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LA at sunset was an image that Sonya would never get tired of seeing.
Awash in vivid shades of orange and pink, Venice Beach below was almost glowing as the sun retreated to the west over the buildings, and night began to truly set in.
There was little surprise that the view from Johnny’s apartment was spectacular, or that he had probably paid far too much for it, given how he’d been trying to shell out for things since she’d arrived. Dinner at Nobu, dancing at Apotheke, a private viewing at the Griffin Observatory. The list would have gone on if Sonya hadn’t gently reminded him that she couldn’t exactly be seen traipsing around the city on his arm like some type of covert Barbie doll. Jax would have her hide tacked up on his office wall like a battle map if paparazzi photos of her wound up on the net, and Johnny was famous for his movies, not maintaining a low profile.
With a sigh, Sonya let the shade drop and turned away from the window, still not entirely comfortable being surrounded by what amounted to copious luxury by her standards. From the plush leather couches to the high-end appliances in the kitchen— hell, even the Roomba was top of the line and probably cost more than her monthly stipend. Everything in Johnny’s apartment screamed money, and what was even more nerve rattling was this was his idea of frugal, apparently.
Sonya, on the other hand, had lived in base housing most of her adult life, and had come to grips with the fact that nothing she had was truly hers. Then she’d tossed in with the Black Dragon undercover and gotten used to making do with even less. A small hut that some poor family had lost and she’d been ‘gifted’, and even that was conditional on Kano’s whims. Much like sending her to California to check up on Johnny had been. Random. Designed to catch people off guard, to expose any weaknesses so he could exploit them to his advantage.
Johnny had taken it on the nose when she had shown up at his door at 5am unannounced, her duffle bag over her shoulder and more than a little jet lagged from the almost nineteen-hour flight. Sonya had to give him credit. If he’d been surprised that she even knew where he lived, he’d hidden it extremely well. It wasn’t as if she’d given him much of a choice, slipping past him with a brief explanation and almost immediately face planting on his expensive leather couch until much later in the morning. She’d woken to the smell of fresh coffee and Johnny, shirtless and barefoot, making pancakes in the kitchen as if the whole trip had been some sort of planned vacation.
For a moment from under her eyelashes, she’d indulged herself, hoping the fact that her face was buried in the crook of her arm gave her enough anonymity to enjoy what was definitely the best view she’d had in ages. His back was to her as he stirred batter in a large mixing bowl, hair still a tousled mess from bed and clad only in a pair of faded black sweatpants. From the well-toned muscles of his arms and shoulders, her gaze moved along unabashedly, taking in an intricate dragon tattoo along his torso done in a very traditional Japanese style. Kenshi’s influence at work, maybe? It bore a vague semblance to some of the Yakuza tattoos her former partner boasted on his arms and hands, but she couldn’t be entirely sure. The thought proved fleeting as she’d let her eyes drop, lingering on his ass, and enjoyed the sight.
If this was a different situation, a different life, a different world, maybe she’d have made a move. Hell, she’d been half tempted in the warehouse in Keta-Tendjo after that first kiss. The gesture may have been for show, but the chemistry had been very real. Johnny’s lips were on hers, his fingers tangled in her hair, the way he had pulled her against his body….
Given some of the things she had lived through, Sonya had long ago made peace with keeping people at arm’s length. It was lonely at times, but it made her life easier, and she didn’t owe anyone explanations of her choices or actions. Her nightmares and vices were her own to deal with, and that was how she liked it. So, imagine her surprise when Johnny showed up unexpectedly… and so did a lot of the emotions she’d kept locked away. Frustration, annoyance, and disbelief that Jax could pull such a stupid stunt and get away with it. Those she may have been able to work with. Chemistry, however? Attraction? Heat? Those were luxuries she couldn’t afford to indulge in, nor should she want to if she was sensible.
“Not the first time I’ve had a target on my ass,” Johnny had glanced over his shoulder, and she could have sworn she saw the ghost of a smile on his lips, “But definitely the most pleasant.”
