Kyle

by Riley Edwards

  “Fuck, Ashaki,” Kyle sneered. “We still don’t know if she’s playin’ both sides.”

  “Calculated risk,” Zane returned.

  “Fuck that noise. Would you put your woman out there based on a calculated risk? Hell, no you wouldn’t. But you want Anaya and Emerson to swing in the wind. Hell to the motherfucking no.” Kyle’s growl brokered no argument.

  Or at least I thought it hadn’t, but Zane felt differently. “Tex has vetted and confirmed all of Ashaki’s intel. It’s good. Emilio Ruiz refused to turn until his family was offered WITSEC. She made that happen. With Ruiz’s family safe, he’s spillin’ his guts. Emerson and Anaya are our best options.”

  Best options? For what? Apparently, I’d spaced out longer than I’d thought.

  “You know I’ll do anything you need me to do,” I said, even though I wasn’t sure what I was agreeing to.

  “Anaya—”

  “I thought you wanted Harry taken down?” I cut Kyle off.

  “Not this way.”

  “And what way is that?”

  “The way where you and Emerson fly to Connecticut alone and interview Monica.”

  Oh. That’s what I’d agreed to. Yeah, I wasn’t too keen on not having one of the men with us.

  “They won’t be alone. Jeremy will be with them,” Zane cut in.

  “Don’t fuckin’ like it one bit,” Thad added, and Kyle turned to his boss with a raised brow.

  “I’ll call Myles and have him escort Emerson and Anaya to Connecticut. Once Jeremy has them, Myles is catchin’ a flight with his team. I cannot pull Blue off their mission. Garrett found a link with another Omni player and there’s an arms deal going down in Mexico. They have one shot to take it down.” Zane stopped and exhaled loudly. “I get it. I really fuckin’ do, but we need Anaya and Emerson. If we didn’t, I’d gladly lock their asses up at HQ with Tatiana and the rest of the women. But we need them, and you know it. Nothing left to do but pull your big boy pants up and deal with it.”

  Wrong thing to say. Way wrong. Kyle’s face turned red before he turned and stomped out of the room. Thad looked like he was getting ready to challenge Zane to a duel to the death and the rest of the team weren’t happy either.

  “Thad,” I started. “I know this isn’t ideal—”

  “Ideal? My wife was taken. You were taken. This shitstorm is the epitome of fucked. Neither of you should be anywhere near this operation.”

  “But we are. And we’re the only two who can relate to Monica and hopefully get her to open up to us. It’s the only way, and you know it. Myles will take us up and everything will be fine.”

  “You don’t even know Myles,” Thad barked.

  “Don’t need to. You and Kyle trust Zane. And if this Myles person works for Zane, then Zane trusts him.”

  “Anaya—”

  “We’re gonna be fine,” I cut him off. “I need to do this. After what happened to me, I need to feel useful. I need to face my fears. And I need your help to do it. Kyle will never be okay with this, unless his team has his back. Please help me.”

  Everyone was silent and I sighed. They weren’t going to help me.

  “Thad—” I started.

  “I don’t like it one goddamn bit. It has ‘disaster’ written all over it. But I also know Emmy, she’s relentless and won’t back down. I feel better knowing the two of you will be together.”

  “Thank you. I’m gonna go find Kyle.”

  I turned to leave but Zane stopped me. “Not with my son, you’re not.”

  I squared my shoulders and turned the baby away from him. “Penitence for telling my man to pull up his big boy pants. Now it’s your turn. I’m giving Eric back to his mother, so her friends can cuddle and love on him, without his crazy father acting like a fool.”

  Zane’s growl didn’t scare me. He was all bark and no bite. At least with the women in his life. There was no doubt he could snap a man in half with his bare hands and not break a sweat. But he’d never hurt me.

  “How’d you get the baby?” Emerson asked, stunned, when I walked into the formal living room.

  “Did you have to knock out Zane?” Tatiana smiled.

