by Kris Norris
He groaned. He needed to stop thinking beyond the immediate future. Beyond getting Harper back on her feet and figuring out why Lelin was so important to her. She’d openly admitted that the man had tried to kill her, and there’d been no obvious emotional connection between the two. If anything, it’d looked as if they’d barely been able to stand each other. Yet she’d stayed with him. Guarded him. Risked her life until he’d threatened another. Then she’d killed him—it—without hesitating. And to save a man she’d only just met.
“Stop trying to figure her out.” Cogan held open the door to their quarters. “She’s an enigma at best.”
Jake carried her in, weaving through the main room to the bunk area. He placed her gently on Cogan’s bed, brushing her hair back from her face again when her head lolled to the side. She frowned, reaching out until she cupped his hand as he lowered one hip on the bed. Her fingers wove through his and she settled, her breathing deepening.
Cogan joined him, sitting on the other side. “Seeing her like this, it’s hard to believe she could probably kill us without breaking a sweat. She looks so…vulnerable.”
Jake frowned. “I don’t care what the others think. She’s not an assassin.”
“I agree. But Darcy’s right. She’s had a healthy dose of training. Probably more than we’d like to acknowledge.”
“She also saved our asses.”
Cogan’s mouth lit into a smile. “Which is why she’s staying here until she’s better. The least we owe her is some quality rest.” He stood, patting Jake on the shoulder. “Why don’t you stay? Take first watch. We’ll bring you something to eat in a bit.”
He nodded, turning to Cogan as the man reached the doorway. “I know this is crazy, but…” He paused, not sure how to phrase the unsettled feeling in his gut.
“Yeah. I feel the same. Sully, as well. Girl’s probably a witch, too. Or maybe a voodoo priestess. Yell if anything happens, though I’m sure we’ll be in long before you need a break.”
Jake listened to his friend pad into the other room, the hushed murmur of voices telling him that the man was talking with Sully. Jake glanced at Harper, noting how right she looked lying in their bed before he shifted onto the floor, his hand still holding hers as he rested against the bed. Questions tumbled through his head, mixing with the anxious roll of his stomach. Maybe she was a witch. He just didn’t know if she’d cast a spell or a curse.
Chapter Four
Cogan reclined on the weathered couch in their quarters, releasing a weary breath as he stared at the ceiling. He and the guys hadn’t slept since Jake had carried Harper into their room thirty-six hours ago, their time divided between watching her and guarding the perimeter. Though most of the infected appeared normal, a few had started mimicking the ones they’d seen in the small town south of them, and command had wisely decided to increase security.
He sighed. His team wasn’t the only one working on no rest. Kace had spent every waking moment in his lab, trying to puzzle out what the hell was happening. Cogan had even heard talk that Rhys was considering moving his unit back to the bunker his brother had been working in…make use of the more sophisticated equipment they’d had to leave behind. Either way, their secure little haven was beginning to weaken, and it seemed only a matter of time before they’d be forced to move on.
The thought settled heavy in his gut. If there was one thing he’d learned over the past twenty months, it’s that nowhere was truly safe. And if the human race had any chance of surviving, they’d have to find a way to stop the infection from spreading. Of saving the few still breathing while doing their best to increase their pathetic numbers.
An image of Harper materialized in his mind. He’d never stopped fighting long enough to consider something beyond the daily patrols. Beyond merely surviving. But something about the woman called to him. Made him imagine a life with more than just death as a constant companion. And he wasn’t alone. Jake and Sully had the same doe-eyed look on their faces he’d seen in his own reflection, and he knew his friends were battling with similar conflicting emotions. They’d never really talked about the possibility of becoming one of the family units the compound embraced, choosing to concentrate their efforts on keeping everyone else alive. But there was no denying the sexual tension that strummed in the room whenever she was around them. Hell, just sitting on the floor beside the bed had made his blood pound in his head before heading south to take up residence in his dick. It’d been hard since she’d asked him to kiss her in the Hummer, and he doubted he’d find a way to relieve it any time soon.
