Bone

by Ainsley Cole

  She scrambled, feeling hands on her hips. She screamed, trying to wrestle free, but Bones’ smooth voice came to her ears, “It's me, honey.”

  He guided her to Reaper, and the man lifted a knife, cutting the rope from her wrists. She turned, throwing her arms around Bones’ neck as the gunfire died down. He held her to him, kissing the side of her neck. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

  She stepped back, looking into his eyes. “Don’t be stupid. You came back for me.”

  “Of course I did,” he replied, leaning forward, kissing her, crushing her to him.

  “Jeez, get a room.” Queenie’s voice came to them, and they both turned, rolling their eyes at the man. “One of those might do for a quickie.”

  “Fuck off, Milo.” Bones chuckled as he turned his head. Wolf was standing over Ungato, his pistol trained on the big man. He looked back to her, and she knew while the militia was all but finished, this wasn’t over yet.

  * * *

  Bones stood over Ungato, watching the man writhing on the ground. His team was rounding up the rest of the militia. Not that there were that many of them left. They’d either run off or had been killed.

  Bones’ foot went out, tipping the African over onto his back. He crouched down, staring at him. “Ungato. I told you this wouldn’t end well.”

  He looked up at Bones, anger in his eyes. “Fuck you.”

  Bones tipped his head to the side. “You’re not going to stop, are you?”

  The man’s silence told Bones he wouldn’t. He’d crawl away from this and be back again, trying to lure him to his death.

  He stood, looking down at him, raising his gaze to Wolf. “Ethan?”

  “It’s your call, Braedon. You know we support whatever decision you make.”

  Bones nodded, looking back down at Ungato, “Want to join your family?”

  The man’s anger disappeared in an instant, and he closed his eyes. His lip quivered, giving Bones the approval without saying a word.

  Lifting his hand, he reached behind him, taking the pistol out of the back of his fatigues and aimed it at the man’s skull. Closing his eyes, he let off two rounds.

  The silence which ensued was eerie.

  It was over. His nightmare which had started in Kenya, close to ten years ago, was done. He had no reason to ever come back to this cursed country.

  “Bones!”

  He spun, seeing the kid coming from the shadows, a syringe aimed at Abigail.

  Time seemed to slow as the kid lunged at her, his arm raised.

  Bones lifted his pistol as Apollo came out of nowhere and crash tackled the man to the ground.

  * * *

  Abigail squealed as Apollo and the man went crashing to the ground.

  Apollo’s huge hands went around the kid’s neck, and he twisted as they rolled, throwing the kid to the side of him. The kid jumped up, and four sets of guns went off, riddling his body with bullets as Abigail slammed her hands over her ears.

  The kid’s body danced, punctured with bullets and he fell to the ground.

  Empty handed.

  “Apollo!”

  She scrambled to the man. Sliding to her knees in the dirt, she watched as he rolled to his back, the syringe sticking out of his stomach. He lifted his blue gaze to her, bottom lip trembling as he moaned in pain. “Fuck. Well, that’s not good.”

  “Baz!”

  Bones was by his side in an instant, hands going to his stomach, pulling the syringe from the man’s skin. Apollo hissed, looking down as Bones lifted his shirt. The puncture mark was bruising already, and he looked up at Abigail.

  “How long?”

  “What?” She blinked, looking at Bones.

  “We all know what was in that needle. How fucking long does he have?” His tone was harsh, and Abigail frowned, shaking her head.

  “I don’t know. A couple hours?”

  “Fuck!”

  She watched as Apollo lifted his hand, grabbing Bones’ collar. “There are coagulants in the Humvee. I brought them with us. They might give me a shot of getting back in time.”

  Bones lifted his head, looking over to his men. “Wolf, Humvee. Now."

  The American Indian nodded, taking off from the camp to get the vehicle and Bones looked down at his man. “It’s going to be fine, brother.”

  Apollo nodded, tipping his head back, his breathing slowing. He would know what he had to do. Slow his body, his heartrate. The calmer he was, the slower the poison would travel.

  Abigail sat back on her rump, staring at Bones as he pulled Apollo closer to him, cradling him in his arms, smoothing back his blond curls. Hot tears started to run down her face.

  She had done this.

  Ungato might have been the start of this whole thing, but she had been the bait. To get Bones to Kenya. For him to be here, cradling one of his men in his arms, while he started to hemorrhage to death.

  She looked around her.

  Bodies lay everywhere.

  Militia lay where they fell, riddled with bullets.

  Ungato, missing half his face, was bleeding out into the dirt of his home country.

  It was carnage to a scale she had never seen. And she hoped she would never see again.

  She sniffed as the rumble of an engine came to her ears.

