by Jen Talty
“I’ll handle my own interrogation,” Fielding said, puffing out his chest.
“Don’t make me sick my boss on you again,” Dylan said with a smile, holding up military grade phone. “Shall I call him?”
Fielding narrowed his eyes. “Five minutes,” he said with a snarl.
Whatever Dylan did for the United States Army, it had to be damn important.
Leandra didn’t waste a second as she bolted toward Ramos.
“I’m going to fucking kill you.” He stood, but the guard pushed him back down.
Her heart pounded so fast it hurt. Staring into the eyes of a man she knew for sure would kill her, if given the chance, made her pause for a moment. She’d gotten herself in some pretty crazy ass situations, but this by far had been the most dangerous.
“Who is Hollywood?”
“You think I’m going to tell you that?” Ramos laughed, leaning in. “Better watch your back sweetheart, because I’m coming for you.”
She swallowed. “Where does Hollywood take the girls?”
Ramos shook his head. “You and your husband, or whoever the fuck he is aren’t going to live to see daybreak, much less find out anything about Hollywood.”
Ramos was never going to tell her anything. She clenched her fist. “You’re a piece of shit.” She bent down, leaning so close to him she could feel his breath on her skin. She reached between his legs, gripping his testicles with all her might, and twisted.
He cried out like a cow being castrated.
“If anything happens to me, my husband is going to reach down your throat and grab your nuts.” She squeezed harder. “And pull them out through your mouth.”
She let go and spun around, making a beeline for Nick.
“Feel better?” Nick asked as she moved between him and one of his brothers, putting her arm around his waist and applying pressure to his wound again.
Nick groaned.
“I feel fucking fantastic.” She tugged him across the parking lot, following one of his brothers toward a van. “But we have no idea who Hollywood is.”
“Actually, we have a tip.”
She glanced up at him, staring into his warm, blue eyes. “Logan took pictures of the files and sent them to his fiancée who worked her computer geek genius and got us a lead.”
“Then come on, Batman, let’s get you fixed up and ready to roll.”
“Whatever you say, Cat Woman.”
“Rrrrroahhh.” She laughed, shaking her head. “I have no idea how I’m going to repay you.”
“I can think of a few ways.”
Chapter 8
NICK LAY ON HIS STOMACH on a mattress inside the small hanger of a private airport outside of Orlando while a cocktail of fluids, vitamins, and other nutrients were pumped into his veins.
“This is going to hurt,” Leandra said as she pinched his skin. “Ready?”
“Go for it.” He rested his forehead on the back of his hand, closing his eyes tight, letting out a slight groan as the thick needled pierced his skin.
Thankfully, Leandra ignored the noise and worked quickly, pulling his torn skin together. Wasn’t the first time he’d been stitched up in the field, and probably wouldn’t be the last.
But it would be the last time Leandra mended his broken body.
Unfortunately, she’d pieced together his shattered heart and that was going to hurt like hell when they went their separate ways.
Something wet ran over his skin, then burned.
He growled.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “Just cleaning it up so it doesn’t get infected.” She placed the gauze over the cut. “All done.”
He rolled to his side, pushing himself to an upright position, leaning against the wall. “Help me with this?” He pointed to the IV in his arm.
She nodded, pressing a piece of cotton over the needle and pulling it out. “Never thought I’d be doing this when I became a PI.”
“You’re a natural.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” She scooted sideways, putting her foot under her ass. “You and your brothers are something special.”
“Just average men doing their jobs.”
“Nothing average about you.”
Her smile brought his warm blood to a boil in seconds. He stretched his leg out, resting it in her lap. “Next to most of the men and women I work with, I am.”
“Humble, too.” She shook her head. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Why’d you join the Army?”
“After my wife died, I needed out of Jupiter, Florida. I think I would have lost my mind if I had stayed.”
“I understand that, but you could have stayed a police officer by transferring to another city or even state.”
He fluffed up a pillow and patted it, thankful that she moved next to him with her shoulder leaning against his. “Two reasons, really. One was I saw what it did for Logan after he’d lost his scholarship and the chance to play major league baseball. It gave him purpose.”
“What’s the second reason?”
He let out a long breath. “The adrenaline rush you get when you stare death in the eye.”
“That’s quite the experience.” Her laugh filled the room and tickled across his bare skin.
He laced his fingers through hers. “But when you survive, you’re still left with the pain of life.”
She nodded.
He stared down at their hands, running his thumb over her cut up skin. Working with his brothers didn’t happen very often, but he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d want by his side in battle.
“You okay?”
“Just tired,” he admitted, closing his eyes. “Ramey won’t be here for another half hour, so we might as well rest a bit.” He slid down, pulling her with him, and tucking her ass up against him. With his arms looped around her, he allowed himself to relax. “You’re the one who is special,” he whispered, before nibbling on her ear. “And irresistible.”
She rolled in his arms, locking gazes with him.
The world around him blurred out in a dizzy haze of grey and black, bringing her porcelain-like skin and rosy, full lips into a technicolor kaleidoscope.
