by Anna Hackett
Gia cried out and Saxon yanked her close, shielding her.
“You want the diamond?” Gia said. “Then you can have it.” She aimed and using every bit of her strength, fueled by all her anger, she wound up and threw it like a baseball.
It sailed straight at Sackler and smacked him between the eyes. With a groan, he hit the concrete.
The diamond bounced on the floor and rolled away.
Sackler made a choked sound. The gun fell from his fingers.
Saxon lunged and kicked the gun away. “He’s out cold.” He looked at her. “Damn, Contessa, you have a hell of an arm.”
“I played softball for years.” She grinned. “I was good.”
Saxon zip tied Sackler’s hands. Next, he tied up the guards. “You’re very good.” He rose, stepping over the diamond.
“Saxon, the pink—”
“Don’t give a fuck about it.” His gaze scanned her body, his face tightening. “Any of that blood yours?”
She swiped at her stained shirt. “No. Sackler killed Lex, and I was standing too close.”
Saxon swept her into his arms.
“It might be some of my blood on my feet though.” She eyed her bare toes and wrinkled her nose. “I had to abandon my favorite pair of Manolo Blahniks in an alley. Then a thug chased me, and I stepped on something.”
“You might need a tetanus shot or stitches, but you sound more pissed about the shoes.”
“I am, Saxon. They were my favorites.”
“I suspect they’re all your favorites.” He pushed her hair back from her face. “I’ll buy you more. I’m rich, remember?”
She tugged his head close. “Hmm, so you are.”
“You’re safe now,” he said.
“I knew you’d come for me. Willow?”
“She’s fine.”
“Good.” Gia slid her hands into his hair.
He took her mouth hungrily. All the emotions inside her coalesced into brutal need for this man. She was alive. He was alive.
This was finally over.
He growled into her mouth, his tongue twining with hers. Gia jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, and his hands cupped her ass.
Mmm, this made everything worthwhile.
“God, my eyes.” Easton’s deep mutter.
“I need bleach,” Rhys replied.
A growl that had to be Vander’s. “Lucky for you two, this is only your first time seeing this.”
Reluctantly, Gia lifted her head.
Her brothers all stood in a row—each one of them looking badass in black, guns in hand.
Vander surveyed the wreckage around them and bent to pick up the diamond.
“Nice to see you’re all right, Gia,” Easton said.
“Even if Saxon did have his tongue in your mouth and his hands on your ass,” Rhys grumbled.
“Get used to it.” Saxon set her down. “I’m going to marry her.”
Gia’s heart stopped and she stared at him. “What?”
“As soon as I can.” Saxon looked at Vander. “Gia said there were two women being held in here.”
Vander’s mouth flattened and he nodded. “Ben has them.”
Gia rounded on Saxon. “You can’t ask me to marry you now! You have to make it romantic. With a ring.”
“No, I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. You are going to marry me. Maybe we can go to Vegas to get it done quicker.”
“Vegas,” she hissed. “No way, Saxon Buchanan. I want a big wedding, with a designer dress that will blow your mind.”
“Okay.” He smiled at her.
The look in his eyes made her heart flip-flop.
“I love you, Gia,” he said.
She melted. “God help us, I love you, too.”
Ace’s voice came through Saxon’s earpiece and Gia could just make out the words. “Guys, you have company.”
“What?” Vander tensed.
Saxon pushed Gia into the center of the group and the men all whipped up their guns.
“Ten men heading into the warehouse, and moving fast,” Ace said.
“Fuck,” Saxon muttered.
Gia swallowed. This was supposed to be over.
Two groups of five men came down the row at either end, trapping them. They were all holding guns.
The men were all stone-faced professionals. A few of them parted, and Kyle Dennett stepped forward. He had one arm in a sling.
The man smiled. “It always pays to let others do all the hard work for you.” He held out his uninjured hand. “I came for the diamond.”
Dammit. Gia muttered a few good Italian curse words. “If we give it to you—” she glared at him “—you’ll leave me and Willow alone.”
