Finding Kenna (SEAL Team Hawaii Book 3)

by Susan Stoker

  Kenna sidled back over to Aleck. He stood slowly, testing his leg, pleased that the pain killers they’d given him were doing their thing. He barely felt a twinge. But he was well aware that for the next few days, both him and Kenna would be hurting. He planned to hole up with her in his condo, neither coming out for a week. They’d take care of each other…and bask in the fact that they were still alive.

  “At least we don’t have to worry about that asshole coming after Carly again,” Elodie said as she leaned against Mustang.

  Aleck met Jag’s gaze and knew he was thinking the same thing. Yes, Shawn was out of the picture, but his accomplice wasn’t.

  Carly might not know it, but she was about to have a Navy SEAL glued to her hip. Jag would make sure she was safe until whoever had been out in that ocean was discovered—and any threat to Carly ended once and for all.

  “I can’t believe someone was crazy enough to be out on the ocean in that storm,” Kenna mumbled. “I mean, assuming that’s how Shawn was going to get off the beach like the cops think. It was probably Luke. Shawn’s son.”

  “We’ll figure out who it was and make sure he’s not a threat to Carly in the future,” Jag said, determination easy to hear in his tone.

  “Can we talk about the note you got…and didn’t tell me about?” Aleck asked Kenna.

  She turned to him. “I honestly thought it was that stupid guy from Duke’s. The one who was abusing his wife and kid, who I’d called the cops on,” she said. “It said something about minding my business. I got it right after that incident, the day after you were deployed. I honestly forgot about it with everything else going on, especially since I didn’t get any others. Besides, you didn’t tell me you got a note either.”

  Aleck took a deep breath. He had no right to be upset with her when he’d also gotten a note and dismissed it. He was sorrier than he could say that he hadn’t taken it more seriously. “You’re right. I should’ve said something. Jag got one too,” he told her.

  Kenna looked at his friend with wide eyes. “You did?”

  “Yes. I figured it was from Shawn, but like everyone else, I never expected he’d do something as extreme as he did,” Jag said.

  “The second I learned about Jag getting a note, I put it together, but it was too late,” Aleck said. “Shawn was already at the restaurant.”

  “Carly got a note. More than one, actually.” Kenna shivered. “I’m just so glad she wasn’t there.”

  “Anyone else get any fucking notes?” Mustang asked, looking at Elodie and Lexie.

  “Don’t look at me,” Elodie said immediately, shaking her head.

  “Nope, not me,” Lexie added with a shrug.

  “Well, in the future, if anyone does receive any threatening notes, no matter who you think they’re from, can we all agree to say something about it?” Mustang asked.

  Everyone immediately nodded.

  The realization that he wasn’t the only one who’d dismissed the note should’ve made Aleck feel better, but it didn’t. Because his mistake had almost meant Kenna’s death. He never would’ve forgiven himself if she’d been hurt worse than the cut under her chin.

  “Okay, time’s up,” the nurse said as she stuck her head back into the room. “Everyone out.”

  The guys each approached and gave Kenna heartfelt hugs. Aleck was almost brought to tears again, seeing how much they all worried and cared about her. Some men might’ve been jealous, but not him. He wanted his friends to like his woman, as much as he liked theirs.

  Elodie and Lexie took a bit longer saying goodbye, with Elodie promising to make several meals so Kenna didn’t have to worry about cooking.

  “Bring them to my place,” Aleck told her.

  She smiled. “Of course.”

  Kenna gave him some side-eye, but she didn’t complain or protest.

  Lexie promised to come by and see her soon, and to bring Ashlyn as well.

  Slate told Aleck he’d wait and drive them both home. “We’ll get both of your cars to Coral Springs,” he reassured them before heading out.

  After their friends had all left, the room almost felt too quiet.

  “I’ll bring by your discharge papers,” the nurse told them. “Sit. Get off that leg. Relax,” she ordered, then left.

  Aleck ignored her. He was fine. His leg was fine. All he needed was to hold Kenna. He gathered her against his chest and sighed deeply. It had been a hell of a night, and there were a few times he hadn’t been sure he’d get a chance to hold her again.

