by Anna Hackett
He and Griff had been total opposites, but the best of friends despite it. God, she missed her brother. The Gizzida had killed her family in the first wave of the invasion.
“Are you okay?” a quiet voice asked.
Indy turned her head and looked at Arden. The woman was Squad Nine’s comms officer, and even though the two of them were like chalk and cheese, they’d become good friends.
“I’m okay,” Indy said.
“The berserkers are on their way back?”
“Yeah. Touching down shortly.”
For the longest time, Indy had watched Arden’s sad eyes and quiet manner. The woman was an excellent comms officer, and did her job competently, but she always held herself apart. Even from her squad.
But recently, Indy had seen signs that the woman was slowly coming out of her grief. The poor thing had lost her husband and kids in the invasion. Indy rubbed the ache in her own heart, thinking of her own family. It was something that left deep scars.
Like a bloom, Arden was slowly flowering. Slowly. Maybe Indy had something to do with that. She bullied the woman relentlessly into hanging out at the rec room, or joining her for a meal, or the two of them sitting quietly scribbling in their sketchbooks.
Indy looked at the screen again, and felt another shot of the fear she’d felt when she’d thought Griff had been hurt. Screw this. As she always did, Indy was going to embrace life and have some damn fun. “I need a drink. And you’re coming with me.”
Arden’s nose wrinkled.
Indy held up a hand. “I won’t take no for an answer.”
The other woman heaved out a sigh, but smiled briefly.
Soon, both of them strode into the rec room. At the self-service bar, Indy wasted no time lining up a couple of tequila shots.
Arden grimaced. “I don’t really like tequila.”
“You do today.” Yeah, the elegant, composed Arden was more a crisp, white wine kind of lady.
Indy was not.
With a laugh, Indy clinked her shot glass against Arden’s, then tossed the liquor back. She watched Arden down hers with another grimace and a shiver.
Taking pity on her friend, Indy poured her a glass of white wine. She grabbed herself a homebrewed beer.
“Gah, I hate this song.” Sickly-sweet pop was not Indy’s thing. One silver lining of the alien invasion was that there wasn’t a new crowd of pop divas and boy bands to suffer through.
She headed for the comp that controlled the music, and dialed up something more her speed. The rock song made the speakers thump, the drumbeat pounding through the rec room. For a second, she was back in her old, pre-invasion job. She’d managed a trendy nightclub back in Phoenix. She’d been damn good at it, even if her parents had thought she’d been wasting her life.
Letting the music take over, she wiggled her hips, and Arden gave her a small smile.
“You just let loose, don’t you?”
“Yep.” Indy took a sip of her beer. “Life’s too short, Ard. It was before, and it especially is now.”
Arden’s smile faded. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
Damn, Indy hadn’t meant to remind the woman of her loss. “Come on, let’s play some pool.”
“Do we have to?”
They headed for the pool tables, and Indy had barely chalked her cue when a young guy appeared.
“I’d be up for a game,” he said, with a smile.
He was cute. Probably a few years younger than Indy, with thick, blond hair and a hard bod that said he worked out at the gym. Although he was no soldier, by the look of him.
Arden waved a hand in a “go ahead” gesture and sat on a nearby stool.
Indy cocked her hip at the man. “I’d be up for accepting your offer. How about we bet a month’s worth of clothing credits?”
Everyone in the Enclave was given a strict credit allowance at the clothing store. Indy was always desperate for more.
The man’s smile widened. “You’re on. I’m Mike, by the way.”
They weren’t far into the game when she heard the berserkers arrive. They were only silent when they had to sneak up on the Gizzida. She looked over, and when Hemi caught her gaze, she blew him a kiss.
The others were already at the bar, and she surreptitiously looked at Griff.
Damn him. Damn him for being so handsome and lickable. He might annoy her, but he sure floated her boat. He had ever since her hormones kicked in and she’d grown breasts. His hair was an oak-brown color and was cut short, and his face was classically handsome. He had sexy gray eyes that could be serious one second, and teasing the next. He was all rock-hard muscle with honey skin.
