by Tigris Eden
“Are you going to be there?” She wasn’t going to deny she was a little scared of Dietrich, but besides Xee, he was the only other person here she felt comfortable with. He was also the only person she felt safe with.
“Geez, lady, you need me to wipe your ass, too? Damn, you slept in my bed, which, by the way, no one does. Like ever. I didn’t touch you. Gods know I wanted to, but fuck. If you’re going to be a twenty-four-hour gig, I’ll need to set up shifts. For the record, I don’t do clingy broads. It’s unattractive.”
Jo turned and came face to face with a very put out Dietrich. His brows were cast low over his white eyes, and his mouth was set in a hard frown. He really thought that she was clingy? Which means you’re officially unattractive to him. Well, hell, maybe that’s exactly what she needed to be to him so that he could be that for her. The mean bastard!
“Excuse the hell out of me! It’s not like I know everyone. I’m not the type to just go out there and wing it.”
“First time for everything. Gonna piss, then you can go and do your shit. Got things to do today. So my advice to you…eat breakfast, make friends, and get briefed on your sitch.”
“My sitch?”
“Situation.”
Jo watched as Dietrich got out of the bed. He’d slept in track pants and no shirt. She barely contained her gasp when he presented her with his back. It was scarred. Severely. Like someone had taken a whip to him repeatedly. The scars looked like branches from an old tree minus the leaves. She tried not to stare but failed miserably. When he turned to look at her, she saw the beautiful artwork on his chest. A dragon on his left pec was lounging on his skin, wrapped around his shoulder and forearm. Its tail going down the side and under his left arm as it wound around to his lower back. The end of the tail peeked out and rested on his right hip. But she couldn’t tell if there was more to the tat than just the dragon. There were two names scrawled on him, as well. Andina was on his right pec, and Yewa was on the left side of his neck. Were these women that he’d loved and lost? Or maybe they were his children? Dietrich didn’t seem like the type to have either. She was sure there was a story there somewhere, but he didn’t seem in the mood to talk. She could see a few more tats, but wasn’t given the chance to fully appreciate them as he disappeared behind the door she assumed was the bathroom.
Damn.
Jo stood, stretched, and quickly tried to find something to cover herself with. He hadn’t commented on her markings. Maybe he thought they were tattoos like his, or maybe he hadn’t noticed them at all. Face it. He hasn’t noticed anything about you. Her shoulders slouched at the thought. Maybe he’d just been nice yesterday, and today was the norm for him. Prickly and standoffish. He was only looking out for her because he’d opted to as part of the job to get what the Unit wanted, which was the cup and the blood.
Entertaining thoughts about him was stupid. He’d already told her no once. No use trying to persuade him otherwise. She’d be foolish to harbor any type of…anything with him.
~ ~ ~
Dietrich stared at his reflection in the mirror in the bathroom and winced. She’d looked so hurt at his words. He’d wanted to offer her comfort, but he was the reason she was hurting.
Stop sending mixed signals.
He wasn’t here to make her comfortable. He just needed information from her.
You still need to be nice.
Something he wasn’t good at. He shouldn’t have offered to take a shower with her either. Even if she did look extra fuckable in her tank and boy shorts. She had more than enough ass to fill his hands, and her legs were endless. He blamed her for his lack of brainpower. The fact that he hadn’t had sex in two days, mixed with no sleep, meant he was cranky as fuck. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all. Too afraid to wake in the night to find he’d put hands on her in a bad way. So, he’d lain there, stone-still until she drifted off. He’d even let her touch him while she slept. But he hadn’t moved. Just thought about all the reasons why it was a bad idea to get involved with a job, and maybe even some good reasons to get involved. Jorunn McLellan was all woman. She had the hair, the ass, the hips, tits, and legs. She exuded sensuality in a way most women had to practice. The extra sway in her hips was enough to leave him hard for the rest of the day. And he knew she wasn’t even doing it to grab his attention. Guess it was a good thing she wore all them damn clothes. He needed her to stay covered up. But now you know exactly what’s underneath. Goddamn pleasure was what was underneath all those damn clothes. The markings on her body were sexy, too. Especially the ones on her lower back. The symbols spread and hugged her hips. He could see his hands there, holding her in place as he took her from behind. Dietrich splashed cold water on his face and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He was one seriously fucked up motherfucker. He’d beat the shit out of himself if he could. He wanted her; yet, he didn’t want to get involved because of his other entanglements. Welcome to the shitty life of Dietrich Johnson. There was no room for emotions. There was only room for clear and decisive action.
