"Hello? Felicity?"

Her mom's voice sounded tentative, probably because Felix hadn't returned a few calls.

"Hi, Mom."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Felicity. It's so good to hear from you. Is everything okay? I've been worried about you."

"I'm okay. Things have gotten a little weird, so I haven't had a chance to call."

"Weird? How are they weird? Are you in danger? Please, let your father and me help you, baby. We miss you so much."

"I miss you, too."

"Why don't you take time off work and spend a week at home? Every day I wake up wondering if you're..."

Her mom's voice broke up, and Felix knew she was holding back a sob. "Mom, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch lately. I know you worry about the unlikely chance I'll be attacked again or take a spill on my bike, but I'm good, really. I'm making plans to visit Chicago real soon."

Felix heard muffled voices, and she waited while her mom blew her nose. "Felicity? How are you?" It was her dad now. He probably had his arm around her mom as she cried into a tissue.

"I'm good, Dad. I was just telling Mom I'll be visiting soon."

"Well, that's good to hear. I'm not going to pull any punches, Felicity. We're ready to put out an APB on you. This absentee-daughter stunt is ridiculous. What happened to our close-knit family? Cheryl said she heard from you, but I think it upset her more than it comforted her."

Felix knew by her dad's unnaturally deep tone that he was reining in his temper, probably for her mom's benefit. Out of everyone in her family, he was the one most likely to bust her lie wide open.

"I know, I suck as a daughter, but I'm making some changes and we're going to be that close-knit family again. I plan to be at Cheryl's wedding, come hell or high water."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Felix heard commotion on the other end, and her mom cleared her throat into the phone.

"Felicity, forgive your dad. He isn't trying to be mean, he's just hurting, like the rest of us. We would do anything to make sure you stay safe."

"I know, Mom. Um, I need to get back to work. I'll call again soon and we'll make plans, okay?"

"Okay. I love you so much. You're my baby girl. I feel like I've been living half a life without you."

Although Felix tried diligently to keep her eyes dry, it was no use. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she didn't stop them. "I love you too, Mom. Give Dad a hug from me. I'm going to hang up now."

Felix tapped the end call button and pressed her cheek to the window, taking a moment to collect herself. She knew Ryan meant well when he suggested she call her family, but she felt worse, not better. Granted, the call had reaffirmed her decision to help the FBI catch the assholes who had been holding her life hostage. She knew this was her best chance to take it all back, and when Ryan wrapped his arm around her waist, she turned and kissed him with tear-soaked lips.

"I'm ready to kick some asses."

Felix knew every word she spoke echoed through a receiver, but she was determined to ignore that fact. She reached up to Ryan's face, dragging her fingernails through the fine stubble on his chin and across the curve of his lower lip. The guy had been crafted by the hands of an artist, a living statue of David. She and Precious were due on the road in an hour, and she wasn't going to let a transmitter stop her from making the most of their time. She could be dead by morning.

Felix mouthed the words 'Fuck me' as she pointed toward Ryan's bedroom. He read her signals perfectly, taking her hand and walking her down the hall. Ryan yanked the bedspread off the bed in one forceful sweep, and Felix crawled onto the mattress. He followed her, kissing her deeply as he straddled her body like a predator - only Felix wasn't afraid. His prowess came across as purely lust-driven, and she felt almost desperate to give herself to him.

Ryan slowly unzipped her jeans, slipping his warm hand between the fabric and her hip. He circled and traced her skin, setting off a round of shivers that continued as he walked his fingers under her shirt and up her belly. He seemed as ready to drink the wine as she was. Before she realized it, they had both shucked off their pants, maintaining the silence of monks as they groped and tongued each other.

Felix pulled off her shirt and bra, and Ryan leaned in, covering her breast with his mouth, sucking on her rigid nipple until her back rose off the bed. He touched her with impassioned restraint, like he wanted to take his time but his desire had other ideas. Her fingers slid across his scalp as he placed tender kisses on her chest, following the inky trail that roamed over the weighty flesh of her breasts. Felix felt his dick resting heavily on her mound, and her breath caught when she imagined him claiming her with it.

Ryan continued his exploration upward, capturing her gaze through hooded lids. No words were needed to know his intentions, especially when he slid open the drawer on the nightstand. It only took a moment before she felt his hardness again, pressing steadily, deliberately against her sex. Was he savoring the moment or had he noticed the size difference? Felix had already decided Andy owned the slimmed-down version of male genitalia, while Ryan possessed the deluxe model. At least she didn't have to worry about lube. She was wetter than a water slide at a theme park.

Speaking only with her eyes, Felix let Ryan know he was doing fine as he slowly filled her. Actually, it was more than fine. The sensation took her breath away, and the forced silence added a seductive element, like they were screwing under the bleachers during a football game. Felix rocked her body, syncing up with Ryan's pace. His thickness stimulated her in places she'd never explored before, and she directed his hips up and down, her senses awash in pure, lascivious hunger.

Their panting must have given them away, but Felix didn't care. She was caught up in the moment, experiencing something new and completely mind blowing. She clamped her legs around his waist, reaching further, and Ryan clenched his jaw, no doubt holding back a moan. Something about the way he kept his eyes pinned on her face as he sailed on the ship of pleasure drove Felix crazy with need. She was so close, so close, so...

Felix grabbed Ryan's ass as she came, arching her back and thrusting with each roll of her orgasm. He hardened to steel and buried himself deep, extending her climax as he built up to his own. Finally, his body shuddered, flooding her with heat that penetrated their latex barrier, and Felix reveled in the feeling of having him inside her, thrumming with power. Who cared if their intimate affair had been witnessed by a room full of feds? This was heaven.