“If it will help, I can write down everything I can remember. The Brazil assignment would’ve been a little over two years ago. He was only off that mission a few months before they put him under as long term.”
“And you’re sure there was Spanish being spoken in the background?”
“Yes. I’m not a linguist, so I can’t be sure on the regional dialect. I wouldn’t know the difference between European and Hispanic pronunciation. He could’ve been in Spain for all I know.”
“I’d like you to write down anything you can remember. Someone did a very good job destroying any record of Declan Crenshaw.” Zane’s lip twitched, and Violet took the bait and smiled back. The poor girl had no idea Zane never smiled at anyone unless he was using his good looks to knock them off balance. I didn’t have to wait long before he delivered the punchline. “Oh, before I forget. The President has requested a meeting with you this evening. He’s been briefed about your situation and is more than happy to meet with you here.” Then he turned to me. “You should expect him to helicopter in with Gerald around nine tonight. I brought you a few things I thought you’d need. Eric will be around later to bring you something for dinner.”
Son of a bitch that was low. Violet looked like she was regretting eating the two donuts she’d shoveled in. Zane could’ve explained he had a personal relationship with President Anderson and if the POTUS wanted to come meet with her, it was not because he was going to haul her off; it was because he simply wanted a conversation.
“Have a good day.” Zane winked.
He fucking winked at Violet. Never, not once in all the years I’ve known Zane Lewis, had he ever winked at anyone. What the hell was that? Was he hitting on her?
He laughed when I cut my eyes to him. “Too fucking easy. Jax, don’t forget to check the pack I brought. I think you’ll find just what you need.”
Unless it was some duct tape I could use to shut him up, I didn’t know what he could’ve possibly brought me I didn’t already have. Zane left a stunned Violet at the table and made his way to the door. He shook his head and pinned me with a stare. “Have her ready by nine and we’ll go from there. She should give him the same speech she did to Abe about the names not being names. He’ll understand that mentality.”
“I won’t coach her what to say to him,” I told Zane. Mainly because I didn’t think she needed me too. If Violet could make me understand why she’d leaked information, she could change President Anderson’s opinion without my help.
“You sure that’s smart?”
I hated that we were talking about Violet as if she wasn’t in the room. Had she not been blindsided with the knowledge President Anderson would be making an appearance, I’m sure she would’ve already voiced her opinion.
“I could bullshit you and tell you I’m not tracking, but I think I am. And the correct answer is, I will not tell her what to say to Tom Anderson to make him see past her transgressions. If, and it’s a big if, he grants her clemency, it will be because Violet convinced him. First, Tom can smell bullshit from five hundred meters out. If one answer sounds rehearsed, he’ll throw her ass in the hole. We both know it. Second, Violet needs to know she’s taken responsibility for what she’s done. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself knowing we got her out of the shit sandwich she’s put herself in. The Violet I know would rather live in the hole.”
“Copy that. See you tonight.”
Zane closed the door and I watched on the monitor as he walked up the stairs, out of the building and got into a company-issued SUV. Smug prick would never drive one of his sports cars down a dirt lane.
“Thank you,” Violet said from behind me.
“I told you once, there is nothing to thank me for.”
“I’m scared to meet with the President, but I’m honored to have the chance to look him in the face and explain. If for no other reason than to apologize. I let him down, too.”
Damn, this woman was brave or crazy. The jury was still out. Fuck, maybe we were both crazy. I understood full and well what Zane was trying to tell me. If I wanted to guarantee Violet was a free woman after this mission was over, I needed to tell her what to say so the President would pardon her. Or, as it were, let us bury the information we had so no one ever found out she had any involvement. Tex, Wolf, and the rest of the platoon were the only people outside of us that knew she was the mole. None of us were worried Tex and the guys would say anything. But the painful truth was as much as I wanted to protect her I couldn’t. For both of us she needed to be honest with Tom. What kind of man would I be if I put my personal feelings and wants over the security of the nation I’ve vowed to honor, serve, and protect?