He needed to make the call to his guys back in the Ward and make sure they got down here quickly. They’d help keep him from between her legs. Especially Jacobi. He was the only one that had a lick of sense. Mouth and NuNu would probably try and fuck her themselves. He’d have to work extra hard to keep those two shit for brains from trying to get into her pants.
His mind travelled back to the woman in his room. He couldn’t get the image of her body out of his mind. The reality was way better than what he’d imagined. Dietrich wished there was another way he could get information from her. But now he was strapped in for the ride that had already taken off. He just couldn’t get caught up. He’d need to be a bit nice, but that was it. Her voice alone was clouding his thoughts and making movement very uncomfortable. The two layers were low, throaty, and otherworldly. He’d never wanted to beg for anything in his life, but to hear her talk like that, with that voice, he’d beg to hear it right next to his ear as he held her close and drove his dick deeply inside her welcoming heat.
Fuck. Freezing cold water to the face wasn’t helping.
This was a non-issue. He was spending way too much time overanalyzing shit that was never going to happen. Dietrich quickly dried his face, did his business, and walked out into the room. At least she’d put some clothes on. Ugly as fuck clothes, but clothes nonetheless. He told himself he wasn’t going to say anything, but his mouth had other ideas.
“What is that you’re wearing?”
Jorunn looked down at her outfit and shrugged. It was some one-piece contraption of a nightmare that made her look frumpy.
“It’s a jumpsuit made out of the material they use for parachutes.”
“Take that shit off. Now.”
She flinched and stepped back, almost banging into the wall behind her. He advanced on the church mouse. Her beautiful eyes widened as he stepped closer.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, Jo, and I already told you, I like you, I’m just not gonna fuck you. So take the cute and sexy down a notch, and for God’s sake, take that ugly jumpsuit off. You’re offending my eyesight.”
“What else should I wear?” Her voice was timid, and she looked from him to the floor. He lifted her face and coaxed as calmly as he could without scaring her, “Jorunn, look at me. You’re a beautiful woman. There’s no need to cover yourself. Your eyes are unique, yes, but they’re also gorgeous as fuck. Same as the markings on your body. You’re safe here. No one will be rude to you or talk shit.” He ran his thumb across her lower lip and growled. “If they do, they’ll answer to me. Be who you are, Peaches, not what you think the world wants you to be.”
Her face went from worried to soft. Her gaze snagged his and they stared at one another for long moments. He wanted to close his eyes, to not let her see what lay just beneath the surface. There was nothing for her there. He had nothing to give anyone, and what little he did have left was reserved for his sister. Jorunn’s eyes were the color of a sunset with hues of purp
le and red, but he could have sworn the other night they’d been silver. Or was it gold? Her eyes were so expressive and open, he could see right to the heart of her. She wanted him, but at the same time, she was just as unsure as he was. They both knew spending any time between the sheets was a bad idea. Locked in her gaze, he didn’t notice that her hand had snaked in between them and pressed against his chest. When had he gotten so close?
“Thank you, Dietrich.”
For some insane reason, he wanted her to call him Omari.
“You should take your own advice,” she whispered.
He blinked once, twice, breaking their connection.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t give advice. I state facts, and I’m not worried about who looks at me, or what people think.”
Her fingers curled into his chest.
“Then why the shades?”
“Keeps my G-status solid, and I’m a Primori Walker, I never show my eyes to those I don’t trust.”
“You’re showing them to me,” Jo whispered, peering up at him through her thick lashes. Her other hand traced his brow before she dropped her hands.
