“Or you all can go and I can keep Donata occupied,” Kendrick teased.
“Watch it,” Turbo stated, and the others chuckled.
“She is one fine piece of—”
“Kendrick,” Tex reprimanded, and Kendrick chuckled, seeing that he got a reaction from Harley and Turbo most.
“Never thought I’d see the day that men as bad ass as Turbo and Harley had a weakness and it was a woman,” Kendrick said.
“Just wait, buddy, when it happens to you and your team, you won’t know what hit ya,” Brady said to him.
Kendrick shook his head.
“Not us. No time or desire to get settled down with some woman no matter how sexy her body is. Love ‘em and leave ‘em, that’s what we do. Better all around, or we could wind up like you guys. Risking our lives, sneaking into a third-world country, and getting our dicks shot off for romance. Fuck that,” Kendrick stated.
“You’re such an asshole,” Tex said to him.
“He’s also full of shit. We all know he has a soft spot. It will just take the right woman to bring it out in him,” Frankie teased his brother. They all laughed.
“Let’s get down to business. I want to know how difficult this is going to be and when we should leave,” Brady said, and the mood got serious as they discussed the mission and all the dangers that lay ahead of whoever went on this hunt. Kendrick couldn’t help but be worried. He really couldn’t understand his buddies’ line of thinking. All this for some woman, even one as attractive and sexy as Donata, and they wanted to risk their necks? It amazed him, and as much as he thought they were crazy, he couldn’t help but wonder if he and his brothers would ever meet one woman who they would all want, desire, and not stray from. She didn’t exist. She couldn’t exist, and they were better off alone than weak in their hearts and in their knees. That would leave them open to getting killed.
* * * *
“What’s wrong?” Jack asked Donata as they walked through town, enjoying the farmer’s market and picking up some things along the way.
“Why can’t you tell me why those men came over today, and why the others made you take me out to stop me from learning more?” she asked. He squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the knuckles.
“Honey, there are things we’re involved in and have been and might always be involved in. Strategic planning, operations, and other things we’ve trained all our lives for with our cousins. Despite us working for Mateus and Major for a few years in the city, we kept in contact with our cousins and friends and helped them when necessary.”
“But you left that life. You left the dangers and were angry at Bailey, Slogan, and Brady for taking those kinds of risks. Are they going to have to leave for some dangerous mission? Is that what you’re all helping them to figure out?”
Jack exhaled. He didn’t want to tell her that they were going to eliminate Admere and his crew of shit. That it was the only way to save her life and her brother’s life now that Ellis had been killed and Admere had sent in multiple men to follow Donata’s friends and their men. She would blame herself for the danger.
“Donata, you’ve come to learn a lot about us and our cousins over the last three and a half weeks. We want a future with you. We have a lot of things to work out, and our cousins and we have loose ends on things, on jobs, on work-related things that can’t be left unfinished. Trust us to handle the situation, to be safe, and to do what is right. As our woman, as the woman to made men, to soldiers, to mercenaries, you need to not ask questions, to be supportive, and to obey our orders,” he said to her. Tears filled her eyes, and she looked away. He stopped her from walking, pulled her close, and stared down into her eyes. They were glistening with unshed tears.
“What is it? Can’t you obey us? Handle being our woman?” he asked.
She stared at him. “I’m scared, Jack. I’m…I’m in love with all of you.”
His heart filled with joy, and a smile formed on his face. “I love you, too, and I’m sure the others are going to tell you how much they love you, as well.” He kissed her lips.
When he pulled back, she gulped. “I’m not so sure about Bailey, Turbo, and Harley. They don’t seem to admit to anything, or to show any sort of weakness.”
“Honey, that isn’t true at all. They’re weak every time their cocks are deep inside this body, possessing you. You break them down, make them feel things no one else can,” he told her. Her cheeks turned red, and she looked around them as if afraid someone might hear. He chuckled.
“God damn, you are fucking precious. Come on, let’s walk around some more and then head back. I can’t seem to get enough of making love to you.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, held her close, and kissed her cheek. As they turned, he spotted Sheriff Ford Brazos, an old friend of his and a good friend of his cousins.
“I don’t believe it. Jack, what in the world are you doing in town?” the sheriff asked, and Donata released Jack as he and the sheriff embraced.
“How are you, Ford?”
“I’m doing great.” He looked over Donata.
“This is Donata. She came here with my brother, cousins, and me to stay for a while with Slogan, Bailey, and Brady.”
“Nice to meet you, Donata. I’m Sheriff Brazos,” he said and then jerked as a little boy slammed into the back of the sheriff.
“Daddy!” he exclaimed, and Jack was shocked. He thought Ford and his brothers had a baby girl with their woman, Lois. The sheriff reached down and lifted the little boy up into his arms.