  “Here.” I lowered Eric into Emerson’s waiting arms. “Don’t touch his face. Don’t breathe on him. I don’t even think you’re allowed to look at him.”

  “God knows I love my husband. And part of that is because of how hard he loves. How protective he is. But this? This is so over the top it’s insane. He’s gonna give himself a heart attack if he doesn’t calm down.”

  I looked at Ivy and I had to agree, Zane was being over the top. But I couldn’t help feeling a little jealous of baby Eric. He was ten days old and had no idea how loved he was. How much his father adored him. How his mother’s eyes danced with joy every time she looked at him. Eric Lewis would never in his lifetime know what loneliness was. He’d never be cast away.

  “But it sure beats the alternative.”

  “Yeah, it sure does,” she whispered.

  Then I went in search of my man.

  Chapter 24

  The day had progressively gone downhill.

  Ashaki reported to Garrett that the stable of girls was ready for auction.

  We were leaving Maryland at zero dark thirty to head to Canada, and a few hours later, Emerson and Anaya would be on their way to Connecticut with Myles.

  “You’re wasting time,” Anaya huffed.

  “What?” I turned from my gear I was packing.

  “You’re sulking. We only have a few hours before you leave. Stop being mad, it’s not going to change anything.”

  I wasn’t mad, I was furious. And not only that, I was fucking scared and I didn’t do scared. I’d gone into plenty of missions with my balls in my gut, but never had I been scared.

  But then, I’d never sent the woman I loved to interrogate an unknown source before, either. We had no clue if Monica was a victim. It didn’t matter how much Emerson and Anaya had proclaimed she was, until the woman was properly examined and vetted, as far as I was concerned, she was an accomplice.

  “Anaya—”

  “Don’t snap at me.” Anaya’s hand went to her hip and her face turned hard. “Do you know why I’m not scared?”

  “That’s the problem. You should be scared, yet you’re treating this like it’s a quiet stroll in the park.”

  “I’m not scared,” she sighed. “Because I trust you. I trust your team. Myles will be with us, then Jeremy. All we have to do is talk with Monica and wait for you, Thad, and Declan to pick us up and bring us home. You’re the one that’s going into harm’s way. Not me. And you can’t be worried about what I’m doing and concentrate on your job. So stop worrying.”

  She was fucking crazy if she thought that was happening.

  “What can I do to make this easier for you?” she asked softly.

  “Stay here and go on lockdown with everyone else.”

  Her jaw twitched and her shoulders slumped.

  “Fine. Call Zane.”

  Wait. What the fuck just happened?

  And why did I feel like such a dick for even asking, and an even bigger one that she’d agreed?

  “What?”

  “Okay, fine. If this is what you need so you can go on your mission and focus so you don’t get yourself killed and you come home to me, I’ll go on lockdown.”

  Goddamn, I was prick. She’d do it. She’d give me what I needed even if it meant giving up something she felt she had to do.

  “Come here, sweetheart.”

  Anaya closed the distance and I abandoned my gear, pulling her into my arms when she came close.

  “I’m sorry for being an asshole. The last time I let you out of my sight, you were taken and beaten. I can’t get the image out of my head. It’s not fair to you or to the operation but there it is. I’m scared as hell to leave you.”

  “I get it,” she mumbled against my chest. “I’m scared, too. Not for myself but for you. I need you to come home to me.”

/>   Did my idiocy ever end? I hadn’t even asked her how she was feeling about me leaving. The thought hadn’t crossed my mind that she’d be worried about me.

  “Never had anyone waiting for me to come home before.”

  “Well, now you do.”

  “Now I do,” I repeated.

  We stood in the middle of the basement. Anaya in my arms and my eyes glued to the bed we’d shared for two weeks. A bed where I’d made love to her in a variety of ways, where she’d fallen asleep in my arms, where she’d whispered her secrets to me. A place where I could feel her soul starting to heal.

  It felt longer than a few weeks. Much longer. I couldn’t remember a time she hadn’t been in my life and I didn’t want to imagine a time when she wasn’t. Or worse, a time when she wouldn’t be.