  Bones stood, lifting Apollo, and Queenie came over, helping to support the injured man. She stared up at them, Bones not meeting her gaze, and her stomach contracted. Did he blame her for their situation too?

  Wolf pulled the car up next to them, jumping out, and helped load Apollo into the Humvee.

  Abigail still sat in the dirt, her body shuddering as shock started to set in.

  Reaper’s hands were soft on her, lifting her to her feet. “Come on, Abigail. Let’s get out of here.”

  She was shaking still, her legs like jelly as the Irishman led her to the Humvee.

  Bones was sitting in the back, still cradling Apollo’s head in his lap as Wolf started the engine.

  With the Humvee loaded up, they sped out of the camp. Leaving the bodies of the militia and their leader lying in the dirt of Kenya.

  Chapter Nine

  He hadn’t left Apollo’s side in days.

  They’d managed to make it back in time for the antivenom to work. Two blood transfusions later and he was on the road to recovery. He’d still need more once they got back to the States, but for now he was out of the woods.

  Bones lifted his head as the door opened and Wolf walked in.

  “She’s gone back.”

  He knew she would have. But hearing it almost killed him.

  Not once during the time Apollo was in hospital had he spoken to her. He was too worried about his adopted brother. He’d entertained the thought on more than one occasion that she had been the cause. But finally, he had no-one to blame but himself. He should have killed Ungato the first time.

  Now, he might have lost her.

  “Did Queenie and Reaper go too?”

  “Yes, they have the report Apollo made, before the attack. They’re handing it over with other documents.”

  Bones nodded, leaning forward, his elbows going to his knees, his head to his hands.

  “The police finished up their report too.”

  Bones lifted his head, looking at Wolf. “And?”

  “They couldn’t find any of our ammo.”

  “Bullshit. They’re happy we took out their trash.”

  “For sure.” Wolf nodded, walking to the side of the bed. He looked over the sleeping Apollo. “How is he?”

  “He’s going to live. He’s had two transfusions. He’ll need more once we get home. But they think he will be ready to leave tomorrow.”

  “Good. I’ll organize the transport.” Wolf nodded, stepping back. “Want anything?”

  “How about a time machine?”

  “For?”

  “Go back and make sure I finished Ungato properly the first time.”

  Wolf chuckled, and Bones sighed, frowning.

 
; “And slap myself for getting involved with Abigail,” he muttered, leaning back in the chair. “You told me I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

  Wolf came around the bed, crouching in front of him, his hand going to his knee. “Braedon, I have known you for twenty years. I have never ever known you to be so hung up about a woman in all that time. You don’t have to keep berating yourself.”

  Bones pursed his lips, looking down at the Indian. “But you said—”

  Wolf chuckled, shaking his head. “Fuck what I said. What you do need to do, though, is get off your hairy ass and go and get her.”

  * * *

  Chris had been ecstatic Abigail had made it out alive.

  As one of her closest friends in the company, he’d all but peed himself when she had stepped into his office. Andrew, on the other hand, had given her a wide berth. Maybe she scared him with how bruised she was. Or maybe he’d overheard Chris asking her about Bones and Abigail, filling him in on what had happened, including their passionate night.

  Either way, she was happy. She wouldn’t have to deal with the creep any more than necessary.

  It had been a week since she had come back from Kenya. With the time spent in a Nairobi hotel while Apollo was seen to in the hospital, the plane flight back from Africa. The time had whizzed by.

  Today was the day she handed her report in.

  Smoothing her hand over her face, she looked in the mirror. The swelling in her lip had finally gone down, but the bruising under her makeup would take longer.

  A knock at the door caught her attention, and she turned, opening it.

  “Ready, Abigail?”

  Reaper was standing outside, Queenie waiting near the door. They had come with her to deliver the report, leaving Wolf, Apollo, and Bones in Nairobi. “Yep. Let’s get this over and done with.”

  Walking the hall with the mercenaries, she felt nervous. She still had nightmares of what had happened. But she also had fantasies and flashbacks of Bones and her. She could still feel the hot press of his body against hers.

  Stepping into the meeting room, she walked to the front of the room, her stomach roiling. Turning, she looked over the room—

  Bones.

  He sat at the back of the room, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk coming to his lips as their gazes met. Apollo sat to his side, looking a little weak, but alive, and relief flooded her as Queenie and Reaper sat next to Wolf.

  Her face heated as her gaze went back to Bones, his tongue coming out, licking his lips.

  How the hell could he make her so damn hot with just a look?

  “Doctor Baker?”

  She blinked, looking at the men at the front of the room. “Sorry?”

  “Your report?”

  “Oh, yes.” Her face heated again, and she shuffled to the podium. “What we found was a local militia group was using boomslang venom to induce panic and add members to their ranks.”