She had felt the heat spread across her cheeks and contemplated pretending she was still asleep. Now, three days later, she could lie to herself that it had just been a jet lagged faux pas. That the heat that seemed to sizzle between them was nothing but an unneeded distraction from her assignment. A great way to get emotionally attached and blow over a year’s worth of cover or possibly get them killed in the process. No, it was cleaner, easier to just do what she had come there to go and leave with enough proof for Kano that Johnny was holding up his end of the deal.
It was easier said than done, but afternoons like this one helped. He’d left for dinner with one of his producers, and she’d had the apartment all to herself. A lengthy workout, a long hot shower with absurdly good water pressure, good sushi ordered in. All things she had missed sorely in her time undercover and could indulge in without taking the chance of blowing her cover. Now she was on to another guilty pleasure, a large bowl of peanut M&Ms, a can of chile-lime pineapple soda and whatever bad action movie she could find. In another life it would have been Budwiser or even a whiskey on the rocks, but that was a hard line she couldn’t cross over, not without risking all the trust she had built with Jax and Kenshi too for that matter. Self-care wasn’t really care when you found yourself at the bottom of a bottle of JD and feeling like shit the next day. A lesson she’d learned the hard way, unfortunately.
Settling back on the couch, Sonya began to thumb through available streaming services, unsurprised to find Johnny had just about every available one and on the premium packages. For a few moments, she surfed idly until finally settling on an old favourite, a Jean-Claude Van Damme stand by, and zoning out blissfully to watch.
Reaching for her soda, Sonya was about to take a sip when the sound of a car zooming up the drive caused her to pause and return the bottle to the table. A moment later, and Johnny came sailing through the front door, a leather jacket slung casually over his shoulder.
Seeing her lounging on the sofa, Johnny removed his sunglasses and tossed them with alarmingly causal precision onto an end table with a grin. “Honey, I’m home.”
“I thought you said your dinner was going to run late.” Sonya paused the movie, leaving Jean-Claude in the mid-air in a split kick, and rested her chin on the back of the couch. Doggedly, she ignored the fact that her heart picked up its pace when he walked in the room. Or the fact that the borderline cabin fever she’d been feeling all afternoon seemed to dissipate as he kicked off his shoes with a contented sigh, obviously happy to be in his own space where he could relax.
“I bailed early. Told them I had a hot blonde holed up in my apartment and I needed to get back.” At her deadpan expression, Johnny backtracked rapidly, raising his hands in defence. “Sonya, relax, I’m kidding. Swear to God.”
“That’s easy for you to say, but a lot of people have their asses on the line for this assignment.” She swivelled to face the TV again, avoiding looking in Johnny’s direction as he disappeared towards his bedroom, returning a moment later clad in a faded pair of black workout pants and a green tank top. For someone with expensive taste, the man looked criminally good dressed down. It was unfair, and more of a test of her resolve than she needed at the moment.
“I am fully aware.” Johnny slumped down beside her and leaned back against the leather. “And trust me, the studio is doing its part in actively trashing my reputation. It’s scary how easy it is in Hollywood to take a spark and turn it into a gossip shitstorm.”
“That bad, huh?” Admittedly she was out of the loop for entertainment drama. Even prior to signing on with the OIA, she’d never had a real interest in any of the online rags or gossip. Living in North Carolina, it had all just seemed very far away and unimportant.
“I was already on a knife edge,” Johnny sighed and kicked his feet up on the edge of the coffee table and closed his eyes. “It didn’t take much to go over the edge. They’ve got a whole PR team making up and spreading the rumours to the right people. It’s actually impressive, in a ‘fuck up my life’ kind of way.”
“Oh, I know that feeling well,” Sonya took a sip of her drink, pausing to consider how much she wanted to say. “Although admittedly I was always the sole architect of my fuck ups.
“You don’t have people?” Johnny scoffed and stretched an arm along the back of the couch, barely brushing along the back of her neck with his fingertips. “How amateur.”