I guess her and I were a lot alike in that regard. We’d both martyr ourselves for what we believed was the greater good. Not that I had any intention on keeping her, but if I had, I’d need to claim her with a clean conscience.
“There’s nothing to be scared of. You’ll be fine. Would you mind putting away the rest of the food Zane brought in the mini-fridge while I take the other bags into the room?”
“Sure.”
I picked up the two new duffels, carried them into the bedroom, and dropped them on the floor. I unzipped the first one and it was full of extra towels and bathroom supplies. Jasmin had definitely packed that bag; there was girly shampoo and conditioner. I’d be surprised if Zane even realized women used such products.
I started to rummage through the second pack when I felt a paper bag inside. I pulled out the non-descript bag and held it up to read. Zane’s handwriting looked like chicken scratch, but I could make out a few of the words: Before you tap it, cap it. Cover your stump before you hump. Don’t be silly, protect your willy.
Ass wipe.
I opened the bag and there were several different boxes of condoms. Ribbed for her pleasure. Ultra-sensitive. And my favorite, extra-large.
I wanted to be irritated at his idea of a joke, but the ache in my balls made me grateful. We had hours before Eric came to bring us dinner and longer still until the President was due. The thought of having her under me made my dick twitch. But the nagging in the back of my mind stopped me from rushing out into the other room and throwing her over my shoulder like a caveman.
I thought back to what she’d said while we were lying in bed. She wished she’d met me a year ago. What the fuck was I doing? It wouldn’t have mattered if she’d met me a year ago, or would it have? I’d kept all of my relationships casual. No emotional attachments, no commitments. I couldn’t make promises to a woman when I knew I’d never be able to keep them. I didn’t know when I was going or coming. And the big thing was, I couldn’t promise a woman I’d come home from a mission in one piece or at all. Violet would deny it and say she didn’t mean anything by her dating comment. But by her making the statement in the first place meant she didn’t do casual. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with that. It wasn’t fair to lead her on when I didn’t know if I was willing to offer her anything after these next couple of days. The treason notwithstanding, Violet Meyers was pretty damn close to the woman I’d want as a partner. She was strong and independent, and as crazy as it seemed, she was brave and loyal to those she cared about.
I was screwed, and not in the good kind of way. I couldn’t deny there was something that endeared me to her. But it wasn’t enough to make me want to jump into a relationship. One day I wanted what my parents had; they loved and respected each other deeply. My mom still looked at my dad like he was the sun in her universe. I wanted a woman to look at me like that, someday. I just didn’t think I was ready for that someday to be today. Besides the little fact that Violet might be heading to prison for the rest of her life was still hanging over our heads. Fuck. I was beginning to adopt Violet’s way of thinking – the universe sucked.
“What’s that?” Violet asked.
I guess one way to gauge her reaction was to hand the bag over to her and see what she thought. So, I did just that.
It took her a minute t
o scan the paper bag and read some of the one-liners Zane had written.
“Oh my God,” she started laughing. “Sex is cleaner with a packaged wiener. If you think she’s spunky, cover your monkey.” The more she read the less I could understand what she was saying until finally she was laughing so hard tears were forming in her eyes and she couldn’t get the words out. Zane had written dozens of stupid condom jokes all over the bag. “I should be… embarrassed… but I’m not… that is so funny… I can’t.”
Jesus, she was beautiful when she laughed. I’d hadn’t seen her so carefree since I’d met her. The simple act had transformed her, not only her features but her entire being. This side of Violet was more dangerous than the lust-fueled woman that had woken me up this morning.
Fuck it.
Screw my good intentions, and the promises I couldn’t make. Fuck it all; I wanted her. I wanted what we could have at this moment, not tomorrow, not next week, now. I couldn’t give the first two fucks about love and relationships. I needed her right this very second with a deep-seated thirst I’d never felt. I wanted her joy and light, and I was going to steal it like a thief and not feel a damn bit of remorse.
