“Not when I’m spending the rest of it with you.”
Chapter 28
The next day flew by at warp speed. While we were waiting to be released from the hospital that morning, I stopped by T’s room to check on him. He was sound asleep, hooked up to more beeping gadgets and tubes. But he had one addition to his bed. A little fairy.
At least that’s what I thought Emmy looked like, cuddled up next to the tattooed giant. Her waist had to be the same width as his bicep that she rested her head against.
I stepped quietly to the door to leave.
“Mars?” Emmy croaked, wiping the sleep from her eyes.
“Go back to sleep,” I said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I’m sorry for doubting you before.”
“You didn’t know.”
“But I should have,” she said. “I’m really sorry.”
“Then I forgive you,” I said. “Brett and I are leaving for Houston today. Update me on T, will you?”
She nodded. “Of course.”
“I’ll see you in a month.”
Emmy smiled. “Don’t hurry back on our account.”
I waved good-bye and turned out of the door and into Brett’s arms. “How is he?”
“He looks better,” I said. “Emmy’s watching him.”
“Ready to go?”
“Is your back okay?” I asked. “Maybe you should stay just a little longer.”
“You heard the doctor,” he said, holding me snug. “I’ve been cleaned and patched. I’m ready to go.”
“And no heavy lifting until the stitches come out,” I reminded.
“Yes, doctor,” he teased, his eyes heating.
I laughed. “I think you’re healthy enough.”
* * *
Our next stop was the police station. We weren’t there long, but it was long enough for me to realize that the two men captured didn’t equal the three men that had been at Fenwig’s.
They were missing the wispy-voiced man.
And that made my skin crawl.
“Don’t worry, sweet thing,” Brett said as we settled onto the airplane. “Hopefully by the time we get back, the police will have caught him. If not, T and I will find him.”
That’s the last thing I wanted, I thought. They’ve only just been patched up. I didn’t want them on the hunt again.
I clicked the plane’s seatbelt and pulled the strap tight. Brett reached over and rubbed his thumb on the crease between my brows.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” he soothed. “T and I were planning on hiring a few men for the team. They can keep a lookout as well.”
I nodded. “He was just so eerie,” I said. “I can’t explain it, but the guy sent instant shivers down my spine. And he knew Annie.”
Brett’s thumb stopped. “Sledgehammer Annie?”
“Yeah. He made some sort of comment about me being on his list because I jailed some of his good clients. He named Annie.”
“Did you tell the police?”
“No. I just thought about it now.”
“Call them as soon as we land,” he said.
“Okay,” I agreed and relaxed into the seat.
Brett’s whole body was taut the entire flight. It was only when we were on the way to his place and I ended the call with the police that he finally relaxed.
“I swear to God, Mars,” Brett said, rubbing his hand over his jaw, which had very sexy stubble growth, “I’m not taking my eyes off you for a second.”
I threaded my fingers through his. “I won’t mind.”
“I mean it,” he said. “You’re not allowed to even go into the kitchen without me.”
“At your own place?”
“Especially at my place,” he said. “In fact, I think you should stay at my parents’ like you originally agreed. It might be safer. Anyone that comes looking for you will assume you’re with me.”
“I was going to,” I said. “But I really want to be with you. At least for tonight.”
His eyes drifted over to me. “Tonight. But then you’re staying at Mom’s.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
“Here,” he said, passing me his phone. “Send her a quick message with the plan.”
“How far away do you live from her?” I asked, typing.
“A couple of minutes,” he said.
I pressed send. “There,” I said. “All done. Are we almost to your place?”
“It’s after the turn up ahead.”
A warm, giddy feeling fluttered around inside me. I was actually going to see Brett’s house . . . or apartment. Condo? Whatever it was, I was going to see it. I didn’t know seeing it meant something to me until now. It’s a piece of him. His personal stuff. All the puzzle pieces that make up the man would be there in some form or another.
And I wanted to see it all.
Brett’s phone chirped in my hand. I looked down to read the reply from his mom. “She said you had better drop me off first thing in the morning or she’ll be pounding on your door.”
He grinned.
Brett turned the corner and pulled into a short driveway that led to a one-car garage. It was the first of a string of apartments where the garage was on the bottom and the apartment was directly on top.
Brett parked in the garage and then turned to me. “That door over there leads to a staircase,” he said. “You have thirty seconds to find my bedroom. By the time I arrive, I want you naked and in bed.”
“What are you going to do while I’m running around?”
“I’ll be getting the bags, of course,” he said with a lopsided grin.
“You’re not supposed to lift anything heavy.”
His lips touched mine. “I won’t hesitate to take you here. Thirty seconds starts now.”
“But . . .”
“One. Two. Three . . .”
I flew out the door and ran up the stairs, flinging my clothes off as I searched for his bedroom, which was rather easy to find since he had a small one-bedroom apartment.
“Twenty-two.” I heard him on the stairs as I blasted into his room and dove between dark-gray sheets.
My phone oinked from the hall.
“Are these oinking pants yours?” Brett asked, holding my pants with a lazy finger.
“Yes,” I squealed when he bounded over to the bed, spreading his warm body heavily on top of me.
“The pig sounds very annoyed,” Brett said, taking delightful little nibbles at my neck.
“The pig can wait,” I said, tossing the pants to the side. My phone slid out of the pocket. It snorted again.
“Allow me,” he said, picking up the phone. “It’s very distracting to try to make love to someone when their phone is oinking.”
I smirked. “I thought you were made of sterner stuff.”
“I’ll show you what I’m made of,” he said, tickling the inside of my thighs. “But now I must quiet the pig. Not something I thought I’d ever say in a bedroom with a beautiful woman.”
Warmth settled on my cheeks.
“You are beautiful, Mars,” he said, then he became distracted. “Aha. It seems that Mrs. J. is going to start a biker brigade.”
“I don’t care about a biker brigade,” I said, grabbing the phone and tossing it to the floor. Well, at least not this moment.
“Then what do you care about?” he said.
“You,” I said, feeling every single inch of him pressing me into the mattress. A nice mattress too, I thought.
Brett moved against me, brushing my legs apart. “I have very little patience when it comes to you in bed.”
“I don’t want you to be patient,” I said, allowing my legs to spread farther.
A moan was his only utterance as he pushed forward so deep that tears sprang to my eyes in a happy, emotional, thank-God kind of way.
“Mars, I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too.”
The next few weeks were going to be a trial. Unfortunately, that was literal. S
ledgehammer Annie still loomed in the future.
But everything outside these walls could wait.
Being here, with Brett, it was more than I could have ever hoped for.
And . . . oh dear Lord, he was magic.
Read the next exciting novel
Biker Brigade
Coming October 2015!
Please visit Nicolette on her website at:
www.nicolettepierce.com
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Books by Nicolette Pierce
Mars Cannon Novels
Deadly Dancing
Predator Patrol
Security Squad
Biker Brigade
Nadia Wolf Novels
The Big Blind
High Stakes
Cashing Out
Squeeze Play
Nadia Wolf Character Novels
The Last Tailored Suit
My Traitor
Security Squad Page 22
