Crave (Talon Security #1)

by Megan O'Brien

  “Ah,” he murmured thoughtfully, his fingers tracing absently over my collarbone. “How do you mean?”

  “Ugh, I don’t know. Can we not talk about this?” I pleaded.

  “I didn’t like that look on your face, so I think we should.”

  Well, shit.

  “I don’t know!” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “They were tall, skinny, brunette. I’m short, blonde, and I know I’m not fat or anything, but skinny isn’t necessarily the right adjective,” I explained dryly.

  His fingers stopped moving and I didn’t imagine his posture stiffening. “Christ, Sam, do you not see how fucking gorgeous you are? Of course I picked girls who were different than you. I didn’t want to be reminded of what I couldn’t have.”

  My heart swelled at his words.

  He sat me up, guiding me to turn so I was looking at him. “Sweetheart, you’re a walking wet dream. Every time we went out, I had to stop myself from physically fending every dick off within a mile radius. There were the times when I wasn’t able to stop myself.”

  I remembered those times well.

  His hands moved to my ass, squeezing as his eyes heated. “I can’t tell you how many nights I lay awake fantasizing about you, about this body. And you bet your ass now that you’re mine I won’t be restraining myself from fending off any asshole who attempts to breathe the same air as you.”

  I stared at him in wide-eyed shock, my breath hitching in response to his intensity.

  “Okay?” he demanded.

  “Okay,” I replied breathlessly as he moved me to straddle his lap, taking my mouth in a scorching kiss.

  He broke away, his mouth a breath from my ear. “I’m all in, Sam,” his deep voice said with a certainty that settled something deep inside me.

  I swallowed back the fear, feeling as though I was on the edge of a beautiful precipice, and managed a small nod.

  He squeezed me tighter, drawing me closer into the body so new to me and yet so familiar. I realized that if I was going out on an edge, he was the only person I’d want to cling to.

  CHAPTER 11

  After a quick breakfast the next morning, we headed to the store. We were nearly to town when his eyes shot to the rearview mirror for the third time in a matter of seconds.

  My heart rate spiked at his clenched jaw and alert posture. “What is it?”

  “We have a tail,” he replied without preamble. “Change of plans, we’ll head to the freeway.” He grabbed his phone and hit the gas, weaving through traffic with complete control.

  I’d never seen this side of Sid. I knew he was highly trained but I’d never seen him in action. He was clearly in his element with the clench in his jaw the only indicator that we were in a stressful situation.

  “Masters—what’s good?” Declan’s voice came over the line.

  “We’ve got a tail,” Sid reported, his tone authoritative and calm.

  “Roger that.” Declan replied, all trace of levity gone and replaced with curt focus. “Theo’s a klick out. Looks like he’s reporting in now. Boss man is on with him.”

  Sid’s eyes shot to the rearview once again. “Black BMW, tinted windows, no front license plate so can’t get a read on it,” he reported, sounding frustrated. “Looks like an M5.”

  “Got it. I’ve got your location. What’s your plan?”

  “For now? Stick to the freeway and try to lose him.”

  “Roger.”

  Sid’s gaze cut to me as I desperately tried to hide my frazzled nerves. “Babe. I got this,” he assured me. “I’ve got you. Promise.”

  I looked over at him. “I know you do,” I replied, meaning every word.

  What felt like an eternity later, but was probably only a minute or two, Declan’s voice came back over the line. “Got some intel—it’s one of Ivanov’s men, if not the bastard himself.”

  I watched Sid for any sign of panic or worry, but none came. “Figured that. Well, let’s give him a tour of our fine city, shall we?”

  “Sounds fucking excellent.” Declan chuckled.

  I marveled at how calm they both were and found that their attitude began to affect me as well. Despite the speed we were now traveling and the BMW that edged closer still, I relaxed a marginal degree as I put myself fully in Sid’s hands. There was no safer place I could be.

  Without question, I trusted him with my life.

  “What the fuck does he think he’s going to get out of this?” Sid muttered, more to himself than to me.