I yanked the bag from her hand, tossed it on the bed, and pulled her to me. Her laughter immediately died, and her smile faded.
“Stop this now if you don’t want it,” I told her and pushed my hips toward her. Her eyes widened when she felt my erection and she swallowed but remained quiet. “Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head and that was all the answer I needed. My hands found the hem of her shirt and I ripped it over her head, throwing it to the side. I went to work divesting her of the rest of her clothes. In record time she was standing in front of me, gloriously naked. My clothes quickly joined the pile and by the time I reached to touch her my hands shook with need. My plan had been to toss her on the bed and fuck the hell out of her, but now I wanted to savor every part of her, starting with her pretty lips.
She allowed me to set the pace of our kiss, but when her tongue grazed mine and she sucked and nibbled around my mouth, as much as I’d like to have believed I was in control, she owned me. When she wrapped her tiny hands around my dick, giving it firm tug, my knees nearly gave out. My hands moved over her hips and the swell of her ass until I picked her up and her legs wrapped around my waist. I walked the few steps to the bed, twisted, and we landed on the mattress with bounce. Through it all my lips never left hers. She wiggled her trapped hands free, moved them to my ass, and pulled me closer. The tip of my dick nudged her wet opening and I blindly reached out and found the bag of condoms. I dumped the bag, grabbed a box and broke our kiss long enough to push Violet farther up the bed and ripped open the box. As I carefully rolled the latex down my length, I took my fill of the perfection that laid before me.
“What is it about you that makes me lose my head?” I asked, my hands going to her thighs to spread them, exposing her wet folds. “You’re so beautiful, Vi.”
“Please, Jaxon, hurry.” She didn’t wait for my response; instead, she reached between us and grabbed my dick. “Now.” The desperation in her voice spurred me forward and I let her guide me where we both needed. I had to grind my teeth as I slowly pushed inside, allowing her to adjust to the intrusion. “Ohmygod.”
I had to close my eyes against the intensity of my feelings. Never had the act of sex felt so good and I hadn’t even moved yet. The onslaught of emotion was unsettling. Violet didn’t give me time to contemplate whys and wherefores; her legs tightened around my waist and she squeezed her inner muscles.
“Holy fuck,” I panted.
“Please, Jax.”
It may have been her calling me Jax, it may have been her impossibly tight pussy threatening to unman me, or it may have been the incredible sense of peace I’d felt; whatever the cause, my determination to savor the moment snapped.
“Hold on, baby.”
And with that last warning I lost control, taking us both on the ride of a lifetime. When she screamed my name and dug her nails into my back, I knew I was in trouble. When she came around my cock, detonating my own orgasm, I knew I should run. But when we’d both caught our breath and she settled in next to me, cuddling into my side, I knew I’d do whatever I could to keep her there.
It wasn’t the incredible sex. It was the trust and vulnerability I saw swirling in her brown eyes. It was almost like I was the sun in her universe.
Chapter Fifteen
Violet
“Stop. You look fine, and you’re getting yourself all worked up. Relax.”
Relax?
How the hell was I supposed to relax. The President of the United States was due at the barn any minute.
“Listen, we need to talk,” he said, handing me a bottle of water.
“You don’t have to say anything. We both know that shouldn’t have happened.” I’d save him the trouble of the brush off, and me the embarrassment. Truthfully, I didn’t want to hear him say it. I knew our time together didn’t mean anything to him. He admitted he had casual sex in the past. I had not. Despite my earlier actions, I’d never slept with a man I’d just met.
“Really? We both know?” Instead of looking relieved I’d let him off the hook, he looked pissed.
Why was he so mad? It wasn’t like I made his heart race like he did mine. I thought he’d be happy he didn’t have to find a way to let me down easy.
“I thought you’d be happy I knew the score,” I told him.