Saxon wrapped an arm around her.
“You aren’t in a position to bargain, Ms. Norcross. Willow needs to be punished.”
God, what an asshole.
Dennett’s gaze flicked to Saxon, then Vander. “You’re outnumbered. If you fire, someone will get hurt.”
Vander held up the diamond.
Even in the low light, there was something amazing about it. Gia felt like she could stare into it forever.
Dennett’s face took on a sharp edge. “Finally.”
Damn. Gia didn’t want this asshole to get his hands on the gem.
Suddenly, bodies dressed in black dropped from the shelves above them, landing all around.
Gia swallowed a scream.
The newcomers attacked.
The sound of punches and grunts, and bodies hitting the concrete, filled the air. In seconds, Dennett’s men were down and disarmed.
One tall, muscular man in black body armor, with a mask over the bottom half of his face, stepped up behind Dennett. He pressed a gun to the back of Dennett’s head. His gold eyes glittered above his mask.
Gia shivered. He had fascinating, frightening tiger eyes.
“Who the fuck are you?” Dennett yelled. “I’ll—”
With a quick move, the man slammed the butt of the gun against the back of Dennett’s head. With a sharp gasp, Dennett collapsed.
Gia scanned around. The team in black had taken down all of Dennett’s men—quickly and efficiently.
“Nobody move,” a sharp, female voice said.
Gia blinked. One of these badasses was a woman? She studied them more carefully, and then decided that three had more slender builds and were probably women.
“It’s nice to see you, Lachlan,” Vander said.
The golden-eyed man inclined his head. “Vander.”
“I’m guessing you’re here for this.” Her brother held up the diamond.
Chapter Nineteen
Vander’s covert, black-ops friends had come to pay a visit.
Saxon’s Ghost Ops team had been black ops, but this team had always been just a whisper. The tall leader shoved his mask down his rugged face. He shook hands with Vander.
“You’re just going to give them the diamond?” Gia asked.
The man, Lachlan, glanced at Gia. His eyes were intense, assessing. “Yes.”
A tall, fit woman with blonde hair in a braid strode forward.
Vander handed the woman the diamond. “It’s their job, Gia.”
She straightened. “But—”
“They’re the good guys,” Vander said. “And the diamond is safer with them.”
Gia frowned, but stayed quiet.
“I assume you’ll leave us to clean up the mess?” Vander said dryly.
Lachlan’s lips moved in what might have been a slight smirk. “We were never here.”
“Right.” Vander nodded. “I heard you got engaged.”
Now Lachlan smiled. “If you’re ever in Vegas, give me a call. We’ll go out, because I wouldn’t recommend my fiancée’s cooking.”
A few of his team snickered. The blonde snorted. “I’ll tell her you said that.”
“She’s a hell of a baker, though, so you’ll have to try her desserts.” Lachlan pulled his mask back into place. “Thanks for the assist.”
“You too, Lachlan.”
In seconds, the team pulled back and was gone.
Gia blinked. “Did I just imagine that?”
“Nope.” Saxon pressed her face to his chest. It was damn good to hold her. “You just met Team 52. You can’t tell anyone about them.”
“The diamond—?”
“Was likely from the Great Table diamond, and is probably dangerous.”
“Dangerous? How can a diamond be dangerous?”
“Don’t ask, Gia. It’s in safe hands.” He slid his fingers into her hair, and nudged her face up. “And so are you.”
She smiled, her face softening. She was a mess. Clothes stained and torn, her hair a wild tangle, no shoes, and dried blood on her face. She’d never looked more beautiful.
Somewhere in the warehouse, a door banged open. “Police! Nobody move.”
“Uh-oh,” Gia murmured.
“Hunt, it’s Norcross,” Vander called out. “All threats are neutralized.”
A second later, Detective Hunt Morgan strode toward them. He was wearing dark slacks, a blue shirt with a shoulder holster, and his badge strapped to his belt. Several officers in uniform were two steps behind him.