  “That sucked,” she muttered against his neck.

  “Yeah.”

  “Is that what it’s like when you’re on a mission?” she asked.

  Aleck couldn’t help but chuckle. “Not even fucking close,” he told her.

  Kenna looked up at him. “Really?”

  “Really. I’ve never felt as helpless on a mission as I did tonight. I had no plan. I was frozen in fear for you. I knew if I made the wrong decision, it could result in your death. I didn’t have my team at my side—well, not all of them, and Jag and Pid didn’t have a plan either. That’s a shitty feeling for a SEAL. And above everything else, I knew I wouldn’t be able to survive if something happened to you. I’d never recover. So yeah, it sucked.”

  “Marshall,” she whispered.

  “I’m proud of you,” he told her, moving one hand to her nape in the familiar hold they both loved so much. “From the first time you jumped on my head, I’ve known you’re a woman of action. You’d never sit back and do nothing when someone was in danger, including if that someone was you.”

  “I didn’t jump on your head,” she grumbled without heat.

  “I love you,” Aleck said. “So much it almost scares me. You’ve somehow changed my whole outlook on life. The sun seems brighter, the water is crisper, the air is cleaner. I wake up thinking about you, and I go to sleep with you on my mind as well. You’re literally the best thing to ever happen to me, and I have no idea what I’d do without you in my life.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she told him. “You’re stuck with me.”

  “Forever?”

  “Yup.”

  “Good. So we’re getting married?”

  Kenna snort-laughed. “Um…”

  “You said forever.”

  Kenna leaned up and kissed his lips. It was a short kiss, and Aleck so badly wanted to deepen it. But there would be time to reaffirm that they were both alive later. He had plans to make love to her for days. Long and slow, hard and fast. Staying inside her long after they were both satisfied. He needed their connection. Needed to feel her heartbeat against his chest as he held her.

  “Yes,” she said simply. “But not tonight. And not tomorrow. And I want a luau. With the whole roasted-pig-in-the-ground thing. It should be a big party, not all dressy. I want everyone to be comfortable and happy. Um…if that’s all right,” she said a little sheepishly.

  Aleck chuckled. “As long as we end the day with my ring on your finger, and yours on mine, you can have any kind of wedding you want.”

  “And our parents should be here,” she added.

  “Of course. I can’t wait to introduce you to mine,” he said, knowing his mom and dad would fall head over heels in love with Kenna, just as he had.

  “Same,” she agreed. “I love you, Marshall. So much. I was so scared about you doing something that would get you killed.”

  “It’s over,” Aleck told her, ignoring the niggling voice in the back of his head that reminded him of the loose end in the situation.

  “You two ready to go?” the nurse said as she came back into the room, making Kenna flinch against him as the woman startled her.

  Aleck tightened his hold for a second, then slowly let go. She turned and nodded at the woman. “We’re ready.”

  Twenty minutes later, they were sitting in the backseat of Slate’s black Chevy Trailblazer. Kenna pretty much kept the conversation going all the way back to his condo, being careful not to mention anything about
Shawn, Duke’s, or what had happened.

  Slate pulled up as close to the front doors as he could and walked around to hold the door as Kenna and Aleck climbed out. It was nearly three in the morning now, and no one was around, which Aleck was glad for. He wanted to get Kenna upstairs and in bed before she crashed.

  Slate surprised the hell out of him when he yanked Aleck into his arms for a quick but heartfelt hug. “I’m glad you didn’t get dead.”

  Then he nodded at them both before jogging back around to the driver’s side of the car.

  “I love your friends,” Kenna said softly.

  Aleck did too. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

  “And you. Your leg has to hurt.”

  It was beginning to throb a bit, but Aleck wasn’t going to admit that to Kenna. He was more concerned about getting her settled.

  They nodded at the nighttime security guard but didn’t stop to chat.

  Without discussion, as soon as they entered the condo and the door shut behind them, Kenna and Aleck headed for the master bedroom. They changed, brushed their teeth, and climbed into bed.

