He rolled her, so she was on her side and made her look at him. "I have every intention of coming for you."
"I know you do, but..." She swiped at a tear that pooled in the corner of her eye and then dropped over the bridge of her nose. "What happens if you don't? Please, Isaac. I need to feel something good. I need..." She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. "I need you."
Asp moved slowly. How the hell did he show her how much she meant to him? How did he express the absolute fury that swirled through the deepest recesses of his soul and raged wildly against the shackles of his obligations? He'd been lost without a reason to exist until Lyric, and he hadn't even known it. She was the beacon of light in a life that was consumed by shadows. He needed her. He loved her, and he would move any mountain to make sure she knew how much he loved her. But he didn't want to hurt her, and he'd never take advantage. Asp lifted up on an elbow and traced her cheek with his fingers. "I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you, but I have to know you're alright with this. I can just hold you." He would. Whatever it took to make her happy. His needs and desires be damned. She was all that mattered.
Lyric pushed against his hand and turned to kiss his palm. "I'm sure. Make love to me, Isaac. Give me something beautiful to hold onto when the grief is unbearable."
He cupped the back of her neck and brought her to him. He didn't deserve this woman. He didn't deserve the possibility of a life with her, or the possibility of a family, but he was damn sure going to try to seize that golden ring and hang on. He'd put a stranglehold on the chance, and he'd do everything he could to ensure it never slipped out of his grasp.
Asp rolled her onto her back and slowly undressed her, removing clothing and committing her body to memory. The swell of her breast, the curve of her hip, the small, brown mole on her upper right thigh, all were permanently etched in his mind's eye.
Their lovemaking was slow and profoundly moving. He fought against the physical needs of his body to meet the emotional needs Lyric deserved to have met. She wrapped her arms around him trying to get closer. Closer wasn't possible. Her fingers dug into his back as she shattered. He pulled out and grabbed his slick shaft, pumping his cock through his fist twice before he followed her over the edge.
He lay down beside her and for the first time noticed the dirt that clung to his legs, forearms, and hands. Dirt and cum streaked Lyric. He swirled his finger through the mixture and held up his fingers. "I think we need a shower."
"Agreed. I have dirt in places dirt shouldn't ever be." The sound of laughter in Lyric's voice warmed the cold places in his soul.
"Then we should rinse off." He leaned down and kissed her. He nipped softly on her full bottom lip until she opened for him. The kiss was his promise. His promise that he'd find a way back to her. It was his promise that he'd find who was responsible for hurting her. It was his promise that he could be trusted with her heart.
She stared at him when they finally pulled apart. "I love you. No matter your name, no matter your profession. I love the man you are."
The words branded his heart. He dropped a soft light kiss on her nose before he answered. "I'm not going to list the reasons you shouldn't love me because there are so many." A smile played on her lips at that comment. He loved that, even in her misery, he could pull a smile from her. "I will tell you I'm going to try every day to be the man you think I am. I love you." He lifted to his knees and extended a hand to her helping her off the ground. She leaned into him, and he wrapped her in his arms. "We need to clean up, and you need to go with Omega Team."
"I know." She didn't move for several minutes.
Asp was okay with that. He knew what was waiting for her and he knew he couldn't be there to help her through it. Finally, she drew a shaky breath and pulled away, then stood up. Asp got to his feet and followed her into the pool. He ran his hands over her body, washing the dirt from her back. He rinsed off quickly, and they dressed without a word.
When they were ready, he extended his hand, and she took it but pulled him to a stop before they entered the cavern. "Promise me you'll be safe?"
"You have my promise." He pulled her in for one last embrace and held her against him, breathing in her scent. "It’s time."
She nodded her head under his chin. "I know."
Chapter 21
Asp watched as the team surrounded Lyric and they moved out. He followed them until she crested the ridge and he could no longer see her. Even then, his eyes held to the skyline.
"When do we rendezvous with the other teams?"
Billy's question returned him to the task at hand. He rolled his shoulders before he spoke. "The teams will be in place tonight at dark. If we push it, we can be back at the camp at the same time."