He’d always been a little straight, a good guy, the one who followed the rules and did the right thing. He’d done well at school and been star quarterback of the football team. The perfect kind of guy to become a cop. She’d always enjoyed teasing him when they were kids, telling him to live a little. He’d give her a slow grin that used to light up her insides.
Now he rarely smiled. She realized she’d give anything to see that grin again.
Then she snorted, shutting the thought down. She looked up and saw her cute opponent grinning at her.
She shoved Griffin Callan out of her head. With a wide smile at Mike, she bent over the pool table to take her next shot.
Chapter Two
Griff sipped his beer, listening to the laughter and conversation around him in the rec room.
Across from him, Hemi sat with his woman Cam in his lap. The long, lean Squad Nine soldier was smiling at Hemi. Ash was sitting beside them, cradling his beer. His girlfriend, Marin, wasn’t there. She was an integral part of the tech team and busy with work.
Feminine laughter broke out, followed by a deep chuckle. Levi was sitting on a stool with his legs spread and his redhead Chrissy between them. They were laughing and staring into each other’s eyes. Those two were either laughing or fighting…the couple appeared to get off on both.
Flanking Griff were Tane and Dom. Both men were quiet, drinking their beers and watching the others. Dom had a faint smile on his face, and Tane was shaking his head.
Yeah, half of Squad Three was happily shacked up and in love. Happy. For a second, Griff thought of Amelia.
His former fiancée would never have survived the aftermath of the invasion. That woman had owned more high-heeled shoes and designer clothes than anyone he knew. She’d been desperately excited for them to get married, and Griff had thought he’d spend the rest of his life with her, working overtime to pay for the shoes and the clothes. She’d been keen for them to get a bigger house and have kids straightaway. He’d thought they were happy.
Hell, they hadn’t even survived his trial. When he’d looked into her pretty blue eyes, he’d known instantly that she didn’t believe that he’d been framed. Hadn’t believed he was innocent.
“What did you make of the town today?”
Tane’s deep voice brought Griff back from his unhappy thoughts. “Something’s definitely off there.”
Tane nodded. “There have been humans around there. Up to something.”
“And the aliens were there, too. Far too close to the Enclave.”
Ash leaned forward. “Well, we all know the raptors have a hard-on for the Enclave.”
The Gizzida had been poking relentlessly at the Enclave recently. Attacking the base’s defenses, trying to get inside, sending increased patrols to the area. That had culminated in them recently taking over a neighboring, abandoned coal mine. They’d planted fucked-up landmines around the Enclave, and had been planning a larger attack.
One that Manu and Kate had foiled.
It was blatantly clear the aliens were attempting to keep the Enclave and its residents very busy.
“Other bases are reporting the same,” Tane said. “Increased alien presence that’s keeping them locked in and on the defensive.”
Griff tapped his fingers on his beer bottle. “They’re purposely keeping us pinned down. That way, we’re too bus
y defending ourselves to have time for any offense.”
Everyone fell silent. That meant the aliens wanted them cornered, and not out searching for the mysterious, black, octagon-shaped device that the berserkers had spotted on a previous mission.
It was becoming crystal clear that the Gizzida were up to something, and they didn’t want the humans to know what it was.
Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be good.
Griff took another sip of his beer. They needed to figure out how to defeat the Gizzida, once and for all. Otherwise, the aliens would keep picking them off until there were no human survivors left.
Throaty, feminine laughter caught his ear and he glanced across the room.
Instantly, his gaze snagged on Indy. She had her dark hair loose, and it fell around her striking face in sexy waves. She wasn’t beautiful, but her bold features and bright-blue eyes drew a man’s gaze. She smiled, all sass and color. His gaze fell on her tattoos—a tangle of red roses and green vines down both her arms.