  Kenna carefully snuggled into Aleck’s side, and for the first time since he’d seen Shawn holding her captive at Duke’s, he relaxed.

  Neither spoke. There were no words that needed to be said. They were both alive, and for the moment, that was enough.

  Kenna nodded off almost immediately, but it took Aleck a bit longer. He lay in the dark holding the most precious and important thing in his life, reflecting on how differently the night could’ve gone. He finally fell asleep to the vision of Kenna, covered in sand, lying in the pouring rain and smiling up at him. She might not need a man, but he sure as hell needed her.

  Epilogue

  “No. Absolutely not,” Kenna said emphatically. She and Marshall were mostly healed from that horrible night two weeks ago. They’d spent the first week holed up in his condo. Robert had heard what happened and had taken it upon himself to make sure they had everything they needed. Elodie had sent over the most mouthwatering meals, and Lexie and Ashlyn texted nonstop.

  Marshall’s teammates had also been sweet in their own ways. Making sure their vehicles were retrieved from the parking garage in Waikiki and keeping Aleck appraised about what was happening at work.

  The only dim spot was Carly. Kenna had spoken to her only briefly, and Carly had sobbed, apologizing profusely, devastated over what had happened. No matter how many times Kenna swore it wasn’t her fault, Carly wouldn’t accept it.

  Then Kaleen texted Kenna to tell her Carly had quit Duke’s.

  Now her friend wasn’t answering her calls or texts.

  Kenna was all set to drive to Carly’s apartment to make her talk, when Aleck told her that Jag was in constant contact with her, and assured her that Carly just needed some time to process what had happened. Kenna wasn’t happy, but she trusted Jag, and now that she knew he was keeping an eye on Carly, she’d decided to leave her alone…for now.

  She and Carly were definitely going to have a long talk, but if she truly needed some time to process everything, Kenna would give it to her.

  Marshall had gone back to work, and she’d done a couple of lunch shifts at Duke’s. Kenna was itching to get back to normal sooner than later. Shawn had disrupted their lives long enough.

  She and Marshall had just finished dinner and were sitting on his balcony, enjoying the evening, when he’d dropped a bombshell on her.

  “It’s for the best,” Marshall soothed.

  Kenna shook her head. “No, seriously. Not happening,” she informed him. “I can’t believe you’d even think about selling this place.”

  “It makes more sense for us to live in Waikiki,” Marshall said, keeping his voice calm. “I’ve been looking online and there are some incredible condos down there. With ocean views, since I know how much you love this balcony.”

  “It’s not just the balcony,” Kenna insisted. “It’s the beach where we had our first real date. It’s Robert—I can’t imagine not seeing him every day. It’s the master bathroom where you went down on me that first time…It’s the memories, Marshall. I love this condo. I don’t want to live anywhere else.”

  “Come ’ere,” Marshall said as he held out his hand.

  Kenna wasn’t sure she wanted to cuddle right now, but she stood and took his hand anyway. He pulled her down beside him on the chaise and wrapped an arm around her back, holding her securely. They lay there for several minutes before he spoke.

  “I just thought getting a condo in Waikiki would make your life easier. You’ve spent every night here for the last two weeks, and it’s a pain for you to have to drive so far to work.”

  Kenna came up on an elbow so she could meet Marshall’s gaze. “I know I pitched a fit when I first discovered you lived here, but I’ve come to love everything about Coral Springs. The memories we have here are irreplaceable. And yes, I understand that we probably won’t live here for the rest of our lives, and memories live on forever, but there’s no need to move right now.”

  “I don’t like you driving so late at night,” he argued.

  Kenna knew this was what a relationship was about. Give and take. She wanted to protest that she was perfectly capable of driving at night by herself. But after everything that had happened, she also understood his obsessive need to keep her safe.

  “What if I picked you up after your shift?” Marshall suggested. “I’m not going to be able to sleep until you get home anyway. Maybe we can look into a ride-share or a taxi or something for you to get to Duke’s in the afternoon, since I’ll still be at work. Would you be okay with that?”