Sonya gave his hand a sideways glance, trying not to smile. As testing the waters went, it was subtle. Suddenly, the idea that he had cut his meeting short and come home because she was there didn’t seem like as much of a far-fetched idea. Also not so far-fetched was the idea of something fragile hanging in the air between them in that moment. A subtle acknowledgement that the banter they’d spent the last four days lobbing at each other wasn’t just two diametrically different personalities bumping off each other.
It was a dangerous game to play. By all practical sense, Sonya knew she should move away, to keep in mind all the thoughts she’d had earlier that now seemed very far away and unimportant. Still, she found herself easing a fraction closer on the couch, idly reaching up and running the edge of her nail along his wrist. Watching as his gaze intensified and he realized she was as game to play as he was.
She was close enough that his cologne filled her nostrils, sandalwood and petrichor, dark and rich. Every move he made was an invitation, a clear message. He was as attracted to her as she was to him. It would be such an easy task to take charge, to straddle his lap and run her fingers through his hair…
Jesus, how long had it been since a person, man or woman, had made her feel like that?
And would he still feel the same way if he knew the amount of blood on her hands or the whisky she’d tried to drown herself in to forget?
Forcing the intrusive thought away, Sonya leaned in and placed one hand on his chest as if she was going to press her lips to his. Then, in a lightning quick move of her own, she shifted, tucking herself into the crook of his shoulder and drawing his arm down around her. “You know, I was watching a movie before you so rudely interrupted.”
Johnny grinned and reached for the remote. “Oh yeah? Was it one of mine?”
Sonya feinted, holding it up high out of his reach as they wrestled playfully. Ducking his head, Johnny took her by surprise, brushing his lips over hers in a sweet kiss, then using the moment to steal the remote. With a crow of victory, he hit play, and the TV flickered to life. On the screen, Jean-Claude Van Damme resumed moving across the screen, landing a kick that sent one of the protagonists spinning and immediately launching into another.
Johnny pulled a dramatic face as Sonya looked away, refusing to meet his gaze and trying not to let him see her smile. “Seriously? You insult my hospitality with this?”
“It’s a classic!” Sonya insisted. “Frank Dux? A secret tournament? Come on.”
Johnny rolled his eyes. “Like I ever want to hear about another secret tournament in my life.”
“What?” Sonya pulled back, perplexed.
“Never mind.” Johnny seemed to switch tracks, as if trying to change the subject. Gesturing with the remote, he scoffed. “You know, people used to tell me I looked like him.”
“Really?” Sonya cocked her head and studied the screen.
“Yup.” Johnny grimaced. “All the time.”
“I don’t see it.” Sonya shook her head. “He looks like his face has hit the mat one too many times.”
“Thank you.” He waved a hand. “I have a much better jawline, and I’ve had minimal plastic surgery to get it.”
“Unlike most of Hollywood, I bet.” She indicated the screen. “I didn’t expect you home. We could put something else on.”
“Naw, it’s fine.” He heaved a theatrical sigh. “But if anyone asks, I was doing research on what not to do. Deal?”
“Scout’s honor.” She settled back against his chest once more, allowing herself a small smile as his arm again came to rest across her shoulders, tucking her close to his frame. It was almost like being on a proper date, the bowl of M&Ms balanced on her lap and the growing silence amiable as the film played on.
A deep sense of contentment began to take hold, taking Sonya by surprise. This wasn’t something she had ever pictured herself wanting or enjoying, but here she was, and it was…nice. Sweet even.
Also mind numbingly terrifying if she let herself over think the whole situation.
Beside her, Johnny swiped an M&M from the bowl and tossed it in the air, catching it cleanly in his mouth. He gave her a side-long glance, clearly waiting to see if she would respond, then palmed a couple more, tossing one, than the other in the air and catching both neatly.
Sonya chuckled and lightly poked him in the chest. “You’re going to have to do a lot more than that if you want to impress me.”
“Is that a challenge?” He arched an eyebrow in mock surprise and gave her a mellow grin.