  Her gaze lifted to Bones, seeing his eyebrow lift, a smirk coming to his lips again. She had left out all the rest of it. The attacks. The rescue mission. Waterford didn’t need to know the details.

  She’d already explained away her injuries with a ‘clumsy girl’ lie. They had been none the wiser.

  “So, it was nothing? The police told us it’s cleared?”

  “Yes, there is nothing else to look at. It’s an open and shut case.”

  “Good.” The head of her department leaned back, closing the file. “You did well for your first field mission, Doctor Baker. Keep it up, you might be up for more.”

  Her stomach roiled with the idea of going through that again and she blinked.

  The man turned in his chair, looking back to Bones and his team. “Waterford Bio Medical thanks you for your service and for bringing each of our team members back alive.”

  Bones nodded. “It was our pleasure.”

  Abigail’s face heated as his tongue rounded out the last word, her body igniting with need.

  The head turned back to her, lifting himself from his chair. “That is all, Doctor Baker. Thank you.”

  The meeting broke, the heads of the departments leaving the room.

  Wolf and Reaper helped Apollo from the room, Queenie following. Bones stayed seated, and she pursed her lips, shuffling her papers.

  “Good job, Doctor.”

  She lifted her head, watching as Bones stood. Coming to her side, he leaned on the podium, his elbow crushing her report. “Bones, I need this.”

  “And I need you.”

  She lifted her gaze to his. He lifted his hand, caressing the side of her face, his gaze on her lips. “I’m sorry for what happened after Apollo got injured. But he’s my brother. We grew up in the same adoptive family.”

  “It’s okay. Reaper filled me in completely. I understand.” She smiled.

  He leaned in, kissing her softly. “Dinner? My place?”

  “You have a place?” She giggled as he stepped back.

  “Sure I do. Room 205. Hyatt.” He walked backwards, grinning at her. “Make it seven.”

  * * *

  Their room service lay cold on its trolley.

  Abigail’s hands threaded through Bones’ hair. His tongue raked along her sex, lapping at her as she ground it against his face. His fingers pushed into her, making her back arch, her moans becoming more and more desperate.

  His body ached. He wanted to bury himself inside her, but they had been so quick the first time. He wanted to savor every single inch of her. Her body shuddered, sex tightening around his fingers. He moved his tongue, spearing into her as she orgasmed.

  “Braedon!” Her voice, thick with lust, calling out his name.

  His head went into a spin, and he moaned, pushing his face against her sex harder, holding her hips as he drank her.

  He lifted himself, kissing up her body, feeling her respond, even after her climax.

  His lips found hers, his tongue spearing into her mouth. She sucked on it, making him moan, his body rubbing against hers.

  “Fucking hell, you make me ache.” He moaned, his hard length rubbing her wet slit.

  “Then do something about it.” She moaned, arching her back, her nipples rubbing against his chest.

  Bones moaned, moving his hand. He was already covered in a condom so that their lovemaking could be uninterrupted. Pushing his cock into her. Her heat, her tightness. He rammed his hips, his arms lifting, gripping her hair, pulling it back, exposing her neck. Nipping along her throat as he fucked her, his thrusts became harder.

  Abigail’s cries mingled with his moans, and he buried his head against her neck. Grunting, his orgasm crashed over him. “Fuck! Abigail!”

  His hips stilled, his body shuddering, and he collapsed against her. Arms lifting, she wrapped them around his neck as he calmed his breathing. Lifting, he rolled to the side, lying on his back.

  She curled up beside him, her hand running through his chest hair. “So, is this it? We’ll go our separate ways now?” she asked.

  Bones frowned, looking down at her. “Is that what you want?”

  She blinked, looking up at him. “No, I—”

  He moved his head, looking down at her. “I told you I don’t do relationships.”

  “I know.”

  He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and he pulled her closer, kissing her hair. His hand moved, tilting her chin up so she could look at him. Tears were on her lashes, and his heart broke.

  Sure, his ex-fiancé hurt him before, but he knew this woman wouldn’t do that to him. She was as in love with him as he had come to realize he was with her. He smiled, leaning his head down, kissing her. “But for you, I'm sure I could make an exception.”

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  ABOUT AINSLEY COLE

  Ainsley Cole lives in a tiny coal mining town in Australia. She lives with her soul-mate and the four little beings they made together. Writing since she was only 11, she has a few books under her belt under different names. In her spare time, (when not being a busy mummy) Ainsley likes to garden, play video games and marathon Marvel movies.

  Find Ainsley online:

  Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Author-Ainsley-Cole-1943547795729141

  Tirgearr Publishing – http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Cole_Ainsley