His back was beginning to ache, forcing him to sit down for a minute before it got worse. He checked the small clock by the bed at least a dozen times in the past five minutes.
Lena had been gone for nearly thirty minutes. He knew running was a part of her daily routine, but being in a safe house didn’t allow for anyone to keep a routine.
He wanted her back here. He didn’t like the idea of her being out there without him to protect her.
The irony of that as he sat in the chair, suffering from a sore back was something he didn’t care to entertain. He knew he was no longer the man he once was. The bullet lodged in his back had seen to that. Still, that didn’t stop him from having the instincts of a warrior, willing to protect whoever he needed to in order to get the job done.
Too nervous to sit still, he got back up and began checking the window and alternating that with the unseen racetrack he’d created by pacing back and forth.
By the time he checked the clock again, forty-five minutes had passed since he’d last laid eyes on her.
Where in the ever-loving hell was she?
He would give her ten more minutes, but after that, he’d be forced to call Dan and head out in search of her.
It was against protocol to leave the safehouse unattended. He knew he should have called Dan the second he realized she was gone. His stubbornness had won out though and allowed her the time that she needed.
She had cried in his arms for so long he hadn’t realized how much time had passed. She had made herself vulnerable to him. And it was that same vulnerability that he wanted so desperately to respect and protect.
Which got him to the point he was in right then. In a safe house, nearly fifty minutes since his charge had vanished, and not a damn clue where she may be.
Two minutes tops was all the time that she was getting to return safely and on her own. After that, he would head out, find her, and spank her if he had to.
Damn it! Stop thinking about her ass!
His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of someone stepping up the gravely walkway. A quick peek out the window and he saw her coming back to the room.
He crossed the room faster than he’d moved in days and quickly flung the door open, ready for a fight.
“Where in the fuck have you been?”
She jolted from his shout and held her hand over her chest.
“Jesus, Marc. You scared the hell out of me!”
“Welcome to my world!”
“What are you talking about?”
“What am I talking about? Are you serious? You’ve been gone for almost an hour!”
“I left you a note!”
“A note? Are you fucking kidding me? You’re in a safe house! I’ve been hired to protect you. This isn’t a weekend retreat at a cottage! You can’t just come and go as you please!”
“Okay, okay. Calm down. I’m sorry.”
“Just hurry up and get inside.”
He held the door open and waited for her to pass by before taking a quick survey of the surrounding area. He saw no one and nothing that appeared unusual or out of place. Satisfied she wasn’t followed, he closed the door and locked it behind him.
He then turned his attention toward her, prepared to give her one hell of a tongue-lashing about the importance of safety and not taking unnecessary risks.
He wasn’t sure which annoyed him more, the fact that he let her slip out from out of his reach, or that he was unusually scared that something may have happened to her.
When he spun around to begin the lecture he was surprised to see her bag sitting on the table and her nowhere in sight and the bathroom door shut.
“Seriously? For fucks, sake, Lena! Where the hell did you go now?”
“I’m in the bathroom.” She yelled from behind the door.
He leaned against the door frame and replied, “I’m aware. I just… fuck, just get out here so I can yell at you.”
He heard the toilet flush and then the sound of water running in the sink.
“Any day now would be great.”
“Geez.” She stepped back into the room. “Someone’s cranky.”
“I’m not cranky! I’m…”
She crossed her arms and stared at him for a moment. He was no great psychologist, nor did he claim to understand the inner workings of a woman’s mind, but if he was a betting man, he’d be willing to place a wager that she was a little amused.
“Are you smirking?”
She closed her mouth. “Me?”
He was trying really hard to remain pissed off at her. But, the cute little grin working up the corners of her mouth was making it nearly impossible.
“You seem upset,” she said while tilting her head to one side.
“This isn’t funny, Lena. You can’t just come and go as you please.”
“Right. Aye, aye, captain.” She straightened her hand and offered a salute.
“I wasn’t a captain.”
“No? A private then?”
“You think you’re pretty cute, don’t you?”
“What? You weren’t a private?”
“Try Lieutenant Colonel. I was in for fifteen years until…”
“Until… what exactly?”
“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
“Did I hit a nerve?”
She gave him a smile that was too difficult to resist.
“You can’t do that again. Promise me.”
“Okay, I promise. And… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just… don’t do it again. I was worried about you. I paced this damn for over a half an hour.”
He watched as her face suddenly softened, and she smiled. “You were worried about me?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I am supposed to be the one taking care of you, aren’t I?”
“Ahh… I see. So, if you weren’t in charge of keeping me safe, you wouldn’t care one iota.” She laughed. “I’m only kidding.”
He could swear the entire room lit up from her laughter. “I’m glad you find this amusing.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. I’ll be nice.”
She still was smirking at him. Giving him a sexy as hell grin that he was having a hard time resisting.