Sonya shrugged, feigning indifference and never took her gaze off the TV. “Maybe. Depends on what you’re going to do about it.”
Johnny studied her intently and moved the bowl of candy safely to the coffee table. The arm curled around her shoulders shifted, fingers moving to stroke the curve of her breast through the cotton of her tank top. His lips found their way to her neck, teeth scraping along her skin and making her shiver.
Reflexively Sonya brought her hand up, moving to card it through his hair and then forced herself to stop. Instead, she remained still, closing her eyes and letting herself enjoy the game they were playing. When he swept the tip of his tongue across her collarbone, Sonya had to bite her lip to suppress the sigh that threatened to escape. It would be no fun to give herself away so quickly, even as the dampness began to grow between her legs and need bloomed, awaking as if from a long sleep.
After a moment, Johnny stopped, pulling back Sonya suspected to gauge if she was truly uninterested or just continuing to tease him. She knew he’d see the small smile curling at the edge of her mouth. See the gleam in her eye as she reached across his lap, barely brushing her fingertips across the hard bulge of his cock, and casually fished another M&M out of the bowl. “Why did you stop? Losing interest already?”
Johnny made a low growling noise and began teasing a trail with his lips down across her chest. Grazing over the fabric, he turned his attention to her breasts, finding one of the hardened nubs and swirling his tongue over it through her tank top. One of his hands dropped low, slipping between her legs to stroke high along her inner thigh.
Turning slightly in his grasp, Sonya took his chin in her fingers and tipped his face towards her until she could meet his gaze. “I’m… trying…. to watch a movie and you…are distracting me.” Each word was punctuated with a kiss, a tease of her tongue over his, and then a pointed retreat.
Johnny met her gaze, held it for an instant, and then leaned in close to her ear, ghosting his lips over her skin and making her shiver. “You’ve been distracting me from the moment you got here. I’ve swear I feel like I’ve been walking around hard for three days now.”
“Tit for tat then,” Sonya smirked. Call and response, tease and challenge. Johnny was definitely a test for all the walls she’s carefully erected around herself. Worse, somewhere along the line she had decided risk be damned and practically handed him a hammer to start breaking down the stone. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
Johnny wagged a finger at her in censure and then took her by surprise, abruptly shifting off the couch and dropping down onto his knees in front of her. The look in his eyes was intense enough to make her breath catch, and she was sure for weeks after she’d remember that colour blue vividly. Grasping her hips in his hands, he gave a firm tug, pulling her down lower onto the couch and giving him better access.
Sonya knew in that moment she was in deep fucking trouble. Johnny Cage was going to thoroughly undo her.
And she was going to enjoy every fucking minute of it.
His hands left her hips for a moment, rucking up her tank top and spilling her breasts into his hands. Johnny stopped, raising his eyes to the ceiling as if in a silent prayer of thanks, and Sonya swatted at him playfully. Bending low, he drew the tip of his tongue down the valley between her breasts, finally drawing a low whine from her throat.
Sonya fought the urge to clench her thighs together, cunt aching as he swirled his tongue around one nipple and then the other. Suddenly, the fabric keeping her from his touch was cloistering and annoying. Somehow she managed to wriggle the tank top free, tossing the fabric towards the kitchen and out of thought.
Johnny quickly caught on, returning his hands to her waist and peeling off her leggings with a practised ease. Settling back, he ran the tips of his fingers across her abdomen, chasing it with easy kisses. “Has anyone ever told you how fucking gorgeous you are?”
“Not recently.” She was surprised to feel her face flush with heat. There was an honesty to his words, a genuine quality that juxtaposed the playboy attitude he normally carried like a shield of protection. “And not from anyone…important.”
“Their fucking loss. " Johnny eased himself between her legs, slipping lower to graze his teeth over her inner thigh. “And my incredible gain.”
It became apparent then how deadly serious he was, and how he was going to savour every moment of bringing her undone. The slickness between her legs was evident, waiting, and yet he took his time, moving his tongue over her inner thighs, her labia and everywhere else except the aching centre awaiting him.