  I wondered the same thing. We were on a busy Los Angeles freeway.

  “Maybe it’s just a warning,” I suggested, watching the BMW’s headlights in the side mirror.

  “Could be,” he agreed, sounding doubtful. “I think they were hoping I wouldn’t pick up a tail and wanted to figure out where we’re staying.”

  “Do they know who you are?”

  His brow wrinkled. “Who I am?”

  “That you’re my man. And a professional badass,” I replied seriously.

  He grinned, shooting a quick look at me before his eyes returned to the road.

  “What?” I demanded, blushing furiously.

  I’d never blushed in my life until the last week, and now I felt like it’s all I’d done the past few days.

  “I’m a badass, huh?” He grinned.

  “Are you seriously giving me shit when we’re in the middle of a high-speed chase?” I exclaimed.

  “Babe.” He chuckled, shaking his head at me.

  “Glad you’re so amused,” I muttered.

  His hand reached over to squeeze my thigh before he placed it back on the wheel. “Only you could make me smile when we’ve got the Russian mafia on our ass, Sam.”

  Though his comment was delivered with humor, the meaning resonated deeply with me.

  “I trust you with my life, you know,” I murmured, looking over, watching his achingly handsome profile as he weaved us expertly in and out of traffic.

  His grip flexed on the steering wheel, the only giveaway that he’d heard me.

  “I’m sorry that I’m a bit hesitant sometimes,” I continued. “I don’t know why that is.”

  “Dec, muting the line,” he cut in, hitting the mute button on the phone. I was grateful, considering I’d forgotten Declan was even listening.

  “Roger,” Declan replied.

  Sid shot a look at me to continue.

  I twisted my fingers in my lap. “I sometimes have a hard time getting close to people. I haven’t wanted to try. But with you… with you, I want to try,” I explained. “And I’m sorry you’re going to bear the brunt of my learning curve,” I told him as he looked over at me with warmth radiating from his gorgeous eyes. “I trust you. More than I’ve ever trusted anyone. I just….” I drew in a shaky breath. “I just… well, I might need a little help.”

  He’d know how hard that was for me to admit.

  His eyes softened as his hand reached for mine, squeezing firmly. “How many nightmares have you stayed with me through?” he asked quietly.

  “A few.” I shrugged.

  “A lot,” he corrected. “You’re the only person that I’d ever let see me like that.” The muscles in his forearms flexed as he gripped the wheel, his steel gaze shooting to the rearview mirror. “I started talking to someone. He specializes in PTSD. I’ve only had a few sessions, but it’s really helped me.”

  My eyes shot wide in surprise.

  “You know why after all these years I finally did it?” he pressed.

  I shook my head.

  “Because of you, Sam.” He let that sink in a moment before continuing. “Until I faced those demons, I wouldn’t be the man I want to be. I wouldn’t be the man you deserve.” He paused, his grip white on the wheel.

  My pulse quickened as I digested his words. “You could never be anything but the man I deserve, Sid,” I answered firmly.

  He smiled patiently. “Maybe that’s true. My point, babe, is that you helped me. More than you’ll ever know. I’m fucking
thrilled to return the favor. We’ll help each other. We both have our darkness. We’ll just pull each other toward the light.”

  I swallowed hard and managed to rasp out a quiet, “Yeah.”

  His tone grew thoughtful, almost hesitant as he glanced at me before his eyes returned to the road. “We should talk about your folks, babe.”

  “My folks?” I asked, confused.

  “Honey, you’re one of the smartest women I’ve ever known. You can stitch together a song like no one else I’ve ever heard. But you don’t connect the pieces between your parents being completely aloof and your hesitancy with intimacy—of any kind.” He looked over at me again, a warm look that could only be described as love clear across his handsome face. “I can see by that shocked look on your face that the connection hadn’t occurred to you, sweetheart. I’m here to help you through that. But maybe not when we’re in the middle of a high-speed chase, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” I managed.

  Was he right? Hell, he might just be. Damn.

  “It’s not like your parents are much better,” I commented, staring absently out the window as the traffic slowed around us.

