her by pressing his finger to her lips. “I will tell the steward you are sleeping in and not to be disturbed. Then I’ll go to one of the dining cars and bring you breakfast in bed.”
“Breakfast in bed?” She glanced around the tiny cot. “There’s not really room for plates.”
Hudson’s eyes flashed with a wicked gleam. “Who said anything about using a plate?” He trailed his fingertips across her belly and she shivered. “I think I’ll ask the chef to prepare strawberry crepes, extra whipped cream.”
Allie watched as he gracefully climbed out of the bunk. “Don’t move.” He dug a pair of jeans out of his suitcase and pulled them on, commando, then donned a T-shirt and shoes. When he was finished dressing he leaned down and grasped her face with both hands. “I mean it,” he said before dropping a quick kiss to her lips. “Don’t get out of this bed.”
He’d been gone just a few minutes when Allie’s phoned pinged with an incoming text. She rolled out of the bunk and pulled her phone out of the beaded clutch she’d used the night before. The screen was lit with a text from Hudson.
Andrew has been instructed to not disturb you.
She laughed as she typed her response.
After yesterday he was probably relieved.
True.
The message had no sooner filled the screen when dots appeared to indicate he was typing. Allie climbed back into the bunk as she waited for the reply.
I told you not to get out of bed.
She rolled her eyes.
Then why did you send me a text?
A test.
Looks like I failed.
She lay back on the mattress, grinning at the phone.
Am I in trouble?
Indeed you are, Miss Sinclair.
Whoa, Miss Sinclair
. Allie knew exactly where this was headed, and the realization had her biting her lip as she read his next message.
Now you will come twice for me before I share these crepes with you.
Holy hell, he was good at this. Allie propped up on her elbow, trying to think of some sort of sexy response that would even attempt to rival his. But everything that came to mind sounded like a cheesy pick-up line. She typed and deleted three different replies before finally settling on:
Hurry or I’m starting without you.
She put her phone down on the floor beside her bunk and waited, convinced Hudson would be arriving any minute. Then again, she thought, maybe he wouldn’t. He’d once told her it was a fantasy of his to watch her pleasure herself. If he thought taking his time would encourage her to put on such a display, he might intentionally delay his return.
A surge of heated pleasure shot straight to her core as she imagined Hudson opening the door to find her lying on the bed with her fingers between her thighs. She pushed the sheet lower, imagining it was Hudson who was baring her body, and drew a deep breath. Her hand skimmed over the soft skin of her stomach, her hips lifting almost involuntarily when she reached the top of her sex, already slick from anticipation.
When she closed her eyes, she could hear his voice, deep and soft, commanding her.
Spread your legs wider
.
Show me how wet it makes you to think about having my cock.
She could picture the look on his face, see his tongue dart out to wet his lips as her fingers stroked through her silky folds. She could feel his hand on her, his finger gliding up the inside of her thigh before plunging in and out alongside her own.
That’s it, Allie, come for me.
The phone pinged on the floor.
Allie’s eyes flew open and her thighs instinctively closed. She’d been so lost to the fantasy of Hudson she’d nearly come before he even arrived. Her face flushed as she sat up and reached for the phone.
But instead of another naughty message from Hudson, the screen displayed an incoming text from an unknown number. When she opened it, an image appeared. It was a grainy, black-and-white photo of two men standing side by side with a third lying on the floor. A crease formed between Allie’s brows as she stared at her phone, and she startled when it suddenly rang in her hand. The call was from the same number that had sent the mysterious photo.
“Hello,” she said. Her voice was soft and tentative.
“Good morning, Alessandra,” a French accent purred.
Allie’s breath caught in her throat.
Julian.
“Are you enjoying the train? I found the accommodations quite lacking myself.”
Her entire body tensed and her heart raced with the adrenaline that coursed through her veins. She pulled the sheet higher and swallowed hard. “What do you want?” she managed to choke out.
“I trust you received my text?” he asked, ignoring her question. “I know it’s hard to make out what you’re seeing. The video is much better.”
The back of Allie’s neck prickled with apprehension. “What video?”
“The one that shows your white knight for the vermin he really is.”
“Go to hell, Julian,” she bit out between clenched teeth. “I thought I made it clear I never wanted to hear from you again.”
From the other end of the line came a mocking laugh. “Now, now, ma petite cherie, is that anyway to speak to your fiancé?”
“We’re not engaged anymore.”
“Only because you failed to hold up your end of the bargain.” She could hear the snarl in his voice.
“I was never part of that and you know it.”
