by M. Malone
Of course, there was a part of her that was still afraid she didn't deserve this. That she didn't deserve him.
No. Stop it. No more self-defeating thoughts. You deserve all the happiness in the world. She had to get used to believing it. With Jonas by her side, she did.
He finally pulled the car over and squeezed her hand. "We’re here, baby."
"Can I remove this now?"
"Was it that terrible? I mean, I've never brought anyone to my secret lair where I plan to chain you up and never let you go. But thanks for coming willingly."
JJ laughed. "As long as you promise to have your way with me every second of the day, I probably won't complain too much."
His chuckle was low as he reached over and undid the knot. "That can be arranged."
When the blindfold was off JJ blinked, trying to let her eyes adjust to the light. When she looked out the window, all she saw was green. They were in the woods. In front of them was a large rustic-looking cabin.
"Where are we?"
Jonas gave her a grin. "Somewhere no one will bother us. They don't have cell reception out here. Not to worry,” he pulled a black bag from the backseat. "I have satellite phones in case of emergency. Out here, it's just you and me. For a whole week."
Oh wow, he’d done this for her. Except, the woods? She wasn't really a rustic kind of girl. She was more glamping than camping. But still, she did love the sweetness of the gesture. He wanted uninterrupted time with her. And they were going to get it. For a whole week. With no cell phone. Or TMZ. But she would survive it. Because she had Jonas, and honestly, they could be as naked as they wanted anywhere they wanted. So that was definitely a bonus.
"This is beautiful. You didn't have to do this."
"Yes. I did. Everything has been kind of a blur since we got together. I wanted to slow down, so I can show you how much I love you."
And how the hell was she supposed to not completely fall in love with him all over again?
Jonas climbed out of the car, speeding around to her side to open the door for her. "Come on. Let's have a look inside."
"Do you want to grab the bags first?"
He shook his head. "Nope. I’ve had a hard on since we left the city. So if you don't mind, I want to make love first. And then I can get the bags."
He practically dragged her to the front door of the cabin before unlocking it. JJ had no choice but to giggle and follow behind. When he opened the door, she gasped in surprise.
While the outside and the surroundings were completely rustic and secluded, the inside was utterly modern. Rustic-cabin modern, with glass, granite and stone. "Oh my God."
Jonas chuckled. "Woman, you think I don't know you? You'll still be able to catch up on all your shows. I'll even marathon watch The Bachelorette with you. But if you tell Oskar that I enjoy it, I may have to kill you."
She laughed, doing a little happy swirl as her boots clicked on the hardwood floor. "Jonas. It's gorgeous."
"You like it?"
She nodded. “I was a little worried that you were going to have me chopping wood and stuff, but this is — Oh my God look at the fireplace."
"Yep. I had the whole place remodeled around the fireplace."
She whirled around to meet his gaze. "What do you mean you had this place remodeled?"
"Oh you know, when I knew I couldn’t stop touching you, I figured we might need a place to get away. So I started having some guys bring it up to your standards."
She rapidly swiped tears away. "You did this for me?"
He nodded. "Of course. I would do anything for you. I love you."
The warmth that spread through her chest was uncontainable. She’d never been this happy in her life. "Well, Mr. Castillo, I would like to show you my gratitude. But first, we need that blindfold."
JJ loved the fireplace so much that after a full tour, Jonas insisted they spend the day curled up on the couch in front of it. He’d brought along sandwiches and a bottle of wine, so they snuggled before a crackling fire, eating and just relaxing.
To anyone else, it might not seem like a huge deal but to JJ, this was the culmination of a lifelong dream. Something she’d always hoped for but never dared to dream could be possible for a mouthy blonde from Brooklyn.
Contentment.
“What are you thinking about?” Jonas murmured, nuzzling her cheek. “I’ve gone to a lot of trouble to put a smile on your face and I don’t want anything ruining that.”
She reached up to caress his face. His beard was just starting to grow in so he had that sexy scruff she absolutely loved. He was so handsome, her guy.
“You. This. How I never thought this would happen to me,” she answered finally.
“What? Having your own house?” Jonas raised his eyebrows. “You’re smart and driven, JJ. I know that you would have been a homeowner eventually if you wanted to be.”
JJ sat up slightly. “No, not that part. I mean, yes, the house was part of the dream. But not the most important part. It was about this,” she gestured between them. “I had this whole picture in my head of what my dream life would be.”
“Tell me,” Jonas whispered.
She closed her eyes. “I used to imagine living in a cute little house in a quiet community. Where all the neighbors know each other and say hello while getting their mail or pruning the rosebushes. I would have a big kitchen and could cook those crazy huge meals like Nonna DeMarco always does and invite lots of people. Especially the ones with no family of their own.”
“That sounds beautiful, baby. Why would you think you couldn’t have those things?”
She leaned forward and kissed him. “Because I haven’t gotten to the most important part yet. My favorite part of the dream was when I’d imagine who I was coming home to. A man who was strong, funny, and not afraid to call me out on my shit. The kind of man that I respected and loved. Someone I loved so much that I wanted my children to be just like him. A perfect blend of the two of us.”