Hunt’s gaze swept over the space and his jaw tightened. “Fuck.”
“The bad guys are all down,” Vander said. “You should thank me.”
Hunt shot Vander a glare. “Gia, are you all right?”
She nodded. “One of Vander’s guys is with two women that this asshole—” she pointed at a groggy Sackler on the ground “—had in a cage.”
Hunt’s jaw tightened. He waved at two officers. They hauled Sackler up, while other police officers checked the downed guards.
“There’s also a bag of gems,” Gia added.
“You’ve all been busy,” Hunt drawled.
She smiled, and Saxon shook his head.
“Okay, well, get comfortable,” Hunt said. “I need everyone’s statements, and I need to give Vander my weekly speech about running around San Francisco, wreaking havoc, and not alerting the police to what’s going on.”
Vander swung his rifle up on his shoulder. “I owe you a beer.”
“You owe me an entire brewery,” Hunt countered.
They gave their statements to the detectives, and paramedics checked Gia’s feet. There was nothing that needed stitches, and her tetanus shot was up to date.
The women were also checked over and taken to the hospital. The authorities would reunite them with their families.
Best of all, Albert Sackler was behind bars, and Hunt was getting search warrants to search his home and other properties.
Whatever happened, the man was going down.
“I want a shower,” Gia said.
“Come on, warrior princess.” After waving at Vander and the others, and waiting while her brothers hugged her, they headed out to the X6.
“A shower and food are on the horizon for you.” He buckled her seatbelt, and soon, they were driving back to his place.
She turned in the seat. “By the way, I do not accept your half-assed marriage proposal. You do it properly, Saxon Buchanan. With a big ring and a bottle of champagne.”
He grinned at her. His Gia wasn’t shy about asking for what she wanted.
Back at his place, he carried her up the stairs.
“Why do I feel so drained?” She rested her head against his shoulder.
“You’ve been running on adrenaline all day. You’ve been stressed all week. It’s normal to crash.”
He carried her into his bathroom
Saxon started running the bath, then helped to strip her clothes off.
“Saxon, I can do it—”
“Let me look after you, Gia.”
She nodded. He noted that she had a few new bruises, but all in all, she was fine. He kissed her shoulder, then her elbow, ran his fingers down her side.
“I want to shower the grime and blood off first before I get in the bath,” she murmured.
“Go shower, then get in the tub. I’m going to sort out some food.” And a few other things.
She stepped into the shower stall and blew him a kiss.
Saxon grabbed his phone, and in the kitchen, he made a call. Thankfully, money could make almost anything happen, and fast. Then he pulled out some mixed nuts, stuffed peppers, and cheese and crackers. He set them out on a board. Next, he pulled out two champagne flutes.
The doorbell rang. On the way down, he checked to make sure that Gia was in the tub, then headed down to collect what he’d ordered.
Once he had that, he grabbed a chilled bottle of Moët & Chandon, the champagne flutes, and the board of snacks.
When he entered the bathroom, she was lying in the tub, damp hair piled on top of her head, and her eyes closed. Her beautiful breasts were peeking through the bubbles, and his cock flared to life.
He set everything down beside the tub and she cracked one eye open. “Moët, my favorite.”
“I know.” He filled the flute and handed it to her.
“What are we celebrating?” she asked.
“Being alive. You being safe.” He filled his glass and then clinked it to hers. “Sackler behind bars.”
“Those are very good things.”
“Me loving you more than I thought I could love anyone.”
She stilled. “Saxon…”
“I’ve never loved a woman before. You’re it for me, Gia Norcross.”
She reached out and tugged his head down. She kissed him, long and deep.
“We’re celebrating one more thing,” he said.
“Did you buy me a new pair of Manolo Blahniks?”
“No. We’re celebrating you marrying me.” He held out his hand.
Gia blinked and stared at the ring. “Where did you get that? How can you do that so fast?”