Between having a bullet in his back, this being the first job he’s had in months and the fact that she’d nearly given him a heart attack, he was a bit off-kilter.
“I know you think it’s funny. But, I need you to take this seriously. I –.”
As he took a step toward her a jolting pain shot up along his spine and plunged him forward, right onto Lena as they both fell to the floor.
They both went down with a thud.
Pain.
Excruciating pain enveloped his underside and radiated throughout his body.
Lena had fallen with him, landing on top with their two bodies pressed together.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
He bit down his teeth, fighting against the need to scream while pain rocketed through his body.
She squirmed, touching his face to check on him. “Marc, please. Talk to me.”
He opened his eyes. She was no more than an inch away from him. The striking features of her face seem to glow.
Her eyes, a light green in color were hypnotizing. And somehow, he felt like he was seeing them for the very first time.
“Answer me.” She insisted.
He wasn’t sure why, but he laughed at her question.
He couldn’t help it. She was too damn cute.
“What is so funny?”
“You are. You were just giving me crap not five minutes ago because I was worried about you. Funny how it’s not so funny to you when the shoe is on the other foot.”
She grinned at him. “Okay, point taken.”
He was really starting to like that smile of hers. She had a dimple on her right cheek that looked good enough to nibble on.
“Good.”
“So what? You did this on purpose?”
“No. Not a
t all. I have…” he hesitated for a moment, feeling self-conscious about his injury wasn’t something he’d gotten used to yet.
“You have? What?”
“I have an injury from the Corps. Sometimes my back tightens up.”
“I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
“No way you could have. It’s not a big deal.”
“Geez, and here I am laying on top of you. Let me get up.”
When she placed her arms on either side of him, bracing to get up, he wrapped his arms around her and tightened his hold.
“Marc, what are you doing?”
He didn’t answer or stop to think about what he was about to do. If he had he might not have gone ahead and done it.
There was a little devil sitting on his shoulder egging him on, encouraging him to forget about everything else and live in the moment.
Lifting his head up just he touched his lips to hers. He removed one of his hands from her body and let it trail up to the back of her neck, holding her firmly to the kiss.
Slowly he slid his tongue against her lower lip, gently applying pressure back and forth before using it to open her mouth.
Slowly stroking his tongue, she fell in rhythm with him. Her kiss met his, as their bodies melted into one another.
His blood rushed through his body, causing his body to tense in an entirely different way.
His dick hardened and began to throb. A feeling which clearly wasn’t lost on her as her timid kiss turned into a passionate one.
She pressed her body into his, eagerly running her hands down his sides and through his hair.
“Oh Lena, you feel so good.”
She didn’t reply. She only melted further into him as he slid a hand up her back to feel every curve he could on her body.
. Suddenly, in that moment the need to feel the inside of her was so strong he ached from wanting it so badly.
Bullet in his back or not, he wanted Lena. He wanted to touch and feel every inch of her.
She tilted her head to one side and slid her tongue along his, exploring his mouth, meeting his urgent need.
He wasn’t holding back, and neither was she. He continued to use his hands to touch her body, but he was slowly losing control.
In agony, his cock throbbed unbearably under the pressure of wanting to slide into the comforting warmth of between her legs.
He pulled away from her kiss and firmly tugged her head back with his hand. Trailing his tongue from her mouth to down her neck. He could taste the saltiness of her skin.
The exotic flavor of sweat, heat, and lust soaked into his mouth like the greatest aphrodisiac he’s ever had.
He made his way to her earlobe and flicked the end of it with his tongue. It looked too inviting for him to not do more. Closing his mouth around it he gently nibbled.
She tilted her head to grant him better access, also offering him a teasing glance at the cleavage.
Refocusing his attention, he brought his mouth down the side of her neck, alternating between featherlight kisses, nibbles, and licks.
She moaned in appreciation of his work. His eyes opened, and he saw her hovering over him.
“Fuck, I want you,” he muttered.
With both hands, he grabbed onto the side of her face and brought their mouths back together as he laid his head back down against the floor. She went willingly with him as her mouth met him just as her kiss did. Their tongues no longer strangers to one another.
The ache was too strong. He thrust his hips against her pelvis just enough to feel the warmth of her body.
Desperately he needed to feel her skin, wet and ready for him.
And with every moan she offered, it only made his need greater.
“Marc…”
He didn’t stop, he was going crazy for her.
“Marc please.”
She pulled away from his kiss.
“What? What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m scared…” she swallowed a large lump in her throat. “I’ve never…”
He looked at her with confusion, sure that he was misunderstanding her.
“What do you mean you’re scared? Scared of me?”
“No!” she shook her head. “Not you. I’m scared of…”
Her voice trailed off and she looked away from him.
“Sex?” he asked.
“Yeah. I know it’s stupid, but I’ve never –.”