“Yeah, well, it’s morning. Put some other shit on, Jo.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Sun effects my markings, makes them glow.”
That was definitely different.
“Like I said, you’re safe here. Be yourself. That could be the reason your body is shutting down. Maybe you need the sun to replenish your skin so it doesn’t get dry like you were the other day.”
Her eyes grew larger in wonder.
“We never thought about it that way. My father’s only concern was making sure people didn’t see it.”
“Right, then, if you don’t have anything to wear, talk to Xee. She can help you.”
“I would have thought you would have some leftover women’s clothing here.” She looked over his shoulder into the room as if said clothing would magically appear.
“Even if I did—which I don’t—wouldn’t let you wear them. Call Xee, phone’s on the table there, just hit five, one, two. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Dietrich walked over to his closet and grabbed a pair of sweats and a tee. He needed to work out, make his calls, and get the fuck away from her before he did something supremely stupid, like rip the jumpsuit off and fuck her so hard she’d be unable to sit, let alone stand. For weeks. Because he’d have kept her bedridden. Permanently. Dietrich’s orders. He tagged a bottle of water from the small fridge, grabbed his glasses, and bounced.
~ ~ ~
He was a stubborn ass male. He was also sweeter than cotton candy. Damn, she was bad before when it came to Dietrich, now, she was screwed. He hadn’t kissed her, and yet Jorunn was pretty damn sure she was falling for the insufferable bastard. Times like this, she wished she had a mom to talk to or a woman who could tell her what to do. Instead, she was clueless. He admitted he liked her, but he wasn’t going to fuck her. Did that mean he’d make love to her? Too many mixed signals with no hope of deciphering. He was also mean as hell. Like a giant ass bear with a thorn in its paw. She just didn’t know if she was the thorn in his paw or the honey in the pot.
He wanted her to change clothes. So she would. She just didn’t have anything to wear that wouldn’t cover her from neck to foot. Dietrich had a good point about her ailment. At this point, she’d try anything. What the Shadow Unit’s doctor had conveyed was crystal clear. Her cells were being rapidly infected by the unknown cells, and at the rate they were going—whether she made it to France or not—if the twins’ blood didn’t work, nothing would.
Jorunn picked up the phone and dialed Xee. She was nervous and unsure. She was anxious to see how the others would react to her, and at the same time, she wanted to please Dietrich. It was a trait she knew others would try and exploit. Her need to make others happy was more than a hindrance at times. Saying no or disagreeing wasn’t always her forte. It also got her in a lot of trouble. Xee picked up on the first ring.
“What up, D.”
“Um, hey. It’s Jorunn.”
“Oh, hey. Why are you in Dietrich’s room?”
Good question. How to answer that? Xee didn’t sound mad, she sounded surprised.
“I slept in his room last night.”
“No shit! I mean, huh.” The other woman now sounded stumped. As if her sleeping there was weird. She was sure there were hundreds—if not more—women who’d had the honor of doing a lot more than just sleeping in his bed. Though he declared no one had ever slept in his bed, which meant they were up doing other things.
“I slept in his bed. That’s all, Xee.”
“Yeah, still. No one’s ever slept in his bed before. Like, sleep-sleep. He doesn’t bring them here. Usually just to his place in the Stafford.”
“Lucky me. I guess,” Jo commented dryly.
“Yeah, I guess. So, what’s up?”
“Dietrich doesn’t like my clothes.”
“Me neither,” Xee grumbled under her breath.
“I need help. You have something I can borrow?”
“Say no more, I’m coming up. Give me ten. I’ll let the gang know we’ll be late for breakfast.”
The phone went dead and Jo sat on the bed and waited. Dietrich liked her, but he didn’t want to like her, and she liked him but knew it was too late for that to change. She had a serious love jones for Dietrich Johnson.