"Still going with the original plan?" Billy gazed at Asp steadily. "There are other options."
"None that will allow you to find your brothers and alert them to what is going on." Asp leaned over and packed up what was needed from the camp. Very little was left. Omega Team had taken all of Lyric's possessions, incorporating her meager belongings into their kits. Asp had his rifle and his backpack, freshly stocked with food and ammunition and a couple surprises, thanks once again to Omega Team.
"You have a reason to live. This plan your bosses put together puts you in front of those bastard's crosshairs. What if shit goes sideways?"
Asp finished strapping his pack on before he looked up at his old friend. "There are two teams of highly trained warfighters on our side."
"They won't be able to help from the outside."
"I won't be alone."
"We don't know that my guys aren't on the take. If I say too much to the wrong person, I won't be any help."
Asp grabbed his weapon but thought better of it and rested it against the outside wall of the cave. He wasn't counting Billy as his primary means of help inside the camp. He had two aces up his sleeve. Thanatos and Lycos. He didn't need Billy, not when he had his fellow Shadows. Billy had no idea what Asp had become and that, well, that fact was alright with him. He smiled and winked at Billy. "I'm not worried. You do what you need to do, and I'll do the same."
"Dammit, you are either the stupidest person I know, or you've developed mad skills above and beyond being able to shoot a pimple off a gnat's ass."
"Skill sets can be acquired." Asp squared himself off in front of Billy. His friend shot him a 'what the fuck' look. "You need to put some damage on me, or they won't believe the goods we're trying to sell."
"Fuck me." Billy scrubbed his hand over his stubble. "We can say I snuck up on you when you had a bead on the camp." Asp lifted an eyebrow and stared at Billy. He watched as Billy acknowledged the truth of their situation, "Yeah, that isn't going to work, is it?"
"I'd like to keep my teeth, but you need to do some damage. Two good punches. Don't make me suffer through a..." The word third was forgotten in a nanosecond. Lightning bolts of pain lit him up with a million kilowatts of fist to face. Asp spun and bounced into the rock wall outside the cave. Out of natural reflex, he doubled his fist and started to turn only to hesitate. Billy didn't. The following uppercut to the jaw sat him on his ass. Hard.
"Motherfucking son of a bitch!" Billy danced around holding his hand. "I think I fucking broke my hand on your damn hard head!"
Asp spit out a mouthful of blood. He'd bitten through his lip on that uppercut. "Stop being such a fucking princess." He used the cave wall to help himself up and worked his jaw as he leaned against it. "I owe you two, motherfucker."
"Bullshit." Billy held his arm like he'd broken it. His injured hand protected in the "L" of his elbow and bicep. "If you'd been expecting it, you would have tensed, and I probably would have broken your jaw. Fuck man, did you have a fucking steel plate implanted in your jaw after we got blown up in Iraq?"
Asp cracked his neck, first to the left and then to the right. "Stop whining. Were you always this much of a crybaby?"
"Hell, yes. Damn, did you forget everything you used to know about m
e?" He lifted his pack with his good hand and shrugged it on. "How am I going to explain having you in custody with a broken hand?"
"Easy, we fought, you knocked me out and tied me up before you wrapped your hand, which you probably should do, because daaamn, that bitch is swelling."
Billy scowled at him. "Not any more than your eye or lip, asshole."
Asp reached up and touched the knot forming on his cheekbone. Fuck, that was going to be a technicolor exhibit. He shrugged and reached for his weapon and strapped it on. "Yeah, but I got hit. I didn't break my hand do the hitting."
"Fuck you and your hard head."
Asp threw back his head and laughed. "Either wrap that bitch up or quit whining, we have some serious distance to cover."
"Give me a couple minutes." Billy grabbed a wrap from his med kit and managed to compress the swelling. If it was broken, he'd have to get it set after shit hit the fan.
Asp stopped his friend before they started out. "That’s your shooting hand. When this goes down, you hunker down and stay low."
"Why the fuck would I do that?"
"Have you ever seen a Guardian operation?"
"No."