He pushed a hand through his hair. At least he wasn’t alone. He’d seen Jake and Sully adjusting themselves on more than one occasion and knew the sudden trend of wearing their shirts long over their pants had nothing to do with a new kind of fashion statement. The little minx had gotten to all of them. The only question was…what the hell were they going to do about it? Would Harper even be interested?
He cursed under his breath. He’d thought life had been complicated before. Nothing like trying to come to terms with sharing a woman you have feelings for with your two best friends to put things in perspective. Though if he were being honest with himself, it wasn’t jealousy that worried him. Sully and Jake had been family for as long as he could remember. And he knew he’d willingly die for either man. But this… What if they didn’t share his perspective? What if he didn’t measure up?
“No. They’re coming. We have to leave.”
Harper’s voice sounded in the adjoining room a moment before she stumbled through the doorway, leaning heavily against the wall as her balance seemed to shift. Sully and Jake darted out behind her, chests bare, zippers and buttons open. They’d obviously been heading to bed when Harper had caught them by surprise. Again.
Cogan pushed to his feet, vaulting over the couch and stepping in front of her when she managed to lever off the wall. He caught her as she tripped forward, tugging her against him as he looked at his friends across her shoulder.
Sully scrubbed a hand down his face, shaking his head as he stared at Harper’s small form. “We’d just climbed into bed when she started mumbling about infected. The next thing we knew she was up and through the door.”
Harper pulled away, glancing at Sully and Jake. “They’re here! Didn’t you hear the growls? We have to keep moving.”
Cogan steadied her, keeping his touch firm but gentle. “Harper. Sweetheart. It was only a dream. A by-product of the blood loss or the meds Abby had to pump through your system. You’re safe. Promise.”
She stared at him, all baby-blue eyes and pretty pink lips before blinking. She seemed to give herself a mental shake as she eased out of his embrace then leaned against the wall. A volley of emotions crossed her face before she took a deep breath, finally meeting his gaze. “We’re at your compound? It’s secure?”
“Fully fenced with rotating patrols. And most of the guys here are ex-military. They’re a tough, dedicated bunch. Nothing’s going to get through without the rest of us knowing about it long before it’s a real threat.”
She furrowed her brow, a delightful pout pursing her lips as she glanced at Jake. “But I thought Jake said he was a fireman.”
Cogan smiled. “He was. All three of us were. That makes us the black sheep of recon teams.”
She frowned. “How do you figure that?”
“No military background.”
“Right. Because running into burning buildings and carrying children out amidst a roaring fire is so easy in comparison.” She snorted. “You guys are every inch the heroes they are. Actually more so in my books.”
Something about how she glanced away while talking caught Cogan’s interest. Almost as if she was speaking from experience.
He pushed the thoughts aside, lowering his face closer to hers. “Then do us a favor and let us watch your back while you recover. Things won’t be so confusing if you just wait until your body is ready instead of trying to bust free every time you open your eyes.” He
closed the scant distance between them, dropping his hands on her waist. “Let Sully and Jake take you back to bed. You’ll feel better in the morning.”
“No. Not back in there. It’s too confining. Not enough alternate escape routes.”
He resisted chuckling. “Okay. Would your highly attuned sense of self-preservation feel better on the couch?”
She tilted her head, the look on her face spiking a jolt of pure lust straight to his cock. It was sin and innocence rolled into one, and he had no doubt she’d exceed every expectation if they ever got the chance to get closer to her.
“Being careful keeps you alive.” She glanced at the other two men. “Being obsessively so keeps others alive.”
“True. But being part of a team means you trust your partners enough to let them shoulder the responsibility when you need a break. We won’t let anything hurt you, whether you’re in the bedroom or out here on the couch.”
Her bravado faltered slightly, and she gazed at them with what resembled a rare moment of uncertainty. “I’ve never been part of a team. Not really. Never had anyone to watch my back that I trusted.”
