“End of September,” Thane said, taking a cursory glance at the rings. “I want one of those on her finger before hell, high water or the end of the world happens.”
“Something wrong?” she asked, seeing the older woman’s eyes almost double in size looking over her shoulder. She and Thane spun at the same time.
“You have got to be fucking kidding,” Thane drawled.
The two men stood shoulder to shoulder at the entrance. Two weapons leveled at them.
“Hands behind your backs, and sit on the floor over there,” one of the crooks said through his mask.
The young girl gasped, and ran to Thane’s side, grasping his arm. The older woman moved slower, but came to stand beside them. Hormones are a strange thing. Pregnant women are stranger, and that must have been why she was the only one who began to chuckle. All heads turned toward her. Thane looked like someone had shot him in the ass, which made her laugh harder, and then she was holding her stomach with tears coming out of her eyes, she was laughing so hard.
“What the hell’s the matter with her?” one of the gunmen asked.
“Who cares?” the other said gruffly. “Get on the floor.”
“On the floor, yeah,” and then she was braying like a friggin’ donkey trying to catch her breath.
Both gunmen had their attention on her. The moment was all Thane needed to take them both down. A loud crack, and a howl of pain made her wince as Thane broke one guy’s leg, letting him fall to the ground. The other took a full face worth of her enormous warrior’s fist. Only seconds passed, and both men were down, guns in Thane’s possession. The sound of sirens coming down the road told her one of the women must have set off an alarm. The police approached with their weapons extended. Thane opened the door for them. The cops eyed the scene with confusion.
“Honey, you okay?” a tall cop with gray around his ears said to the young girl.
“Yeah, Daddy. You should have seen what this man did. I don’t think these guys knew what hit ’em.” Both men groaned from their injuries on the floor.
“Who are you?” the cop asked.
“Just a guy trying to buy his woman a bloody ring.”
Kayla chuckled, but it ended with a snort. “Sorry.”
“Uh-huh.” Thane gave her a mulish look. “Get your sweet ass back to those rings. We’re not leaving here without one.”
“Captain, that sounds like an order.”
“Damn right it’s an order, now get over there while I give a statement.”
She saluted him, and he chuckled. As she started back toward the showcase, Thane said, “Are we ever going to have normal, Snow White?”
She shrugged, and gave him a wink. “I don’t know, Ghost, you’re the SEAL, is normal in your repertoire?
“A SEAL!” the young girl’s features slipped into a dreamy state. “You’re a hero.”
Thane looked away uncomfortably.
“Want him?” Kayla whispered as she passed the girl.
Her eyes grew round. “You don’t? He’s…hot,” she whispered back.“Sure, try telling something that brawny and hard-assed to take out the garbage,” she said, leaning over the showcase of rings. The older woman, although a little shaken up, had gotten it pretty much back together.
“How can you be so calm, dear?”
She started to chuckle all over again. “From that?” she wiggled a finger over her shoulder. “Just a speed bump in our lives, believe me.”
“Well, I think you two are beautiful together.”
She turned a look over her shoulder, and gazed at her warrior. The man dwarfed the other men, and his aura pulsed, causing a throb in her heart. His head swiveled toward her, and he gave her a wink. “Be right back, sweetheart.” He leaned over, and grabbed one of the men from the floor. The guy yelped with pain. “Shut it,” he growled and thrust him out the door. The two cops lifted the guy with the broken leg, and followed.
“He’s incredible,” the young girl said, coming to stand beside her. “Where can I find one?”
“Actually, he’s a great big pain in my ass.”
Both women broke into a grin. “That’s love, my dear,” the older one said. “Now, anything you like in particular?”
“That one,” Thane said leaning over the glass ten minutes later. He pointed at a white gold band glittering with diamonds of different sizes and seated in a set of green stones.
“Are those emeralds?” she asked.
The older woman gave Thane an approving look. “I was thinking the same one. It’s exquisite. I think it will be beautiful on your finger. Try it.”