  My arms flexed around her and I sighed. “Please promise me you’ll be safe. You and Emerson will stick together. And if something feels off, the two of you leave. Zane, Jax, Garrett, and Tex will be here if you need them.”

  “I promise.” Anaya’s voice was full of surprise and happiness.

  Damn.

  I didn’t want her to go. But I couldn’t allow my insecurities to roll over onto her. She was finally coming into herself. Each day she opened herself up and her spirit shined through. I couldn’t snuff it out.

  “I’m serious, Anaya. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s not.”

  “Emmy and I will stick together, no matter what. And if I get a bad feeling, we’ll leave.”

  “You won’t have communication with me. Everything will have to go through headquarters.”

  “I remember.”

  Of course she did. She and Emerson had been briefed. And while neither seemed happy the team was going dark, they seemed to understand the necessity of it. No personal phones would go with us to Canada and all communication would be heavily encrypted.

  “I love you, Anaya.”

  She went still in my arms and every muscle in her body had gone stiff.

  Shit, it was too soon. I should’ve kept my feelings to myself.

  “You do?”

  I wanted to chuckle at the shock in her tone but I didn’t.

  “Yeah, sweetheart. I do. And if it’s too—”

  “I love you, too, Kyle. I’ve known it for a while but I was too afraid to tell you.”

  My eyes drifted closed and I savored her words. Words I’d never forget. A declaration that hit my chest, my gut, and if I was honest, my dick. My body filled with warmth and I prayed everything would work out—that Anaya and Emerson could get the intel we needed and the team and I could pull off a successful rescue mission.

  “You should finish packing,” Anaya whispered.

  “In a minute. I’m not ready to let you go.”

  I backed her up to the bed and I knew the second the back of her knees hit the edge because her smile was blinding and her dimples were out.

  “Only a minute?”

  I didn’t answer my woman’s saucy question, not with words. I tore her shirt over her head and commenced showing her how I felt about her telling me she loved me. It took more than minute. It took five before she was panting my name while I ate her to her first orgasm. And another twenty before she shouted her orgasm into the pillow as I took her from behind. And ten minutes after that, I was emptying myself inside of her and it was her turn to swallow my moan as her pussy took everything I had to give.

  Then I went to back to packing.

  The hours had passed faster than I’d wanted.

  The kiss goodbye was too damn short.

  And the look on Anaya’s face had me rethinking everything.

  “We’ll both be home in a couple of days, right?” she whispered.

  “Right.”

  “I’m gonna miss you.”

  “I’ll miss you, too, sweetheart. Stay safe.”

  “You do the same.”

  Unable to help myself, I leaned down for one more kiss. My hands went into her soft brown locks and I tangled my fingers in the strands, holding her where I wanted. I meant for the kiss to be gentle, I wanted to tell her how much it was going to suck being away from her. But as soon as her silky tongue brushed against mine, I was lost.

  I had no idea how it happened. How had I fallen in love so quickly? How was it that Anaya had become such an important part of my life I was dreading leaving for a mission? My job had been my life. First in the Navy, then with Z Corps. There was nothing better than the thrill of an operation—until Anaya. Now I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to sleep in some shitty, rundown shack away from her. I wanted her curled next me.

  Anaya groaned and I knew it was time.

  Time to say goodbye.

  I broke the kiss and looked down into her half-masted eyes, ecstatic our kiss had affected her.

  “See you soon, sweetheart.”

  “Yeah.”

  I led her to the bed and held back the covers until she got in. After I tucked her in and kissed her forehead I straightened.

  “Get some sleep. You have a busy day.”

  “I love you, Kyle.”

  I stood there and allowed her sweet declaration to wash over me. I’d never tire hearing her say that.

  “Love you.”

  I switched off the lamp on the nightstand and grabbed my gear.

  I paused at the door and forced myself to leave without looking back.

  The guys were all waiting for me in the living room. Thad looked as dejected as I felt. He didn’t want Emerson traipsing off to Connecticut, either.