“No, but promises were made. And now Ingram is in the hands of an imbecile and her murdering lover.” His words hung in the air. “What’s the matter, mon amore, cat got your tongue, as they say?”
She knew he was baiting her, trying to get a reaction. But she couldn’t help it. She had to know what he was up to. “What are you talking about, Julian?”
“Look closely at the photo, Alessandra. Surely you recognize the two men standing over the lifeless body.”
Allie zoomed in on the photo and a gasp escaped her lips. The image was even grainier when enlarged, but it was clearly a picture of Hudson and Nick.”
“I will give him credit,” Julian said. “He was able to cover his tracks. For the most part. Thanks to his money the case has been filed as nothing more than a tragic accident. Would be a shame to have this surface and dredge the whole mess up. I’m sure the other news outlets would love to sink their claws into this story.”
Allie’s grip tightened around the phone.
“Of course they’d find more than just this skeleton if they start to dig,” he said. His words reeked of condescension. “The brother alone could fill an entire tabloid.”
Every fiber of her being had instinctively reacted to a threat against the man she loved. But to drag Nick into this as well? Her heart ached every time she thought of the trauma he’d faced as a child, the grips of which he was just beginning to work his way free. A trial, or worse, jail time, would surely seal his fate. She would do anything to protect Nick, and in a moment of clarity she realized that was exactly what Hudson had done. Whatever happened to the man in the photo, there was only one reason Hudson would have covered it up. To protect Nick.
And now Julian was threatening to hurt them both out of some twisted need for revenge against her. “You’re blackmailing me?” she asked, although in reality it was more of a statement than a question.
“Ah, you’re a quick study, Alessandra. Of course you’re no stranger to the concept. I seem to recall you did the same when pushing me out of Ingram.”
“You attacked me,” she said. Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Semantics.”
Allie’s blood seethed at his cavalier tone. But she knew she needed to remain calm, she needed to think of Hudson and Nick. She needed to get Julian out of their lives once and for all. She took a deep breath. “What do you want?”
“My ring.”
“
What
?”
“The ring I gave you. It’s rightfully mine. I want it back.”
That’s what this is about, that stupid ring?
Allie exhaled a sigh of relief. She knew Julian was obsessed with the twelve-carat diamond Louis XIV had bestowed upon the first Marquis Laurent. But as far as she was concerned, she’d be happy to never lay eyes on it again, much less wear it on her finger. But could she trust Julian to hold up his end of the bargain? “How do I know you’re giving me the only copy of the file?”
“I will give you the original. Copies can be discredited as doctored. They’re useless.”
“Fine. I’ll send it to you.”
“Send?” He let out a harsh laugh. “You do not
send
a priceless heirloom.” A cigarette lighter clicked to life near the mouthpiece of his phone. “Your train is about to arrive at Gare de Paris-Est station. Cancel the last leg of your journey and bring the ring to my chateau this evening.”
“I don’t have the ring with me.”
“Then I suggest you make the necessary arrangements.”
“When I get back to Chicago, I’ll have my assistant fly it over.”
“Not good enough. You will deliver it to me personally. Tomorrow.”
“
Tomorrow?
I need more time, Julian.”
“You have until noon, Alessandra. That’s it, not a minute more. And if I find out you’ve told that prick you’re currently fucking about any of this, then the deal is off.”
Her mind raced with questions, and without thinking she spoke some of them out loud. “How am I supposed to get it here that fast . . . and what reason do I give for getting off the train?”
“Not my problem.” She heard the heavy exhale of a steady plume of smoke. “Tick tock, Alessandra. You have until tomorrow. After that this little film goes viral.”
The line went dead.
“Who was that?”
Allie’s head snapped up to find Hudson standing in the doorway of their cabin holding a dome-covered plate. “Um, nothing, just checking my voicemail.” She dropped her gaze, unable to look him in the eye. How she was going to pull this off if a small lie about a phone call had her thrown for a loop?
Hudson stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. “Everything okay?”
Allie looked up and gave him a reassuring smile. “Absolutely.” She forced herself to hold his gaze, her smile firmly in place. Hudson knew her better than anyone. If he even suspected something was amiss he’d ask questions she couldn’t answer.
He studied her face as he set the plate of food down on the small table and joined her on the bunk. “You look like you have something to say.”
Fuck.
She couldn’t blow this. She had to convince him everything was fine. She didn’t want to lie to him, but if he knew the truth he’d never allow her to meet with Julian. And then everything would blow up and it would be all her fault. She couldn’t let that happen.