“Umm, there isn’t even a price tag. I mean…” Thane pulled the ring from its velvet cushion, and gently pushed it on her finger.
It was stunning.
“That’s the one,” he said in her ear.
“What am I saying? Never mind.” Now she was getting all sentimental and wrapped up in this. “It must cost a fortune, forget it. Those gold bands you showed us before.” Thane’s credit card exchanged hands. “Wait. No.” She tried to stop him, but he curled her in his arms.
“Kayla, up here.”
She turned her eyes up to his, and the warmth in them set her heart pattering in her chest.
“No matter what life throws in our way, we are going step over it or bulldoze through it. That’s who we are.” A warm kiss fell on her lips, followed by one of his five-point smiles.
“Uh-huh, here’s the deal.”
His head jerked back. “Deal, what deal?”
“I’m not wearing one, unless you’re wearing one.”
His brow curled. “Guys don’t wear engagement rings.”
“Fine,” she said and began to take hers off.
A quick growl and a quick hand, stopped her.
“That one,” she said pointing to the next glass display where the men’s ring bands sat in white cases. It was simple, but obvious, especially on his hands. The white gold was carved with a design reminding her of waves cascading around the surface.
“No one’s going to miss this, are they?” he said, his cheeks puckering.
With the ring clutched in her fingers, and poised at the tip of his, she stopped. What were they doing? He tried to push his finger into the ring, but she pulled it back.
“Sweetheart?” Thane motioned toward the sales clerks. “Could you give us a second?” he asked.
Her hand began to shake. Afraid to look at him, she stepped back and bumped into the display case. “You’re right. Men don’t wear…” She couldn’t even finish the sentence. Her insides began to shake uncontrollably as if she was going to have an anxiety attack.
“It’s okay, Kayla, sweetheart, just breathe.” He clutched her arms.
What the hell was happening to her? “I can’t.” She pulled the ring off her finger, and it clattered to the glass. She was still married to Daniel. The Shark was still out there somewhere, and she was allowing herself to play make-believe.
“Come here.” He guided her to a set of chairs, and gently urged her to sit, crouching before her with one knee on the floor. “Maybe, I’m doing this all wrong. I don’t know because I’ve never done it before.”
“I have and it’s…not easy.” She slammed her eyes shut.
“Kayla you’re shaking all over. I think we should go to the doc’s.”
“No.” She attempted to get up, but Thane held her still.
“Are you worried because of Daniel? Or are you scared of us?”
She swallowed heavily and nodded.
“Both?”
She kept her gaze glued to their hands, twined together. “These are rings, they mean…something.”
Thane’s fingers drew a soft line under her chin and raised her head. “I know that. Is it old-fashioned to want to be married to the mother of our son?”
“We’ve never discussed the ‘M word.’”
Thane leaned forward and kissed her nose. “Marriage,” he stated strongly. “No, that’s true, and I guess I’ve handled it b
adly, like I do everything else when it comes to you. I don’t know why you put up with my crappy attempts at wooing you into forever, but I’m glad you do.” He stepped away and returned with the ring. “Okay,” he cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and bit down on a grin. “My son wants me to do the honorable thing.”
Her shaking stopped just like that. “What?” She swept her hand across her belly and Thane’s came to rest over hers.
“Last night when you were sleeping we had a talk.”
She shook her head, but a grin stretched her lips.
“Don’t laugh. A father and son do that. Anyway, I was explaining to him that I expected him to grow into a strong, willful, brave, egotistical, man-whore like his father. I will expect nothing less, because one day he’ll find a woman as beautiful and brave as his mother, and more than anything I want him to know what that kind of love feels like. It’s better than any victory I’ve ever achieved.”
She chuckled and Thane’s gaze warmed.
