Free Accounting for Lust by Ylette Pearson

voice sliced through the tension inside the elevator and Cassie sagged against him.
    “Y a h, you guys done?”
    “All done.”
    Jake opened the doors to reveal Matt’s large frame filling the space. He’d removed the photo from the pillar and held it folded in his beefy hand. Behind him , the rest of the team holstered their weapons and moved off towards a black minivan . He was pissed. But so was Jake.
    “ I’ll g et someone to take car e of Cassie. We need to talk.”
    Jake nodded and Matt yelled at the only female member of th e team to take care of Cassie. With Cassie safely inside the van, the two men walked to the side .
    “What the hell were you thinking fucking the client?” Matt kept his voice deceptively low, controlling the anger that simmered just below the surface. “Your mind resided in your pants when it should have been on the job. Worse, now someone else knows and he’s not afraid to use it.”
    Matt shoved his hand into his pant’s pocket while the he waved a forefinger under Jake’s nose.  “If word gets out that we screw our clients, we ’ll lose our reputation. I n ou r business, reputation is everything. You know that. So what the fuck happened?”  
    Jake’s temper erupted. Hell, he wasn’t a kid, neither was he a novice. Matt had no business talking to him like this. “Yes, I screwed the client. It’s not like she would ever complain.”
    Matt barked out a laugh. “You’re that sure you’re the lay of the century?”
    Jake shook his head. He knew he should come clean with Matt, but he’d never been one to share his emotions . Ever. To do so now would break the number one Jake-rule. Keep your private life, well, private. What he had with Cassie he couldn’t even explain to himself. How was he going to explain it to Matt without it sounding tacky. Shit, he had to try.
    “I can hold my own. But Cassie is different.” For the first time in years he searched for the correct words. “We met when I did that job in Mauritius.”
    Matt clenched his teeth. “You’ve known who the client was and you said nothing?”
    “No, I didn’t know who she was until I met her at her apartment .” Jake ran a frustrated hand over his closely cropped hair. This was going to be harder than he thought.
    “You lost me pal. Are you sure you’re all right? Have you been drinking?”
    “Give me a break ,” Jake snapped. “ In Mauritius, she w anted an anonymous one - night stand with no complications. I happily oblige d . We never introduced ourselves. Hell, for that matter we didn’t talk much at all.” The memory of their first night together made him hard. Painfully hard.
    “So you met her again yesterday and you’re already banging her? This makes it better? She must be one hell of a n easy fuck if you compromise everything we’ve worked for during the past two years.”
    Jake bundled Matt’s jacket in his fist, uncaring that a bun ch of chest hair also clamped in his fist. “You keep your mouth off her. She’s a lady and deserves respect.” He pressed his face into Matt’s. “If you ever so much as hint that she is anything but, I will kill you.”
    Matt’s glance turned to ice. “You forg e t who you’re dealing with.”
    “No I didn’t. You’re my best friend, but tarnish her reputation and there will be hell to pay.” Jake let go of Matt’s jacket and smoothed the edges. “Now, can we get on with business and keep her alive.”
    “Just one more thing.” Matt’s glance seared through Jake. “Think about what you’re willing to compromise for her. When the job is done, we still have to make a living. Are you willing to sacrifice your career for her ? I’m asking as a friend. ” Jake inhaled sharply, but Matt held up his hand. “You think about that. Now, what do we have?”
    “We have a thief who sent dirty pictures to her father , but didn’t blackmail him from I gather and now wants Cassie out of the picture. Something sits askew on this one. From the