“I have my ways.” It was a large, pear-shaped, pink diamond, surrounded by smaller, white diamonds. “You’re going to marry me, Gia.”
“Still no question.” Emotion shimmered in her eyes. “But you have the ring, the champagne, and most of all, you’re the man I love.” She beamed at him. “Put that ring on my finger, Hot Stuff.”
Elation and a happiness that he’d never known rushed through him. He set the flute down, then climbed into the tub.
“Saxon, your clothes!”
Water sloshed and his saturated clothes clung to him as he straddled her.
Then he slid the ring on her finger.
“All mine now, Contessa.”
Smiling, she dragged him close and kissed him. “Now, I get to drive you crazy for a lifetime.”
“Gia, you aren’t concentrating.”
No, she wasn’t, because she was sprawled on top of a naked Saxon, her head facing his feet, and her legs on either side of his head.
Mostly, she couldn’t concentrate because his far-too-clever mouth was between her legs.
She moaned. His hand bit into her ass and she rolled against him. “God, Saxon—”
His tongue plunged inside her, then he sucked on her clit.
“You’re too good at this,” she moaned.
He bit her thigh. “Is that possible?”
“No. Don’t stop.”
His chuckle made her shiver. Then his hand pressed between her shoulder blades, pushing her down.
Gia’s gaze fell on his hard cock. Mmm. She circled it with one hand and her gaze snagged on her engagement ring. Smiling, she closed her mouth over the head of his cock.
Saxon grunted, his fingers digging into her skin. She sucked him deep, bobbed, and sucked again.
A groan rumbled out of him and then his mouth was back between her legs, licking and sucking roughly.
Gia pumped his cock, licking and lavishing it with attention. This could become her new favorite pastime.
His hips pumped up, driving his cock deeper into her mouth. She moaned, clamping her legs on his head. Then he was sucking her clit again. She threw her head back, his cock popping free.
> “Saxon, God, yes.”
Gia’s climax rocked through her, leaving her shaking and crying his name. With pleasure still rushing through her, he rolled her over.
She found herself on her back. Saxon grabbed a condom—his moves jerky and desperate—then he pushed her ankles onto his shoulders and thrust inside her.
Oh, God, yes.
“Eyes, Gia. Look at me.”
She met his gaze. He was so damn handsome.
He moved inside her, never once looking away. His hands found hers, pushing them into the bed.
The look in his eyes, the love… Gia whimpered. There was so much feeling inside her. Too much and never enough.
“You have no idea how beautiful you are,” he murmured.
“Saxon.”
“I’m gonna make you come again, then I’m going to come deep inside my Contessa.”
He picked up speed, finding an angle that vibrated through her clit. Soon, she was crying out and bucking against him.
“Get there, Gia.”
With one more thrust, her climax hit, shockwaves washing over her. Her back arched.
He didn’t look away. She felt the intensity of his gaze watching her as she rode through her pleasure.
Then his lunges lost their rhythm, his breathing harsh pants. He let out a deep groan, and his big body shuddered as he came.
Gia closed her eyes and stroked her hand lazily over his sweat-dampened back.
“You alive?” he asked.
She managed a hum.
He chuckled and she felt it in her belly. He kissed her chin and pulled out. He sauntered into the bathroom and she rolled over to watch. She’d be happy just to stay right here for the foreseeable future.
As Saxon headed back to the bed, the doorbell rang.
Gia groaned.
“They’ll go away,” he growled.
The bell rang again. Then again, and Saxon made a frustrated noise. Gia laughed.
Saxon’s cell phone rang on the bedside table and he snatched it up. “It’s Rhys.” He thumbed the phone and Rhys’ voice came through.
“Answer the door,” Rhys said. “My woman wants to see her best friend, and we brought dinner.”
Saxon growled again, and Gia giggled. She scrambled off the bed, snatched up his shirt, and pulled it on. She hunted around for some leggings to wear with it. Meanwhile, Saxon tugged on some jeans and a T-shirt.