Sonya could feel the sweat beading along her throat, the lust taking hold as she dragged her fingers through his hair, trying desperately to find some degree of relief. Johnny, for his part, was unhurried, clearly enjoying edging her along as he tasted and teased at his leisure. Sonya was sure he could hear her heart pounding, but more than that she was sure she could feel a sensation she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in a very long time: joy. And pleasure. Of opening herself up to someone she could see herself sticking around for. It was a heady thought, one for the moment and something she could unpack later when she was alone and less vulnerable.
When finally Johnny parted her with his fingers, giving her cunt a lazy swipe with his tongue, she couldn’t help but gasp, arching her hips against his mouth greedily. Sensation raced through her like a lit fuse to a bomb, but he seemed to be content to torture her, moving slowly and deliberately over her clit. When she made a made a needy noise, rocking against him, Johnny languidly wound his arms around her thighs, anchoring her in place and leaving her at the mercy of his mouth. If flirting had been a game, this was a tournament and the man clearly knew what he was doing, and he was enjoying it. Thoroughly.
All too soon, Sonya’s legs were shaking, and she was almost boneless, leaning back against the couch cushions for support.
Johnny shifted, moving one of her legs to his shoulder and quickening his pace, delving deeper with the tongue as pleasure spiked through her core. The scene alone was enough to put her close to the edge, spread out for him, a look of pure lust in his eyes and her own moisture on shining his lips. When he slid one finger, then another into her, moving them in time with his tongue, Sonya broke, dropping into an intense orgasm that took her breath away. Current after current made her shudder and clench around him, his name spilling from her lips as her heart began to pound….
“Kira!”
Sonya’s eyes flew open as a sharp bang at the door pulled her abruptly from sleep. Tangled in the sheets, fingers stroking over her clit and her orgasm still pulsing strongly as she tried to catch her breath. Around her, the pretty visage of Johnny’s apartment was replaced by the dingy house that she was currently occupying. Not much more than a shack, it boasted only a small kitchen, a table and the bed she was currently sleeping in. Still, it had been robbed by one of the local villagers for her to occupy, and she wasn’t about to turn her nose up at the sacrifice.
Another thump rang at the door, and Kabal’s annoyed voice sounded again. “Kira! Wake the fuck up and haul ass. Kano wants to talk to you at the processing centre.”
“I’m awake.” Her voice was still thickly coated with sleep, and she cleared her throat. “I’ll be there in five. I just have to get dressed.”
“Your fucking funeral if you decide to keep him waiting.” Kabal retreated, the sounds of his steps disappearing down the small front porch and back towards the village centre.
“Good morning to you too, asshole.” With a sigh, she rolled out of bed and stretched, reaching for the duffle bag that held the few pieces of clothing she’d brought with her. Dressing quickly, she tried to recoup and piece together the fantasy that had just played out in her unconscious.
What the fuck had that been?
She had a million more important tasks she needed to complete on this mission. Johnny Cage should have been a wrench thrown into the gears, not showing up in her dreams to play a starring role. As she fought her hair back into a high ponytail and threw on some lipstick, she tried her best to pull her mind away from the intoxicating fantasy. The illusion of not only having a life, but someone to share it with. Pancakes and impromptu movie dates. Amazing sex and stupid squabbles. There was a full picture hanging in her minds eyes and the problem wasn’t, it didn’t seem bad at all.
The thought made her pause at her front door, one hand on the frame as her throat seemed to tighten reflexively.
No, no. She had more important matters at hand. She was slowly gaining Kano’s version of trust, the information she had gathered was almost enough to prove herself an asset to Jax’s fledgling agency. She didn’t need a partner to do it, and certainly didn’t need a lover like Johnny Cage.
And that was the lie she was going to keep repeating to herself as she headed towards the process centre at the heart of Keta-Tendjo.
Because if Sonya admitted to herself that she was as attracted to Johnny as she was, the truth was stark.
She was royally and unequivocally fucked.