  “You ready?” Dec asked.

  “Almost.” I turned to Myles. “You have everything you need?”

  “Yep.” The man’s lips twitched. “Not my first escort.”

  “Maybe not, but it’s the first time you’re transporting the woman I love. So I need to know, you got this?”

  Myles’s grin faded and his eyes narrowed. “You know I do.”

  I did know. Myles was a good operator, a good teammate. There was a reason why he was the leader of the Blue Team. His instincts were spot-on. Zane had been lucky when Myles agreed to work for Z Corps; every government agency had been trying to get Myles under contract when he’d left the Army.

  “Fuck. You’re right. I’m just—” I scrubbed my hands over my face, not knowing how to finish that sentence.

  “I got this. Both of you need to stop worrying and get your head in the mission. I’ll check in after I drop them.”

  Thad didn’t say a word, he simply headed for the door and the rest of the team followed.

  “Thanks,” I muttered.

  “You’re welcome. Later.”

  We all piled into the SUV with Dec behind the wheel and thankfully the roads were empty. Normally his driving was a hair-raising experience. But this morning he obviously had something on his mind—the effect of that something was his foot was made of lead and we’d be at HQ in half the normal time.

  “Where do you keep disappearing to?” Max asked Declan.

  “None of your business,” Dec returned.

  “It is when every time you sneak back into the house, you’re more pissed-off than when you left.”

  Leave it to Max to call Declan out on his attitude. I was just as curious as to where Declan had gone but I certainly wasn’t going to ask and most definitely not when the man had my life in his hands.

  “I don’t sneak anywhere, asshole.”

  “Tomato, tomahto,” Max continued. “I call it sneaking when you come home and quietly go upstairs without a word.”

  A thick silence fell in the SUV and I didn’t need to see Declan’s face to know he was pissed.

  “I have a lot on my mind,” Dec muttered.

  “You care to share?” Max pressed, not knowing when to quit.

  “Nope.”

  “Right.” I could see Max shake his head in the dim light filtering in from the streetlamps. “You know—”

  “Leave it.” Declan’s short answer left no room for argument and Max wisely dro
pped it.

  Declan would share in his own time. Not a second before. And the little he had shared was more than enough for me to understand why he never wanted to talk about his past. My gut twisted even thinking about losing Anaya. I had an all new respect for the man. No way would I be able to go on if I’d lost all that he had.

  Chapter 25

  “Myles is in charge.”

  “Yes, Zane, you already said that,” I returned.

  “This is why I don’t employ women,” Zane muttered. “They roll their eyes and throw attitude.”

  “And Jasmin’s not a woman?”

  “Fuck no. Jasmin’s got balls of steel. She doesn’t roll her eyes, she simply shoots people.”

  “And Ivy? She works for you,” Tatiana joined the conversation. “And Violet? And me?”

  “Good point. You’re fired.”

  “Fired?” Tatiana laughed. “What did I do?”

  “Fraternization.”

  “Is that somewhere in your employee handbook?”

  “See, right there. That’s why you’re fired. My men don’t ask me for an employee handbook. They have a field manual. They also don’t give me lip. Well, that is until they lose their balls to a woman, then they give me nothing but grief.”

  There was something working behind Zane’s blue eyes. They were stormy and alert. I’d come to understand the attitude he was giving at the moment was normal. Zane was sarcastic and gruff. But something was off with the way he was looking at us.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “Besides the fact you’re standing here givin’ me—”

  “Zane. What is wrong?”

  On a long exhale his gaze went from me to Emerson then came back to me.

  “Askin’ a lot of the two of you. Askin’ a lot of the men. Straight up, if it was Ivy, no way would she be going. I’d have her ass safely chained to my desk. Struggling with my decision. I have two men who are deployed who won’t be dedicated to the mission because they’ll be worried about their women. That’s how operations fail. That’s how good men get dead. And I’m sending two traumatized women into an uncertain situation asking them to relive their trauma.”