A slow smile took over Jonas’s face. “Children, huh? So there were children in this dream? How many are we talking?”
JJ chuckled. “A few. Honestly, it didn’t even matter. I just wanted someone to love. Whether it’s one, two, or even six, I’d be happy.”
“Six?” Jonas repeated with alarm.
She had to chuckle at the look on his face. “I’m just saying. However many I had, I would count myself as lucky. I never wanted to admit it, but I’ve always wanted to be a mom. And I would be a good mom. I wouldn’t try to force my kids to be more like me. I would love them exactly as they are.”
He grinned, too. “You would be a great mom. I have no doubts. Fierce and willing to shoot and stuff in a suitcase anyone who threatened them.”
JJ laughed. “You’re never going to let that go are you?”
“Never. I’ve never been so damn mad and so damn proud at the same time.”
He glanced over at her with a sly smile. “So, this perfect life you used to imagine, is that still what you want?”
JJ leaned back and stared into the flames. “Yes,” she whispered. “More than anything.”
Jonas carefully slipped his arm out from beneath her head and then knelt on the carpet at her feet. “Good. Because I want to be that guy in your dream. The one you come home to every day, the one who makes you smile, and the one who loves you forever. I want to have those six kids and wave at our neighbors together.”
JJ could barely speak. “Oh my god. Jonas!”
He wiped away a tear from her cheek. “I’ve finally taken you off guard, I see. I plan to do that a lot for the next fifty years.”
She threw her arms around his neck. “You did! I can’t believe you want that. Are you sure you’re ready to take me on?”
Then his hand came from behind his back holding a ring, a simple round diamond on a gold band.
JJ gasped. “You have a ring? I thought you were just saying someday.”
“No. I’m saying right now. Let’s get married and raise
hell together. I can’t wait to get our life together started.” He sobered, his expression more serious than any she’d ever seen him wear. “I want to give you everything, Jessica Jones. Especially my last name. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she squealed and pulled him close. He kissed her softly, and JJ knew she’d never been happier than this. But of course, she couldn’t resist messing with him a little.
“But about this last name business, how about you take my last name? This is a new millennium after all.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “We can hyphenate both of our names, Miss Ballbuster. How does that sound?”
She grabbed him by the front of his shirt and kissed him.
“It sounds like a dream.”
THANK YOU for reading the FORCE duet! Ready for more? Well, you guys asked for more of Blake Security… you asked for it, you got it!
I am the ghost that haunts your dreams.
I am a liar, a protector...a killer...
I am death.
PREORDER NOW
www.malonesquared.com/deep
Did you miss Noah and Lucia's thrilling trilogy SHAMELESS? Keep reading for an excerpt.
I am the thing that goes bump in the night. I am a liar, a protector ... a killer ... I am Noah Blake.
There is only one light in my darkness, one bright ray in the storm of my life. Lucia DeMarco. And I’ll do anything for her. Anything except show her who I really am: an assassin. Well, former assassin. I don’t really do that anymore ... usually.
It would be easier if she didn’t call me names. Asshole, control freak … shameless. It would also be easier if she didn’t look at me with those trusting gray eyes. If I didn’t dream about the perfect curve of her — Never mind all that. The point is she’s digging into my world, my secrets, and it’s going to get her killed.
But first, we have another more immediate concern. Lucia is going on a date—with someone else ...
And I’m not allowed to kill this one.
Excerpt of Shameless © May 2017 M. Malone and Nana Malone
Noah watched the date from the comfort of his SUV. All the while silently fuming.
What the hell did Lucia think she was doing? His team hadn't vetted the guy. They didn't know anything about him. So far, she'd broken all of the dating rules he'd given her.
For the first date, always meet your date at your designated location. And of course, she'd let this doofus pick her up for their date. As if he hadn't told her a million times to do the exact opposite.
He'd also been very clear not to get in the car with her date. So that was rule one and rule two broken right off the bat. As if he hadn't trained her on how to be careful and what to watch out for. But oh no, Lucia didn't listen to shit. Every time he turned around, there she was, careening headfirst into trouble.
Maybe she didn't see her date as a potential threat, but dammit she needed to be more careful. What the hell did she even know about this guy?
"What the hell kind of name is Brent anyway?"
Noah hadn't even realized that he'd spoken out loud, until the voice in his comm unit laughed. "Last I checked, Brent is a perfectly normal name. Lots of guys have it."
Noah barely restrained a growl. "Matthias, when I want your input, I'll give it to you."
There was a chuckle on the other end of the line. Noah made a mental note to give Matthias some really horrible surveillance duty for the next month. This wasn't funny. This was Lucia. They all cared about her well-being.
Maybe you more than the others.
Yeah, so what? He cared about her. And maybe it wasn't the easiest thing in the world watching her date loser after loser. But it was his job, no strike that, it was his responsibility to look after her. He owed Rafe that much. But how the hell was he supposed to look out for her when she kept making it so damn difficult? Lucia was obstinate, infuriating, pigheaded, and—
Beautiful.