  “If it means us staying here at Coral Springs, yes,” she told him. “This is closer to the base for you, so if there’s an emergency, you can get there faster.”

  Marshall leaned down and kissed her thoroughly. By the time he lifted his head, Kenna was way-the-hell turned on. His gaze flicked to her chest, then back to her face. She could feel her nipples rubbing against the T-shirt she was wearing. She hadn’t bothered with putting on a bra when she’d changed after getting home from the lunch shift earlier that afternoon.

  Without a word, Marshall stood, grabbed her hand, and headed inside so fast, she stumbled after him. But she wasn’t afraid of falling, Marshall would never let her hit the ground.

  He didn’t stop until he’d reached the side of their bed. Didn’t speak as he stripped her shirt off her body and pushed her leggings and underwear over her hips. Then he picked her up and threw her onto the mattress as if she weighed nothing more than a feather.

  Laughing, Kenna came up on her elbows to watch Marshall take off his own clothes. Within seconds, he was looming over her. They didn’t speak as he settled between her legs, shoving them farther apart before he went down on her.

  Kenna gasped, excitement filling her. She and Marshall had made love since that awful night two weeks ago, but Marshall had been extremely careful. And while she loved when he treated her gently, she’d missed this part of him. The bossy, impatient, dominant side that took what he wanted without hesitation or permission.

  Kenna’s libido went crazy when he got like this. She moaned as he ate ravenously, as if he couldn’t get enough. He licked, sucked, and finger-fucked her, his mouth closing around her clit. It didn’t take her long to orgasm, and she was still shaking when he rose to his knees, stroking his cock a few times and spreading his own precome down the length. Before long, he’d notched the mushroomed head of his cock to her opening.

  “Yes,” she encouraged as he hesitated a fraction of a second.

  Then he was inside her once again. She was so wet, so turned on, she took him easily, as if she’d been made just for this man—and she felt like she was.

  He fucked her hard and fast, groaning every time he bottomed out inside her. One of his hands moved between them and he flicked her clit with a firm touch. He knew exactly how and where to touch her to make her fly.

  And fly she did. Her inner muscle
s gripped him tightly as she came. Marshall moaned as he fucked her through her orgasm, pushing inside her so deep, Kenna felt a pinch of pain. Then he came. And came. And came. So much, she wasn’t sure he would ever stop.

  When he finally opened his eyes and looked at her, she melted at his loving expression.

  He fell to his side, holding her ass so she wouldn’t lose his cock, then rolled to his back. This was one of Kenna’s favorite positions. Straddling his waist, his dick deep inside her, and using his chest as a pillow. His hand stayed on her butt, making it clear he was happy right where he was.

  He spoke for the first time since bringing her into the room. “I love you, Kenna. I’d live on the moon if you wanted to. I just want you to be safe. And happy.”

  “I am,” she reassured him. “I can’t imagine us being anywhere else.”

  “All right.”

  “All right?” she asked. “We’ll stay here? No more talk about selling and moving to Waikiki?”

  Marshall nodded.

  “Yay!” Kenna said with a huge smile.

  Marshall grinned and shook his head in exasperation.

  “You know it’s early, right?” she asked. “Are we going to sleep now?”

  His easy grin turned a bit wicked. “A nap, yes. Then you’re gonna suck my cock and I’m gonna eat you out. Then I want to take you from behind, before fucking you face-to-face again.”

  “Do I have any say in this?” she teased.

  “No.”

  But she knew otherwise. He’d never do anything she wasn’t one hundred percent all right with. “Okay. But I want to try reverse cowgirl. You know, on top but facing your feet.”

  “Done,” he said without hesitation.

  As if she even thought he’d disagree.

  She squirmed a bit on top of him and his hand tightened on her ass cheek.

  “Stay still,” he told her. “I want to fall asleep inside you.”

  Damn, she liked his bossy side.

  She clenched around his cock, and felt him twitch.

  “No,” he said, slapping her ass gently. “It’s too soon, and I took you hard. You need to recover.”