He went hard. He muttered a mental curse, and when she swiveled and leaned over the table, his gaze went straight to her denim-covered ass. The dark jeans molded her curves, and the sight made his cock throb against his zipper.
Damn. Griff blew out a breath. He’d wanted her so much when she’d been a teen. She’d been bright, gorgeous, and wild. But he’d fought it, because she’d been too young. Besides, Gareth would have skinned Griff alive if he’d touched his baby sister.
He’d kept fighting the attraction, even when she’d hit twenty and thrown herself at him. It had taken every ounce of self-control to push her away. He’d been at the Police Academy by then, focused on his career, not relationships. And he’d been loyal to Gareth. The bro code meant he couldn’t touch his best friend’s little sister.
Now…
He watched her opponent at the pool table sidle closer, the young man’s gaze dropping to her breasts. Griff slammed his beer down.
Now, he was going to do something about it.
He ignored Tane calling out his name and sauntered over to the pool table. The man was smiling at Indy, and still stealing glances at the way her fitted tank top hugged her full breasts.
When he spotted Griff getting closer, the man froze.
“Go,” Griff said.
The man blinked. “What?”
“Go. Now.”
“Hey!” Indy shoved a hand on her hip.
The man took one look at Griff’s stony face, set his cue down, and made a beeline for the other side of the room.
Indy rounded on Griff. “What the hell?”
“I was keeping that idiot from slobbering all over you.”
She shoved her hands against his chest. He didn’t budge and her scowl deepened. “No one invited you to come over here and act all obnoxious alpha-male.”
“I’m keeping you out of trouble.”
She arched a brow. “Maybe I like trouble.”
Griff moved closer, sliding one hand into her hair. “Watch that mouth of yours, Indiana. It’s going to get you into trouble one day.”
His gaze settled on her slim shoulders and those damn pretty tattoos. He longed to know what other ones she had that he couldn’t see. He eyed the straps of her tank top. Shit. He wondered how easily the straps would rip in his hands.
She was all lethal curves, and that ink that he wanted to trace with his mouth. And her lips. Her lips were full and pouty.
Keep it together, Callan.
“Back off.” Indy let out a mad huff and tried to stomp down on his foot.
Griff shifted, pinning her between him and the pool table.
“Once a cop, always a cop,” she bit out. “It’s in your veins to boss people around.”
“Indy—”
She leaned in and her breasts rubbed against his chest. “You’re not a cop anymore, Griff, and you’re not my brother.”
He got a whiff of her scent. She smelled like coconuts. Always had. It made him think of sandy beaches, and that body of hers in a tiny bikini.
“I’m not a little girl for you to watch out for anymore,” she snapped.
“I know that.”
“Then what’s your problem? I was having fun.”
He angled his head. “My problem is that I don’t need to watch you flirting. I’ve spent the last twenty minutes watching that perfect ass of yours bending over this pool table.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why the hell are you watching my ass?”
He lowered his head, their lips only an inch apart. “Because it’s damn hard to miss it.” His voice dropped. “And I wanted to sink my teeth into it.”
Her eyes flared wide. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me.”
“You told me ten years ago that my ass held no appeal. That I’m like a sister to you.”
Griff tightened his hold in her thick, shiny hair. “It was a lie. Right now, I’m so close to tearing your clothes off you, you wouldn’t believe it. Back then, you were too young, and my best friend’s sister.”
Her mouth dropped open. “What?”
“In case I’m not making myself clear, Indy, I want you under me, or riding me. I want my cock deep inside you.”
She gasped, and Griff held back a self-satisfied smirk. For once, Indy Bennett was speechless.
“I just thought I should make myself clear.” Griff gave her hair a tug, then turned and headed back to his squad.
Let her chew on that for a while.
Indy gripped her large mug of coffee and breathed deep. Mmm. Her favorite roasted Arabica beans.
She needed the caffeine this morning. She’d tossed and turned in her sheets all damn night like a pro-wrestler. She had managed a few hours of sleep, but only after she’d resorted to using her vibrator to get rid of the restless desire that had been throbbing through her body. If she’d imagined an annoying, hard-bodied, ex-cop, ex-con berserker when she’d come, she wasn’t admitting it to anyone, especially herself.