No. She was like a little sister to him. Yet somehow his dick couldn't seem to get with that program lately. More and more frequently, some very unsisterly thoughts wormed their way into his consciousness.
"Matthias, give me something on this Brent guy. Aren't you supposed to be some kind of super-hacker?"
"You better believe it. But, there's nothing on him. Everything is normal. Boring. Most interesting thing about this guy is he likes adventure sports. He skydives, bungee jumps, that sort of thing. Does some triathlons. Maybe he's some kind of adrenaline junkie. But there's nothing else on him. No flags. He lives here in New York in the East Village. No roommates, rent isn't exorbitant. Works for the city. No large withdrawals of cash, good credit. As far as I can tell, he's clean. But that's just his electronic trail. Maybe you're right on this one and he's a little too clean. I mean, there's not even an online dating profile on him. To me, that's weird. Who doesn't have an online dating profile?"
Noah chuckled and then lifted his binoculars again. Lucia was laughing at something. So Brent thought he was a comedian, huh? What the hell was so damn funny? There was too much interference to use the boom mic, otherwise he'd know.
Brent reached across the table and took Lucia's hand, and Noah nearly chipped a tooth from grinding his teeth so hard. He could see Lucia's eyes go wide. Was that surprise? He hoped it was disgust.
Did she actually like this guy?
His gut clenched at the thought. Perfect, just what he needed. Lucia liking this fucking idiot.
It wasn't that she hadn't dated before. She had. Mostly in college. Most of those guys had merely needed a strong reminder to mind their Ps & Qs with her. But this guy, this guy was random—unknown. Which meant it would take more work to scare him off. But Noah was up for the challenge.
Lucia deserved to be happy, just with somebody vetted and approved. After the shit she had survived in her life? The girl needed some happy endings.
Fuck. Not happy endings.
He groaned and turned his attention back to the restaurant. Brent raised a hand and signaled their server. Shit, they were leaving. The real trick was guessing where they were going. He'd put a tracker on her phone, so if he guessed wrong, he could always follow. But what if something happened to her before he could get there?
"Matthias, turn on the listening device on her phone. I'm heading to the house in case that's where they go."
There was a beat of silence. He could almost hear Matthias's silent condemnation. "The thing is, Noah, she's not going to like that."
"The thing is, Matthias, I don't care," he muttered using the same singsong tone.
Yeah, he knew he sounded like an asshole. But this was Lucia. If she wasn't going to take care of herself, that left it to him to do it for her. They had one simple rule: He vetted all her dates. And sometimes, without her knowing, he'd scare them off. But that was really beside the point. It wasn't his fault she couldn't pick a decent guy.
He made a left turn on 10th Ave, right near the USB Theater, then he sped through Chelsea before making a left on 28th Street, heading toward Chelsea Piers. He made a right at the stop sign, turning onto her quiet street. The street was lined with lofts and new apartment high-rises, all boasting a name with Arms, or Manor.
Before she'd moved, Noah and his team researched the building's owners and the neighborhood crime rate. Everything to make sure she would be safe. Well as safe as she could be in Manhattan. It also didn't hurt that he watched her every move. And not in some creepy, stalkery way, but more like a big brother way. Sort of ...
Never mind that. He drove past her building and around the back to the lot he paid for specifically for these kinds of situations. Yeah, so maybe he also paid most of her rent. She thought she’d gotten extremely lucky with a rent-controlled apartment in the heart of the city. In reality, he paid most of the tab. He also paid for two parking spots. Not that Lucia had a car. But in case she ever got one, she’d have somewhere safe to park it. Somewhere right next to the damn elevator. He paid almost as much to secure that spot as he paid for the ap
artment. His spot was in the darkened shadows somewhere she’d never think to look. He didn’t mind though, because in most scenarios, he was the thing that went bump in the night.
"Matthias, talk to me. Where are they headed?"
"They're stopping for ice cream at Benny's then he's going to take her home."
Okay, so Noah had about ten minutes. Benny's was a local mom-and-pop ice-cream place about five blocks away. He jogged along the parking garage to the side stairs. While he'd insisted that she get a building with a doorman, there was no accounting for the additional exits and entrances into the building. Luckily, this one was exit only. Only confirmed residents had keys. Unfortunately, even your average guy could pick these locks, and he happened to be better than average.
In less than a minute, he was through the door and took the back stairway up to her apartment. She'd listened to him and employed the deadbolt. Problem for her was he had a key.
In seconds he turned off her security alarm. Well, at least there was that. Lucia had been so against it in the first place. At least she realized that a woman living alone needed some security. He glanced around and noted that she'd changed a few things. Was that a new pillow?
Matthias spoke into his earpiece. "You've got about five, boss. They've stopped outside the apartment. I'm going to go ahead and turn off the mic on her phone now if that's okay with you."
More judgment from the youngest member of the team. Whatever. He'd deal with that later. Now, the real question was where to wait for her.
What if she brought the guy in here?
Oh hell no. The mere idea of it had him gripping the edge of the countertop. She had better be coming in alone.