"Hunker down. Do not pick up a weapon or you’ll be dead. You can fuss and cuss about it after the event, but trust me, if they don't know you and you have a weapon in your hand, you are dead. Tell your men, Billy, make them believe you." Asp leveled an 'I fuck you not' stare at Billy.
"I'll do my best." Billy shouldered his weapon and nodded to Asp. "After you."
Asp pushed through the marmalade bushes and headed across the small field, making his way to the other wall and the climb out to the ridgeline. He gave himself one last opportunity to think of Lyric and the team taking her down to the misery that awaited her. He sent a silent plea to the universe to watch over her and protect her. They crested the ridge and set off toward the encampment at a jog. They had a shit-ton of mileage to cover before darkness fell.
Asp plopped his ass down and sucked air. His eyes pinpointed on the horizon and started searching the hills for potential threats.
"Fuck, man, you're out of shape." Billy sat down beside him, his eyes scanning the surrounding area the same way Asp's were.
"You fucking shot me, asshole. Remember?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, there is that. Kinda easy to forget with you being such a big, fast motherfucker."
Asp glanced at the man. At least he had the decency to have developed a sweat. He, on the other hand, could be wrung out to refill the Dead Sea with the salt water pouring off him. "Whatever. We need to tie me up. The camp is..."
"Yeah, I know where the fuck we are." Billy took off his pack. "Do you think your people are here?"
"They're here." Asp had a vague idea of where the teams would be positioned, but Thanatos and Lycos were either in the camp or ready to make their move the second they saw Asp. He hadn't worked much with Lycos, but he and Thanatos went way back. He knew what the man would do, or at least he hoped he did. Asp held out his wrists.
"No, behind your back. I'm not stupid. If I bring you in with your hands tied in front of you, they'll know something's up."
A sliver of apprehension fingered his spine. The plan was simple, and he'd have backup. Backup that Billy didn't know about, but Billy had been working for the enemy for a long time. Keeping small details like two deadly-as-fuck assassins from him...meh...he'd get over it. Eventually. Probably. Maybe. He pushed his wrists back behind his waist and waited. The nylon rope slipped over his wrist and wound around the other. Billy tightened the cinch knot digging the rope into his skin. Asp let out a hiss of air. "Motherfucker."
"Yeah, I am, but you know if I take you in there with loose ropes, we're toast. What was it you said to me? Stop being a crybaby, princess?"
"I never said that." Asp watched as Billy hid his weapon under some brush and tucked his kit after it.
"Well, those words in different order, seriously, who the fuck cares." Billy stood beside him and drew a deep breath. "Whatever happens, I'm glad to have known you, Mac."
"We'll make it through this. Remember the timetable and don't fucking pick up a weapon when the show starts."
Billy nodded. His eyes darted past Asp's shoulder before his face became a concentration of anger. "Let's go."
Chapter 22
Billy tugged on Asp’s arm, putting pressure on his shoulder socket and nearly sending him to his knees. He snapped his head sideways. Billy pushed him again, causing him to stumble over some brush. Billy let him fall on his face. "You are one sorry son of a bitch, you know that asswipe?"
Asp snapped his head to glare at the man he thought was his friend.
“Halt, who goes there?"
A voice from his right explained Billy's sudden shift in attitude. Asp jerked his arm from Billy's grasp only to have the man cuff him across the ear.
"Bastard," Asp growled.
"Princess," Billy whispered.
He pushed Asp harder and sent him to his knees, slamming his size twelve boot onto his back and pushing him into the dirt. The motherfucker seemed to be enjoying this shit way too much. The business end of Billy's rifle was lodged against Asp's ear. There was no way in hell he was moving, no matter how good of a friend Billy used to be.
Billy shouted, "Who the fuck says that? Seriously, Durbin, you are one lame son of a bitch?"
"Pearson? What the fuck are you doing up here?"
"I could ask the same question, asshole. You're supposed to be supervising Sanchez and Diaz while the civilians fortify the fucking chicken wire on the inner fence line."
The man's voice was closer when he spoke. "Yeah, Sanchez and Diaz have it covered. I figured if I could find that fucking sniper...oh..."