  Cade and Sid’s parents still lived somewhere in Texas. I’d never met them. All I knew was that there was a reason both boys had left the house as soon as possible, Sid for the Marines and Cade to whatever adventure would have him.

  “Yeah, but I genuinely don’t give a damn. Cade and I let that shit go a long time ago. You haven’t. But you will.” His boyish grin melted my heart as he clasped my hand briefly before hitting the mute button on the phone.

  “Back online, Dec.”

  “Roger that.”

  I looked out the window, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. Despite the imminent danger behind us, I saw nothing but hope up ahead.

  “I’m getting off,” Sid said, and I knew he was talking to Declan. “This traffic is bumper to bumper—I feel like a sitting fucking duck.”

  “You’ve got an access road up ahead—take that, Theo will follow.”

  “Roger,” Sid replied, glancing in his rearview as he edged toward the off ramp.

  “You armed?” Declan asked.

  “You seriously asking?” Sid retorted.

  Dec chuckled. “Fair enough.”

  “I can shoot. Give me a gun,” I broke in.

  Sid looked over at me in surprise.

  “Travis taught me.” I shrugged.

  Sid grinned. “You’re just full of surprises today, aren’t you? I don’t think it’ll come to that, baby, but good to know you can back me up.” He winked.

  I was coming up with a clever reply when we were hit from behind, the impact loud and jarring.

  I bit back a scream, determined to hold it together as Sid swore quietly.

  “Patch Theo in,” he ordered brusquely.

  “Masters.” Theo’s voice came on the line a moment later, any trace of his typical jovial nature replaced with authoritative calm.

  “We’ve got contact. Time for those offensive driving skills to come in handy.”

  “Excellent,” Theo replied, and I swore it sounded like he was enjoying himself. “Pick up speed and take a hard left when I tell you.”

  “Roger,” Sid replied, gunning the engine as I clenched my hands into fists in my lap. “Hang on, babe,” he ordered as we sped down the access road.

  “Now,” Theo ordered a moment later.

  Sid cranked the wheel left, sending us into an aggressive turn. I had no idea he could drive like this.

  I tilted my head back to look as Theo’s red Charger hit the left rear bumper of the black BMW, and with a loud eruption of glass and metal sent it into a spin before it flipped over entirely.

  “Holy shit,” I exclaimed. Sid sped us away from the scene and Theo soon appeared behind us in the side mirror.

  “You good?” Dec’s voice came over the line.

  “We’re good,” Sid confirmed, glancing briefly over at me.

  “We’re good,” I repeated shakily.

  “Richards is on cleanup duty,” Dec added. I made a mental note to ask who Richards was when my brain didn’t feel like split pea soup.

  It was a moment later that Theo’s voice came back over the line. “So what do we think, guys—lunch?”

  CHAPTER 12

  Once Sid and Theo were satisfied that we didn’t have another tail, we headed to Talon. Travis met us in the lot, grabbing me in a tight hug before I was even all the way out of the truck.

  “You all right?” he demanded.

  I nodded despite my knees wobbling together. At least now I could cross high-speed chase off the list of adventures I never wanted to experience again.

  He stepped back to allow Sid to take me in his arms. I turned into Sid’s body, burying my face into his chest, wishing I could climb inside him. “Let’s get inside,” he murmured in my ear, rubbing my back with strong, sure strokes.

  I nodded and took a deep breath, determined to pull myself together. He took my hand and together we walked into Talon.

  Sarah met us at the door with worried eyes. “Can I get you guys something to drink? Maybe some coffee?” She eyed my shaking hands. “Decaf?” she amended.

  I let out a short laugh. “Yeah, I definitely don’t need something to make me more jittery. I think I’m okay for now, Sarah—thanks.”

  Her eyes turned to Theo and I saw the worry there. Not for the first time I wondered if there was more than just playful banter between them. “You okay?” she asked quietly.

  He grinned, putting an arm around her briefly. “I’m good. Hell, that was fun.”

  She rolled her eyes, shoving away from him. “You guys are crazy.”