“What are we doing?” she asked, her eyes searching his for something he wasn’t sure he had the answer to.
“Waiting to fly to Miami and find this Hollywood guy and bring Skyler home.”
She pursed her lips, cocking her head.
He took her hand, kissing the soft skin in the swell of her palm before pressing it against her chest, looking for her heart beat. “Pretending just a little that we don’t hurt so bad that we’d almost rather stare death in the eye than live again.” Two weeks ago, this sentiment would have been fact. For ten years, living had scared him more than dying. The only reason he didn’t toss himself into the death wish pit had been his family.
His mother and all of his brothers had been his life-line. They’d been there for each other through thick and thin. They’d all lay down their lives for each other.
Nick would lay down his for Leandra and not think twice about it.
“I know when this is over you’re going back to your PI office in New York and I’ll be heading back to Tampa and my next assignment.” He fanned his thumb across her bruised cheek. He suspected the blast had caused a few more bumps and bruises on her body and he wanted to kiss them all. “I can be a selfish man, and I want to have you untill I can’t have you anymore.”
She splayed her fingers across his chest, her touch sizzled his skin like rain dropping on a hot pavement causing steam to rise. “We’ve got a half hour?” The left corner of her mouth lifted slightly as she raised both brows.
“Maybe a little less now.” He took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head and parting her perky lips. “Just enough time to make you scream my name.”
“Might be the other way around.” Her hand danced down his stomach, fiddling with the button on his pants.
He gro
aned as the tear of his zipper echoed in his ears. Her warm hand covered him as he grew harder. His chest heaved, sucking in a deep breath, staring into her beautiful dark eyes, getting lost in her. His tugged at her shirt, pulling it out of her pants. “This needs to come off now.”
She got to her knees, lifting the tight fabric over her head. Her full breasts bounced in her lacy bra. He reached up, finding the clasp, freeing her glorious mounds into his hands. He kneaded them before taking her tight nipple into his mouth.
Her hands caressed his scalp, fingers gliding through his hair in gentle strokes. When he glanced up to see her staring down at him with loving eyes, he paused, letting her nipple fall out of his mouth. Rising to his knees, he cupped her ass, pressing his mouth against hers. His tongue parted her lips, finding hers and engaging it in a slow and tender dance.
Enjoying the slowness, he carefully removed the rest of her clothing, enjoying the soft curves of her body. He kissed her ankles and the soft spot behind her knees. He caressed her round breasts as his tongue glided across her stomach, her hips lifting off the bed, encouraging him to give a little attention to the spot that made her a woman.
He kissed her swollen nub, lapping slowly, getting drunk on her taste. All he could think about was entering her at the precise exquisite moment her climax rocked her body, squeezing him tight.
The hunger to hear her call his name tugged at his control. He’d do anything to please her. To make her feel like she was the most special and important person in the world.
Gliding a few fingers into her warm and ready body, he glanced up.
She’d arched her back, lifting her hips toward him, tossing her head from side to side. He tried desperately not to care beyond those feelings he’d had over the years for other women.
But she wasn’t other women.
And he had real, hard and fast, feelings for her. The kind you couldn’t deny without letting a little piece of you die.
“Look at me,” he said with a tight voice.
She jerked her head up, fists clutching the sheets. Her mouth parted slightly with her dark hair messy and wild.
His lungs burned with every breath he took. His heart beat in one continuous thud in his chest as he lowered his head determined to show just how much he cared for her, which was crazy since they’d only known each other a few days, and under less than ideal circumstances. Not to mention, sex wasn’t the best way to show a woman you loved…
He paused his motions for a couple of seconds, swallowing his thoughts. Caring and love were two different things.
Caring about someone, you could get over.
Loving them?
Damn, he really loved her.
“What?” she questioned with a panty breath.
“I want to live again.”
Her eyes went wide.
He bit back a smile as her smoldering gaze turned soft and warm and filled with a mutual understanding and respect.
He’d take that as a sign she felt the same way, but wasn’t ready to fully accept it. However, he wasn’t going to let her walk off without a fight.
The way her soft moans filled his ears sent the room spinning. He loved that he could please her with a simple soft touch of his fingers and tongue, making her hips grind against him, rolling faster and faster.
Knowing she was on the verge of release he sucked down hard, curling his fingers inside, finding that spot that made her body porr with passion.
“Oh…Nick!”
Music to his ears, sending a shiver from his head to his curling toes. He needed to be inside her, now.
Positioning himself over her with his hands just above her shoulders, he entered her slowly, biting down on his lip as she squeezed herself around the length of him, her stomach still quivering and jerking.
“Leandra,” he let out in a long breathy moan as her legs wrapped around him, her heels digging into his ass, pushing him all the way in. He swelled inside her heat, matching her stroke for stroke as she thrashed wildly beneath him.
She reached up, cupping his face, and drew his lips to hers, drawing his tongue into her mouth.
He did his best to control the rhythm, hoping to make it last a little while longer, but gave up the moment she moved her lips to his neck and sucked.
A guttural groan tickled his throat as he swelled inside and then exploded.