“Kayla, when the time is right, I’m going to be there with my hat, my heart and my life in hand and ask you to marry me, but until that time please…” he slipped the sparkling ring back on her finger. “Wear this to remind yourself I will never let anyone hurt you or come between us. Ex-husbands, serial killers, or your past. My heart has claimed you.” Thane actually blushed.
“What?”
“I think I’m getting better at this.”
She let out a hearty laugh, and pressed her forehead against his.
“I love you, Snow White.”
She nodded.
“Say it,” he ground out, not letting her shy away.
“You’re pushy, you know that?” and kissed him. He returned a deep penetrating kiss, and then leaned back.
“Say it,” he growled.
The jittery feeling started up again, but she breathed deeply. He kept an even, hopeful stare on her. Licking her lips, she began to close her eyes.
“Noooo, don’t. Look at me. Kayla, nothing is going to happen just because you tell me. Those words aren’t a curse.”
Her eyes popped open. “I love—”
His chin drew down with the words, and his eyes beckoned her to finish.
“You.”
He let out a hearty laugh, his eyes squinting. “See, you didn’t self combust, did you?” He opened up his palm, and his ring sat in there.
“You don’t have to…” He pulled her hand open, and dropped it in the middle.
“Ask me.”
“What?”
“I said I would wait to ask you. I didn’t say I’d wait for you to ask me.” His jaw flexed, and he swallowed heavily, making his Adam’s apple bob.
How the hell did he always manage to corner her like this? Her gaze fell to the ring, and she tentatively picked it up. This was her, marking Thane Austen as hers. Their son decided he wanted in and gave her a healthy nudge under Thane’s palm.
“Did you feel that? He’s going to be a linebacker.”
She gave him a cockeyed smile. She didn’t waste any time on wondering why, but it felt like she’d been watching a red light all her life, and suddenly it changed to green.
“Captain Austen,” the words tumbled over themselves in her mind. “The second you stepped into Base Command, my heart did somersaults. My life changed direction, and I fell instantly in love with you.” She kept talking, even though Thane’s expression went blank, and his mouth gaped open. “I wanted to launch myself at you, and tell you to make love to me until I couldn’t walk any more. I wanted to scratch that blonde bitch’s eyes out at the restaurant at the Landing the night we bought my condo. When you held your fork out for me to try your steak, every bone in my body turned to liquid heat.” The shocked expression on his face and his uneven breath surprised her, but she kept on. “When you visited me in the center before you left on your mission, I wanted to scream at you not to go. I was so afraid. My heart shattered into a thousand pieces, learning the princess had known what it was like to love you.” He shook his head, but she stopped him by catching his cheeks between her hands. “My son knows that I love you deeper than any ocean or more than any woman will ever love you.”
His mouth smacked closed, and he leaned back blinking. “Fuck, I’m an amateur,” he said, looking like she’d told him some kind of earth shattering news. “And blind. I was so blind. I didn’t see it at all. Why didn’t I—” He shook his head. “Why didn’t I see?” Tears gathered in his eyes, but she didn’t understand them. “Kayla, I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“The first time I saw you, when you stepped into the light, I knew I would never be able to resist you. You were such a shock to my system, and I could have lost you acting like an ass.”
She raised her chin and gave the women, who’d been eyeing them and inconspicuously listening, a wink. “Nope.” She cocked her head at him and waited. “Well?”
“Huh? Yes,” he nearly shouted it, realizing what she was waiting for. “Yes, hell yes, a thousand times, yes.” He drew her against his chest, and rubbed her nose with his.
“Do I have permission to scratch any woman’s eyes out, no matter what nationality they are, if they come near you?”
“You got it, sweetheart.” He hugged her, and rested his hand against his son.
They settled the cost of the rings, and stepped into the blistering heat of the July day. Wandering down the sidewalk, she asked, “Lunch? Your son wants food, again.” Thane’s expression sobered, and he nodded.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’re being watched.” His hand fell to the hollow in her back.
How the hell did he know that so quickly?