“The score?” Oh hell, he was getting angrier by the second. Maybe it was time I shut up. “Explain. What’s the score, Violet?”
He wasn’t going to let the conversation die. “You know, casual. You said you’ve had casual sex in the past. All I’m saying is I understand that what happened between us didn’t mean anything. I’m not going to get all clingy and expect a ring. You were right, it was a bad idea. In a few days you’ll never have to see me again and we’ll go…”
His growl echoed in the small room and I decided I was done explaining what the score was.
“Don’t try and use my words against me. Who I’ve fucked in the past has nothing to do with us.” Oh boy, he was beyond mad. The blue of his eyes had darkened, and he’d pinned me with his stare. “And you don’t get to speak for both of us. I didn’t know there was a score, and it certainly wasn’t meaningless to me. If it was to you than…”
He was cut off by an alarm beeping and he turned to face the bank of monitors. A black SUV was pulling up the dirt driveway at a high rate of speed. A second monitored showed a helicopter landing in the open field behind the barn.
“How come we didn’t hear the helicopter?” I asked.
“The basement is reinforced with anti-ballistic material. It makes this room sound proof,” he explained. “Someone could blow up the structure above us, and still have to get through several layers of protection to get down here.”
“Oh.”
“By the time someone could get through the basement door, there’d be plenty of time to get into the safe room and wait for help. Nothing of importance is kept here. All intel is stored at the office downtown.”
We watched as three men exited the helicopter at the same time the SUV had parked, and Zane met the other men, leading them through the exterior door.
“Shit.” I wasn’t ready for this.
“This is what I wanted to talk to you about,” Jaxon started. “You need to relax and answer his questions honestly.”
“Will you…” Shit, how did I ask him to stay without sounding like the clingy woman I claimed not to be.
Jaxon grabbed me around the waist and my hands landed on his chest to keep my balance. “I won’t leave your side.” I was grateful for the contact and tried to soak up as much of his strength as I could.
“Thank you.”
He kissed my forehead before he released me as the door opened and Zane walked in, the three other men following closely behind. Zane’s assessing gaze took in our closeness and shockingly didn’
t look surprised. Then I remembered he was the one that gave Jaxon the bag full of condoms and embarrassment washed over me.
“Violet, this is Gerald and Aaron, President Anderson’s personal security detail.” Zane motioned to the two ginormous men flanking the President. “I’m sure you recognize the President.”
Suddenly my mind went blank; I didn’t know what to do. Was I supposed to shake his hand, offer a curtsy, salute, bow? Fuck a duck, the more time that passed the dumber I looked.
“Mr. President.” What the hell, Mr. President? That was all I could think to say.
“Violet Meyers. You seemed to have caused quite a stir,” the President said.
“Yes sir, I have. More than a stir I’m afraid.”
“Indeed. Let’s have a seat and talk.” What did I do now? What was the polite protocol? Did the President sit first? “Please.” He gestured to the chair opposite of him and waited for me to sit before he took his seat.
Zane handed him a file and sat to my left, while Jaxon sat to my right. The four of us sat around a table that was absurdly too small for the three large men. It looked like three G.I. Joe dolls sitting around a miniature Barbie table. As funny as the visual was, I didn’t think anyone would appreciate me finding humor in the situation.
“I believe in honesty, Miss Meyers. I’ll extend you the courtesy and warn you I’ve read your file. Zane briefed me and has continued to do so since you showed up at his personal residence. I’ve also been in constant contact with Mr. Keagan.” I knew from my research on Wolf’s team as well as Z Corps and Zane Lewis, John Keagan, better known as Tex, was one of the best intel gatherers in the US. I’d also seen the guys talking to him via video call on the plane. I had no doubt Tex had been able to get the President all the information he needed. “I’ve also spoken to Wolf and his platoon, specifically I’ve had a lengthy conversation with Abe.”
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Redeeming Violet (Kindle Worlds) Page 9