“Leandra.” He enjoyed the way her name rolled from his lips as she continued to suck and nibble on his neck and her body rocked with passion.
They held each other tight for long moments while their bodies slowly stopped convulsing. Rising up on his elbows, he fanned her cheeks with his thumbs, dropping his forehead to hers realizing there was no barrier between them.
“We forgot something,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes closed.
“What’s…oh…shit. No protection.”
He felt her legs release the tight hold they had on him.
“I’m sorry.” He rolled off, pulling her head to his chest. “My job requires me to be tested, so I know I’m clean.”
“I haven’t had sex in two years, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Yeah.” He swallowed. “Not really what I’m worried about.”
The sound of a single engine plane approaching made it apparent this discussion would have to take place at a different time.
“Hear that?” he asked.
“I do,” she said, rolling to her side, propping herself up on elbow.
“I’m really sorry,” he said, staring into her deep eyes.
“It’s as much my fault as it is yours, but I think the timing is wrong to really worry.”
Thoughts of what could be filled his mind in a way that they shouldn’t. An image of her with a swollen belly, carrying life crashed into his brain over and over.
Tears stung his eyes as a different picture filled his mind. He couldn’t go through the loss of another child.
“Wrong timing or not, you could be pregnant.”
“I know that wouldn’t be something you wanted, so whatever happens, I’ll take care of it.” She kissed his chest.
“What do you mean take care of it?” He bolted up right, groaning as he felt one of his stitches rip his skin. “If you’re pregnant, I should—”
She covered his mouth. “If I am, we’ll talk, but we won’t know for a while and we have a bad guy to go catch and a young girl to return home to her family, okay?”
He nodded, though this conversation was far from over. Craning his neck, he twisted his body, glancing at the gauze pad with a blood stain the size of a quarter. He frowned.
He wanted her.
And he’d want their baby, if she were pregnant.
They dressed quickly, then grabbed their gear and made their way out of the private quarters of the hanger and onto the runway in silence.
“What the hell kind of plane is that?” Leandra asked as they approached a four-seater plane that didn’t look like any other plane in the world with its long body, high wings, aerodynamic shield that could only be designed by a man who could fly anything with wings and an engine.
Ramey stepped from the other side of the plane. “This is Roxi and I designed and built her myself.”
“You didn’t have to come all the way from New Mexico for this.” Nick opened his arms for a brotherly hug which resulted in a groan as Ramey hit his wound.”
“Shit. Sorry, bro. Forgot you were injured.” Ramey was known as the runt of the liter, topping out at just shy of six feet. “You must be the famous Leandra.” Ramey held his arms out. “We hug it out in this family.”
“Take your eyes and hands off her. See that mark?” Nick pointed to her neck. “That’s mine, so back the fuck up little brother.”
Ramey laughed, pulling Leandra in for a quick hug despite Nick’s threatening tone.
“Have you seen the mark she left on your neck? Geez, Logan and Baby Dyl warned me the two of you were all hot and bothered.”
“Oh, my, God.” Leandra sai
d as she poked Ramey in the chest. “Can we get going now? I’ve got a job to do.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ramey said. “Just got word that Logan and Dylan have eyes on the target.”
“Good,” Leandra said.
Nick tilted his head and watched as the hottest ass on the planet swayed with each step she took into the plane. He let out a long sigh.
“First Logan and Mia? Now you’ve gone and fallen head of heels for that one? This is really going to ruin my visit with Mom. She’ll for sure now have a date lined up for me with what she thinks is the perfect woman and I’ll have to be all polite, but then when I never call the chick back, Mom will be tugging at my ear. Why’d you have to go fall in love?”
“Shut-up.” Nick snagged the headset, smiling. He had it bad and he was going to find a way to make Leandra see they were meant for each other. “Someday some chick is going to flat line you.”
Chapter 9
THE FLIGHT FROM ORLANDO to Miami left Leandra wanting to stick her head in a garbage can and heave. It seemed of all the Sarich brothers, Ramey had to be the biggest adrenaline junkie. While she was sure he was a capable pilot, he didn’t need to prove it by showing her what his home-made plane built from spare parts in his New Mexico garage could do.
Now sitting in the back of a helicopter, with Ramey again at the controls, her stomach turned and twisted.
The words: I want to live again, churned in her brain.
She held her stomach. The idea she could be pregnant terrified her on so many levels. If she were, she knew she’d want it. Love it.
She glanced at Nick, who looked in the other direction. She’d lost a husband.
He lost a wife and a child.
Not that she was comparing their pains, but she couldn’t imagine what that could have been like. Regardless, the mere idea she was carrying his child warmed her body like a heated blanket on a cool winter night.
“Touch down in two minutes,” Ramey’s voice crackled over the headphones, snapping her thoughts to the present situation.
Nick undid his restraints and stood, flinging a duffle bag over his shoulder. “As soon as the chopper hits the sand, jump, keeping your head down.” He made a swirling motion with his hand. “Once Ramey is back up in the air, we’ll need to hightail it to the first check point.”