"Yeah, oh, you stupid fuck." Billy's heel ground into Asp's kidney. The growl that came out of him was instinctual. The stomp on the kidney from Pearson's boot shut his ass up. "Yeah, that's right motherfucker. Shut up and keep your mouth shut until Mr. Flowers asks you a question."
"Flowers?" Asp heard the confusion in Durbin's voice.
"Yes, Flowers. What the fuck is the problem?"
"Flowers is leaving, hell he may be gone already. There was a big dust-up earlier today, now he's busting his ass getting everything in line so he can leave. You'll have to hurry if you want the boss man to have a shot at this stupid fucker." Asp ground his teeth together stopping the biting comment he wanted to spit at that fucking walking, talking, cartoon-sized bag of clichés.
"Right. Come on, motherfucker, we have to make sure you meet the boss." Billy turned to Durbin. "You've got our six. I'm pushing us down the hill, and I don't want to have to step over your dead body when you fall and break your neck."
"I fell once. Once!" Durbin lamented but waited for Billy and Asp to pass before he took up the rear position. Billy's grasp on his arm loosened and while he still shoved Asp, he didn't push him enough to hinder their progress down the hill. Asp did attempt to pull away on occasion, making sure Durbin knew he wasn't going willingly. They made it to the bottom of the hill in record time. Asp was sweating bullets, as was Pearson. He could hear Durbin gasping behind them as he slid and scrambled to keep upright as they descended.
They approached the compound, and Pearson once again shoved Asp to the ground. This time the gravel tore the skin of his face, and several pieces of rock felt like they embedded in his cheek. Asp thanked his lucky stars it wasn’t worse. He damn near hit his head on a rock. The sharp point would have killed him if Billy hadn't shoved him at the last moment sending him to the left and into the gravel. He'd have to thank his friend for that little piece of humanity. Asp groaned as he was jerked back up. Oh, hell yeah, he was going to thank Billy, up close and personal. He was beginning to wish he hadn’t stopped Lyric.
There was a barrage of voices in both Spanish and English. Asp tried to keep up, but honestly, the people talking over each other sounded like a gaggle of geese. Billy put his fingers to his mouth and rent the air with a loud, sharp whistle. "Shut the fuc
k up!" Billy growled in the sudden silence. "You, go get Flowers, and tell him to come to the main building. I have a present for him. You, yeah, you, get these assholes back to work."
The drone of voices lessened. Asp risked a glance up and saw two sets of government issued combat boots heading his way.
"I see you caught the motherfucker who took out Cavanaugh."
"I caught him. Gleason, Harper, do me a favor. Round up the company men and have them meet me in the barracks in fifteen."
"What's up?"
Asp felt Pearson's hand tighten on his bicep. "Intel briefing for company ears only. Barracks in ten. Get them all there. I don't care what you need to do." Billy pushed Asp forward toward the main building in the camp.
There was a slight hesitation before Asp heard one of the men speak. "Everything okay?"
Billy stopped and turned, still holding Asp's arm in his grip. "No. Not even close to being okay." He pushed Asp forward again, but not with the force he'd used earlier. Billy shoved him up a set of steps, which Asp pretended to stumble up. He landed on his knees and used the time it took for Billy to lift him to his feet to get a lay of the exterior of the buildings surrounding the one where he was being taken. He noted the shadows, knew the distance between the structures and where the lights were. Asp glanced behind him to the fence line. Still chicken wire. That is where his help would come from, and if they didn't, that is where he would escape this camp should Guardian's teams somehow fail.
Pearson rewarded his drop to his knees with a kick to the back, not hitting the kidney this time. Asp rolled away from the kick, and it may have looked vicious, but the boot barely made contact with his ribs. Thank you, sweet Jesus.
Billy hauled him up and pushed him through the door past a radio room that looked like a set from a 1950’s sci-fi movie. Asp fell on purpose and from floor level noted the radios were not on battery backup, nor were they on an uninterrupted power supply. When the teams cut the power, the camp would be isolated.
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