Fucking Griff Callan.
How dare he drop that bombshell on her? How dare he think she’d give a damn? How dare he think he could ignore her for years and now change his mind?
She stomped into the Hawk hangar and spotted the guys all in their gear, standing in front of one of the quadcopters.
She met Griff’s gaze defiantly, and then almost bobbled her coffee.
A pure electric pulse of heat arced between them.
Of course, he looked good. So tough and sexy in his black, carbon-fiber armor. His face was set to serious, his brown hair a little mussed.
She switched her gaze to Tane. “You guys ready to head back to the town?”
Tane glanced her way and nodded. “We’re going to take another look around Berrima. See if we can find where the survivors are.” The squad leader frowned. “And find out why the aliens seem so comfortable traipsing through the place.”
For a second, Indy wondered why she couldn’t have a thing for Tane. He was tall and built. He didn’t smile much, but he had a handsome face, when you looked past his scary, badass vibe.
Shit, focus on the mission, Indy. She sipped her coffee. She knew the squad was really searching for any sign of the black octagon weapon. It was the talk of the base. Every survivor was wondering exactly what it spelled for the humans.
The answer to that was nothing good. Anything the aliens cooked up meant death and destruction.
Suddenly, Tane’s head lifted, his gaze arrowing over Indy’s shoulder. She glanced back and watched a woman enter the Hawk hangar. Like Indy, she wore jeans and a tank top. Her silver-white hair was in a ponytail, and her skin was pale and gleaming. Unlike Indy, she had a large, black bird perched on her shoulder.
Selena, their resident alien.
The woman wasn’t Gizzida, but a species that was one of the Gizzida’s enemies. She’d been captured and held captive until Hell Squad had rescued her.
When she’d first arrived at the Enclave, the woman had been thin, shell-shocked, and sad. But o
ver the months, she’d made a place for herself among them and was getting stronger, and gaining confidence.
Selena headed over to one of the Hawks and Indy saw the chief Hawk pilot, Finn, wave a hand at her. The black bird lifted off Selena with a flap of wings and landed on Finn’s broad shoulder. It nuzzled into the man’s neck.
Indy turned back and found Tane still watching the woman with intense interest. Indy pressed her tongue to her teeth. Nothing made Tane lose focus. Hmm. Something going on there, by the looks of things.
Then Tane blinked and straightened. He turned back to the Hawk. “Okay, everyone aboard. Let’s get this mission rolling.”
The team climbed into the quadcopter. But suddenly, Griff pivoted and moved close to Indy. She stiffened.
As soon as he got close, her nipples pebbled against her bra. She sucked in a breath, but all that did was fill her senses with Griff’s clean, soap smell.
Before she knew what he had planned, he reached out and nabbed her coffee and took a sip.
“Hey, hands off, asshole,” she snapped.
Her gaze clashed with his. When they’d been younger, he’d always stolen her drink and taken a sip. Back then, it had usually been cola, and they’d both laughed at the game.
At the time, he’d looked like a young god to her—golden skin, handsome face, thick, brown hair. Just the thought of Griff’s lips on anything of hers had sent her into fits of delight.
Now, he was a hard, intense man. Once, he’d laughed all the time. Now, he didn’t even smile.
She snatched the coffee back. A lot had changed. “You steal my coffee again, I’ll lead you right into a raptor patrol and—”
His hands gripped her waist and he whipped them around a stack of crates, out of view of the quadcopter.
Then his mouth was on hers.
Oh, God. Heat. Electricity. So fucking good.
He tasted like her coffee and she moaned. Her travel mug fell from nerveless fingers, and she wrapped her arms around him.
She rubbed against him, kissing him back, hard. His arms snaked around her, his hands sliding over her ass.
“Always knew you’d taste delicious,” he murmured.