Cogan held out his hand, nodding to the other men. “Then I guess it comes down to whether or not you do…trust us. You said you did before. Was that merely the blood loss talking?”
She stared at his hand for three agonizing heartbeats before a genuine smile captured her mouth. “This is probably a mistake.”
“You wouldn’t want to go through life without a few regrets, would you?”
She looked at each of them in turn then accepted his hand, allowing him to lead her around the sofa. He placed her in the middle, nodding at Sully to take one side. The man settled on the far end, his arm draped along the back, his fingers brushing the side of her neck. A muffled moan drifted along the air, and Cogan smiled at the contented look on her face.
He waved at Jake, but the man shook his head, taking a seat on the floor beside Harper’s legs, his shoulder pressing against the length of her thigh. Harper gazed at the two men, acceptance crinkling the fine lines around her mouth as she leaned back, laying her head against Cogan’s shoulder when he sat next to her. Warmth shot along his skin like a spider web, making his pulse pound in his ears. Shit, one touch and his body reacted, filling his head with images of them together. All four of them. He forced in a deep breath. He needed to get his thoughts and his damn body under control.
He nudged Harper. “You need to rest.”
She gave his body a long, slow sweep. “If I lay down with you guys, you’ll be stuck here all night.”
“You say that like it’s a hardship.” He patted his thighs. “Come on. Trust, remember.”
She sighed, shuffling around until her head rested on his lap, her legs draped over Sully’s. The man rubbed her calves, drawing a throaty hum from her as she reached out her arm and laid it over Jake’s shoulder. A visible shiver trembled through the man’s body as he glanced back at her, smiling when she closed her eyes, her breath whispering across the small space.
Cogan stroked her hair as she surrendered to her fatigue, her chest fluttering against him with every soft exhalation as she drifted to sleep. God, she was beautiful. His heart clenched.
Sully hissed out a breath, drawing his and Jake’s attention. The man motioned to Harper, his mouth set into a firm line. “Please tell me I’m not the only one barely treading water here.”
Jake chuckled. “You’re still treading? Shit, buddy, I went under the moment she leaned against me in Kace’s lab.”
Sully shook his head, meeting Cogan’s stare. “What about you?”
“You do remember that she asked me to kiss her in the Hummer, right? I realized she thought she wasn’t going to wake up, but damn…I’m with Jake. I’m so far gone, I’d have to grow gills just to make it to the surface.”
Sully’s gaze slid to Harper, his fingers still massaging her legs. “Did you see the way she looked at us? I swear she read our thoughts before we even had them.” He pushed one hand through his hair. “I never thought I’d say this, but… Assuming she’s even interested—and that’s a big if—do you think the three of us could really pull this off?”
“Can we share?” Cogan stared at Harper, listening to her steady whisper of breath as she slept between them, connecting them in a way he hadn’t realized was possible. “I think the real question is… Can we live with ourselves if we don’t?”
* * * *
Harper stood in the room she’d stumbled into the other day, watching the collection of people watch her. They’d gathered into two distinct pods—three men flanking a woman in each one. She recognized some of them from that first day, though the details were still fuzzy, but one thing was clear. Each group was intimately involved. From the tilt of the women’s heads to the possessive gleam in the men’s eyes, everything about their presence told her they were more than just teams. They were lovers.
Cogan had explained the dynamics encompassing the compound before leaving their barracks—the agreement of four members to any family unit. How the increased number of men had posed certain conflict until they’d decided to join forces. She’d been hesitant at first, wondering if it’d some kind of ruse, but as she’d made her way along the grounds to the meeting, she’d seen the apparent success of the complex. And with humanity on the brink of extinction, she guessed that any compromise that made a society harmonious was worth a shot.
She glanced at Cogan, Sully and Jake. They stood just off to her left, talking quietly with one of the other men. She vaguely remembered waking in the night, heart racing, her pulse pounding in her head. She’d staggered into the main room, Sully and Jake in tow and had all but fallen into Cogan’s arms. The men had assured her she was safe then asked her to trust them.