Chapter 12
Wiz Khalifa’s, Fall Asleep was thumping through the speakers as Dietrich did his last reps at the bench. He needed to do something to get the woman currently in his room out of his mind. You’re slipping, D. Straight trippin’. He’d gotten ahold of three men he knew would be effective on this mission. One of them, Newton, who called himself NuNu, wanted to join the Unit. D was okay with that. Once he and Yewa were reunited, he wanted to take her someplace far away and start over. Just the two of them. Maybe even invite Jorunn. What? He wasn’t taking Jorunn anywhere with him. D sat up and wiped his brow. There was a sound at the door, and he turned to see Faith standing there, looking at him with a smile on her face. She wasn’t alone. Her imaginary friend, who wasn’t so imaginary, but her baby brother, was right there with her.
“Dietrich?”
“Yeah, Little Bit.”
“You coming to breakfast?”
He really did like the kid. She was a good one. She also hadn’t had any bad dreams since her “imaginary friend” had settled within her.
“Nah, you go ahead. I’m going to finish up here.” He pointed to the weights over by the wall.
“But…but Caleb says you have to go or Mama is going to be mean. She isn’t feeling good today.”
Well, shit. He’d told Jo no one would bother her at breakfast. Jo could be the only reason Jes would be upset. Whatever had happened back at the apartment yesterday had shook Jes, and she wasn’t a fan of Jo’s. At all. Draven’s mate had called Jo a junkie. Guess he was going to breakfast.
“Yeah, okay, Little Bit. Let me shower and I’ll be there. Can you do me a favor?”
Faith nodded her little head, her black curls bouncing.
“Can you be nice to Miss Jorunn, maybe sit next to her till I get there?”
“Yup.”
“Good.”
Dietrich waited until Faith was gone and then hit the showers. If Jes gave Jo attitude, he was going to lay into her, no matter if Faith was there or not. His shower was quick, he didn’t want to linger, nor did he want to deal with girl drama. He made his way to the fourth floor where he knew everyone on the team would be gathered for breakfast. They all ate together now at the request of Belinda and Jes. They were going for the, lets-be-a-family thing. He could hear Faith talking to Jo, and the little girl giggled. He rounded the corner and his chest constricted, stopping his motion altogether at the sight in front of him.
Jorunn was no longer covered up. No, she wore cut off jean shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt that had a huge flower on the
front. Her hair was pinned up in a messy ponytail, showcasing her slender neck. Her lips were glossed over, and her eyes sparkled as she caught his gaze. She quickly averted her eyes and continued talking to Faith. Jes and Draven hadn’t made it in for breakfast yet, but Adam was there, as well as the others.
“Hawke coming?” Xee looked to him and then back at Jo before grinning.
“Don’t know. Haven’t seen him. What about Draven and Jes?”
Xee shrugged and plopped onto Gabe’s lap.
“So, who’s gonna cook if Jes and Bells isn’t here? None of you idiots can cook,” Dietrich reminded everyone.
Everyone stood like they were going to go down to the cafeteria when Faith suggested Honeycombs.
“No, thank you. Cereal is for little people.” Adam looked over to Jorunn. “Want me to show you the cafeteria downstairs? I’m sure there is something hot there we can eat.”
Jo looked to Dietrich as if she needed or wanted his permission. Fuck, it shouldn’t bother him if she went with Adam. Maybe it would be a good idea for her to go with the male. Put some distance between them without making things awkward. No, she’s yours, his mind countered. His? He was just about to tell her to go with Adam when she blinked, and while looking at directly at him, told the group, “I can make breakfast if you all don’t mind.”
“What are you going to cook, darlin?” Adam asked, moving his chair closer to hers and sitting down.
“I was thinking omelets, and maybe some toast or biscuits.”
“That sounds good, Miss Jorunn.” Faith’s voice was enthusiastic. Reece agreed, and everyone sat back down at the table.
“Best set the table for three more. My guys will be here soon.”
“What guys, Dietrich?” Reese asked. The little wolf was just as nosy as Faith.
“Some guys that are going to help me keep Jo safe on our trip.”
“Oooh,” Faith cooed. “That’s really good. Eremiel said–” The table went eerily silent and everyone turned to Faith, who’d stopped talking. The Angel of Unveiling made sure he only showed himself to Faith. He’d been the one to send them on what seemed like a hopeless quest for the Sahidic.