“You’ve never had sex before?”
His abrupt method of blurting out the question was an instant mistake, and one that he recognized from the moment he saw the embarrassment on her face.
“Oh God. I’m sorry, Lena.”
She pushed herself up off the floor and distanced herself from him.
“Lena?”
Struggling, he somehow managed to get up, and ignore the erection that was pressing against his jeans.
He crossed the room to where she stood by the window and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Lena, I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, you should have. I was the one who screwed up.”
She turned back to face him. “It probably seems strange, a twenty-eight-year-old virgin.”
“No, it’s not strange. It’s surprising. But, not strange.”
She offered a small smile. “I bet you weren’t expecting that.”
“No, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
“Thanks, but I think I need to take things slow.”
He cupped the sides of her face and dropped his forehead down to hers. “That’s okay. I can do slow. As long as you’re not upset.”
“I’ll be okay. I just wasn’t expecting to feel that way. My whole life, up until two years ago, I lived in an underground laboratory with my sister and the G.E.A. monsters who ruled our every decision. I didn’t go out. I didn’t date. I didn’t feel.”
“I’m so sorry, Lena. Had I known, I wouldn’t have –.”
“Can we just drop it, please? Talking about all of this is making me anxious.”
“Absolutely. How about we talk about…” he scanned the room, looking for something to bring up and detract him from the hard-on that still threatened his zipper.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
Fuck, am I ever!
He chose not to go with his first thought, and replied, “Starved. Let’s grab a couple sandwiches from the fridge.”
“That sounds great.”
Marc reached for the small refrigerator that sat across the room. He ducked his head down just in time to miss the stray bullet that whizzed by his head.
Lena screamed and dropped to the ground.
Marcus reached for his Glock and motioned for her to join him near the bathroom. Tugging at her hand to bring her closer, he sheltered her head from the bullets that were zipping just above their heads.
Once she was beside him, he grabbed his phone and entered the distress code into Phoenix Agency’s dedicated emergency only line.
Then pulling back the towel bar in the bathroom, Marc opened the hidden door beneath the tub basin and told Lena to head down the wooden stairs.
The sound of glass breaking filled the small room as bullets sprayed the motel.
When Lena was safely down below in the tunnels, he pressed the button to close the secret door and keep whoever was after them, at least a few steps behind in their pursuit.
They hurried down the escape path just as his phone rang.
Stopping for a moment, Marc quickly answered, “Dan… we’ve been ambushed.”
“Fuck!” Dan Romero shouted “How the hell did that happen? No one knew about that safe house. No one!”
“Now’s not really the time. Can we solve that little mystery later? We need a rescue helo, and we need it now!”
“Copy that. Are you in the escape tunnel?”
“Yes. How long until you’ll have a team here?”
/> “Twenty minutes. Tops. Head down the tunnel about two miles. Then take the smaller, eastern route and look for three white stalactites pointing to a ladder. A red light will be at the opening. Wait for that to light up before exiting the tunnels. The rendezvous point will be about fifty yards to the west after you come out.”
“Got it. See you in twenty.”
Marc slid his phone into his pocket and increased his hold on Lena’s hand.
“Marc, wait.” She stopped them, gasping for breath and with tears running down her face, she added. “I don’t want to die. I need to find my sister. I need to know that she’s okay.”
“Stop it, Lena. Listen to me,” he held her face in his hands. “You’re not going to die. I won’t let that happen. And we’re going to find your sister. We have these exit strategies set up so we won’t fail.”
“Do you promise, Marc? She’s all I have. I don’t care what happens to me, as long as my sister is okay. That’s all I need to know.”
“No. She’s not all that you have.” He pressed his lips down against hers for a brief moment before continuing, “But, I do promise you. I won’t let anything happen to you. Or your sister. I will do whatever it takes to protect you both. And so will the rest of the agency.”
She nodded and held onto his hand, following him down the tunnel. He tightened his grip on her, refusing to let her fall behind.
She may not realize it yet, but that promise he’d just made to her was the only promise he’d ever made on a mission that he was truly scared he may not be able to keep.
Lily was their target for rescue. She was who the team were trying to save.
But, Lena was his. Not just his job. Not just his assignment. She was much more.
The End… For now
Turn to the next page for a sneak peek at Pressure Point, the next book in the G.E.A. Files series of The Phoenix Agency Kindle World.
Pressure Point
Coming to The Phoenix Agency Kindle World in 2018
Lily woke in the darkroom, unsure if her eyes were even open. She’d lost count on how many hours or days she’d been there. Her bruises were no longer hurting as badly as they had that first night. The hunger pains she felt no longer ate away at her gut. And she couldn’t remember whether she had drunk anything since they’d pushed her into this hole.
The Phoenix Agency_Fatal Desires Page 3