Trust.
Them.
Three men she didn’t even know.
Yet, she had. Did. Then she’d fallen asleep wedged between them, waking several hours later still entwined. They’d been casual, acting as if it’d been nothing more than an innocent interaction, but that’s not how it felt. How she felt. She’d been off her game since they’d shown up at that creek, the near-death encounter a prime example of how strongly they affected her. Hell, in all her years as an operative, she’d never risked her own life for someone other than her mark. Yet, she’d taken a knife for Cogan without even knowing his name.
Harper firmed her jaw. Now wasn’t the time to let her emotions rule her judgment. She was outnumbered, outgunned, standing in a room full of people who might very well be the enemy, and all she could think about was how warm and soft Cogan’s lips had been when she’d asked him to kiss her in the Hummer. Or how safe she’d felt in Jake’s arms when he’d intervened during her attempted escape. Then there’d been the way Sully had rubbed her calves, the sensuous swirl of his hands practically making her purr.
Fuck!
She took a calming breath, stiffening when the talking stopped and all eyes once again focused on her. She’d agreed not to bring any weapons, aware that any other course would only increase the tension and uncertainty already surrounding her. Besides, there were plenty of objects she could use to defend herself. The chair beside her. The various beakers and instruments lining the counter. She didn’t need a blade to kill. It just made things easier.
The man Cogan had been whispering to waved at her. “Welcome. Harper, right?”
She nodded. “Rawlings.”
He smiled. “I’m Barrett. This is Colby, and I believe you already met Darcy and Abby, though you might not remember. You weren’t looking so good back then.”
She allowed her gaze to linger on each person in turn, finally giving the group a curt nod. “I remember.” She focused on the lady. “They tell me you’re the resident doctor. I don’t believe I thanked you for stitching up my shoulder.”
Abby smiled. “You got hurt saving one of our own. Seemed only right to return the favor.”
“Either way, thank you.”
Barrett motioned
to the seat beside her. “Cogan tells me you’re feeling better, though you still look like a bloody ghost. Why don’t you sit? Relax.”
She laughed, gazing around the room. “Sit? In a chair with my back to the room’s only door fronted by six, heavily armed soldiers? Thanks, but I think I’ll stand.”
A smile curled Barrett’s mouth as he looked at Cogan. “Shit, mate, you certainly know how to pick them. And don’t think I didn’t notice how she didn’t include the three of you in that statement.” Some of the tension dissipated as he leaned against the counter, one hand resting on Abby’s hip. “Trust me, Harper. If we were a threat to you, you wouldn’t be breathing.”
“You all use that word a lot. I’ve discovered trust is easily misplaced these days.” She ran a hand through her hair, eyeing each man in turn, but her gut wasn’t telling her they were lying to her. She cursed under her breath. “You’re right. You could have let me die, and you didn’t. That’s more kindness than I’ve been shown in a long time. It should count for something.”
She moved over to the chair, sitting despite the sudden clenching in her stomach. It went against every instinct to set herself up as an easy target, but she knew someone had to make the first move. And in hindsight, they already had when they’d saved her ass.
She released an audible breath. “Better?”
Barrett laughed. “Honey, I have no doubts you’re just as deadly sitting as you were standing. But we appreciate the gesture.” He motioned to Cogan and his crew. “You boys can stand down, too. We just want to talk to the lady.”
Harper glanced at them. Somehow, she’d missed the way they’d edged closer to her, separating themselves from the other two groups. An unspoken statement that they’d already chosen a side. Hers. A new feeling sizzled to life, one that made the room spin, making her thankful she’d accepted the damn chair. Jake snagged her gaze, giving her a wink as he, Cogan and Sully relaxed slightly, leaning against the wall behind them. Barrett smiled his apparent thanks when the man they’d called Kace the other day pushed through the gathering.