Thane led her to the nearest café. “Stay here, Kayla,” he said, helping her to a chair.
“Thane?”
“Black SUV.”
“Oh, God,” she turned to look out the front window, and saw it parked across the street. The driver wore a ball cap and shades. Thane headed toward the back of the restaurant. Suddenly the SUV pulled out, cutting off another car, and roared down the street at high speed.
* * * *
She bolted out the door and stopped on the sidewalk. Another car came to a halt, and Thane jumped in. “Wait,” she yelled, seeing Daniel behind the wheel, but both men were focused on their target and tore down the road after the SUV.
She searched the clean street with flower boxes set every few feet and benches situated between. The girl from the jewelry store exited. “Hey,” she yelled waving at the same time. “Hey, do you have a car?”
The girl’s eyes widened seeing her. “Yes, why?”
“Let’s go.”
“Go, where?”
A small red Honda sat in front of the store. The lights flashed as the girl unlocked the door. “That way.”
“Okay,” she agreed and pulled out.
“Faster.”
“Where’s your guy, what’s his name?”
“Captain Austen. Run it,” she said, seeing the one streetlight on the main drag change to yellow.
“Is this some kind of mission?”
“There,” she pointed seeing the two vehicles on the side of the road. The SUV Daniel was driving had pushed the other vehicle to the side of the road. “Stay here.” She jumped out and ran, okay waddled up to the vehicles. Daniel had the guy bent over the hood, searching him.
“Why were you watching her?” Daniel said, kicking the guys legs apart, and digging in his pocket, pulling out a passport. He flipped it open and raised his eyes to Thane.
Thane hadn’t said a word. His body stiff.
“Interesting,” Daniel said, showing him.
Now Thane looked downright uncomfortable. “Find out what he’s doing here, I’m going to take Kayla back to town.”
Daniel roughly turned the guy. “What’s the deal, pal. Sightseeing?”
“Where’s he from, Daniel?” Kayla demanded, finally finding her tongue.
Thane grasped her hand, and pulled.
“Come on, Kayla, let’s go. This isn’t the Shark.”
She resisted the tug on her arm. “I figured out that much.”
“Egyptian,” Daniel said. “Mohari, what are you doing here?”
“I was sent to talk with Captain Austen—alone. I have a message from the princess.”
Thane dug his fingers into her arm. “I don’t need a message.”
“What message?” she asked.
He glanced at all of them, but it didn’t sit right, as if this was planned, and he was victorious. “Her Highness wishes the Captain to know their son will be born at Christmas.”
Like ice water dripping through a tap, her veins chilled. The words threatened to slam the door on their future. “Oh,” was all she could manage. Although she felt Thane’s hands on her, she couldn’t hear anything past the roar of anger. Fate hadn’t even bothered to wait five lousy minutes before shattering her under a ten thousand pound elephant.
“Kayla, no this is a lie. It’s impossible.”
For a moment, she stared at the grass and small pebbles under her feet. The young girl from the jewelry store stood watching with wide eyes. Kayla stepped toward her, and wrapped a hand around her wrist, slipping her ring into the girl’s palm. “Please return his money.”
A hand grasped her shoulder. “Kayla…no, put the ring back on, please.”
Slowly, she looked up at Thane. It was a moment she would ultimately always remember. It was the moment in her life when destiny had her by the throat again, threatening to take everything away. Would she go down without a fight? Did she even have a choice? “Go, Thane. Do what you have to do.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel make a move toward her. “Don’t even think about it, Daniel.” He stopped.
“Zara’s child is not mine.”
“If I have to share you, I will, but I don’t want to, Captain Austen. Until things are settled I’ll wait here.”
“I want you to put that damn ring back on.”
She pulled away from him. “You may not have an option.”
“It’s not about options, it’s about a vow, and I made one to you, not more than five minutes ago. Nothing will change that.”
Code Name: Kayla's Fire Page 31