  “Seriously crazy.” I nodded my agreement. I could feel the tension radiating off Sid as he held me pressed to his side. No sooner were the words out of my mouth that Sid took my hand and started towing me to the back of the building.

  “We’ll be back,” he barked over his shoulder, sparing no niceties for his team.

  “Whaaa?” I asked, confused as to where we were going and why.

  He took me into a room I’d never seen before, just off the main gym area.

  “What is this room?” I asked, looking at the small space outfitted with a military-style bunk bed and nothing else.

  He shut the door, locked it, and stalked me like prey. Before I could ask another question, he had me pressed to the far wall.

  “Sid… what?” I gasped before his mouth took mine, ending any further protest. I wrapped my legs around his waist, groaning as his denim-clad erection pressed to my core. With the dress I was wearing, he was so close to where I needed him.

  He removed my legs from his waist, long enough to tear my panties down my legs and freed himself from his jeans. His movements were jerky, his eyes nearly feral as he looked at me like I was his next meal.

  I’d never been so turned on.

  He sheathed himself in record time and grabbed my ass, hoisting me up once again. Before I could even form a thought, he was inside me.

  I fought the groan that wanted to escape as he drove into me hard. I bit his shoulder, caught up in his savage mood. The tendons in his neck stood out, the muscles in his arms taut with tension as he took me harder than he ever had.

  I wanted to scream, my orgasm was so powerful when it took me, but I managed to muffle the sound in his shoulder.

  His movements became frantic and impossibly harder before he let out a low groan, releasing himself inside me.

  We stayed like that, clutching each other, both breathing rapidly. He pulled back an inch, still inside me, and took my mouth. His lips made love to mine, countering the savage way he’d just fucked me. Both were equally beautiful.

  He pressed his forehead to mine in a now familiar gesture that I’d grown to love.

  “I love you, Sam,” he rasped.

  My heart nearly stopped before it picked back up triple time. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close, grinning like the lovesick fool I
was.

  It felt all too soon that he was pulling out of me, sliding me down his body. He tucked himself back into his jeans as I picked up my ripped panties.

  “I guess I’ll throw these out.” I laughed, feeling a giddiness that juxtaposed the ordeal we’d just been through.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his blue eyes concerned. “I was a little rough. I just—I needed you. I can’t explain it. That’s never happened to me before.”

  I cupped his neck with my hand, looking up into his eyes. “I loved it, babe. I just hope no one heard us,” I added, biting my lip worriedly.

  His thumb pulled gently, freeing my lower lip as he dipped low for another kiss. “We’re pretty far back here. But if they did hear, then they heard.” He shrugged.

  “My brother is out there!” I exclaimed, horrified.

  He chuckled. “I’ll pay for his therapist.”

  “Ugh,” I groaned, dropping my head into my hand.

  To their credit, no one gave us a hard time when we returned. There wasn’t one sideways glance or sarcastic comment, not even from Theo. Maybe they really didn’t know what we’d been doing. Or, maybe after what we’d been through that morning they knew we’d needed each other.

  My eyes shot to the unfamiliar man in the room, out of place in his suit. “Ms. McAllister.” He nodded in my direction.

  Sid moved in behind me, wrapping his arm around my chest. “Uh, hi.” I raised my hand in an awkward wave.

  “The suit is Agent Richards,” Sid explained, his tone far from warm.

  Ah, that explained it. Sort of.

  “Thanks for the prize, Masters.” Richards nodded toward Sid. “Wasn’t Ivanov, but it was one of his right hands.”

  “That fuck was threatening my girl. He’s not a prize. He’s a piece of shit,” Sid snarled.

  Richards paled slightly at the tone of Sid’s voice and the death glare that, although I couldn’t see, I was sure was pointed in his direction.

  “What do you want, Richards?” Travis sighed impatiently. I could tell my brother tolerated the man but only barely.

  “We need to draw him out,” Richards explained. “We’ve got enough from our undercover operation to put him away for life. But as of two days ago, he’s in the wind. We can’t find the bastard.”