“Waylan Thomas, what did I tell you about interrupting Daddy when I’m working?” he reprimanded the kid, who looked to be about three or four years old.
“So sorry, Sheriff, he saw you and took off like a mad man,” Lois, his woman, said, joining them with a little girl who looked to be about five years old. She had gorgeous blue eyes and long blonde hair just like Lois.
“It’s all right. Not sure if you remember Jack. He used to live out here with his cousins and brother for years. God, you guys took off about three years ago, right?” Ford asked.
“About that. Don’t tell me that this is your son and that’s the baby?” Jack asked and looked at them.
“Sure is. We’ve been busy,” Ford said and reached over and placed a hand on Lois’s belly.
“Expecting another?” Jack asked and smiled.
“Yes, sir, six months to go,” Lois said. Jack smiled and looked at Donata. He pulled her close and imagined her round and pregnant with his and his brother’s and cousins’ baby.
“I’m Lois,” Lois said to Donata as she reached her hand out.
“Donata. Nice to meet you, and congratulations on the baby. You look great,” Donata said.
“Oh, thank you so much.”
“So how long are you and the team in town for with your woman?” Ford asked, and Jack looked ta Donata who blushed. Ford squinted his eyes.
“Not sure really. A lot of things going on,” Jack said.
“Anything I need to know about?”
“Don’t think so, but I’ll have Bailey call you later.”
Ford nodded, looked Donata over, and then smiled.
“Well, maybe we can all get together some time while you’re visiting. I’m sure Ghost would love to see Turbo and Harley and talk military,” he said.
Jack chuckled. “We’d all enjoy that. Maybe we’ll make plans later in the week.”
“Sounds good. Well, enjoy the afternoon,” Ford told him.
“Will do and good seeing you.” Jack took Donata’s hand, and they said good-bye and then went along their way.
“They seem so happy.”
“Oh, they are. Laverty, Ghost, and Evan adore Lois. She had been in a bit of trouble when she and her sister got to town. Good people, though, and tough women. So what do you think? Maybe get together with them?”
“Sounds like you and the others would enjoy it, and Lois seemed nice.”
“She is. Most everyone around here is.” He brought her han
d to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
“How did you, Turbo, Harley, Covan, and Jack ever leave and not settle down with some woman here?” she asked.
“Things happened. It wasn’t our destiny, obviously,” he said to her and winked.
She didn’t smile. She leaned into his body and wrapped her arm around his waist, hugging him as they walked.
“I’m sorry that I’ve put you all in danger. If there was something I could do to resolve this, I would. I mean, I didn’t want you involved from the start.” He stopped her, brought her over to the side away from prying eyes, and placed his hands on her hips. She put her palms against his chest and looked up at him.
“You didn’t involve us. We involved ourselves because we care about you. We wanted you in our beds months ago and were too stubborn and unwilling to accept the power of this connection we share. We’d never committed to a woman before, and it took you being in danger, you letting other men touch you and kiss you that drove us insane. We would do it all again, and we will do whatever it takes to protect you from the danger you’re in. Got it?” he asked her firmly.
She nodded, and he lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her.
* * * *
“Come pick flowers with me, Bailey,” Donata called to him, but he shook his head and stood by the fence. He was feeling so much, just as his brothers were and their cousins. Donata came out of nowhere. The first sight of her in the pictures Harley sent them caught Bailey’s attention as well as Brady and Slogan’s. The more they found out about her, and the more Turbo, Covan, Jack and Harley explained, it was like this flicker of hope began to evolve in his core. A hope he had pretty much given up on. The idea of finding one perfect woman who met each of their expectations, their desires, and a connection so deep they knew she was the one. The likelihood seemed outrageous. Seven men with one woman to share? Were they out of their fucking minds?
He snorted to himself taking in the sight of her right here in his garden. A garden he created to help ease his unsettled mind and that of his brothers. To help heal them from the violence and demons of their professionals and all the evil that tainted their thoughts.
He realized since getting that first picture of Donata and hearing of her situation and knowing his cousins affection toward her, those evil, dark dreams turned to hope and fantasy about a woman he hadn’t met but somehow deep inside hoped she was the one.
Bailey watched Donata while she picked some flowers in the garden. He stood there, arms crossed in front of his chest, Stetson on, dark sunglasses, and feeling exposed, affected. In all the years of meeting women, having flings out of getting satisfaction and fulfilling needs, none affected him. Not their beauty, their bodies, their scents or their personalities. In fact, Bailey wondered if he had become desensitized to emotions, to a greater, deeper bond and connection other then survival. Him, his brothers and cousins had gone through many things in their lives that left lasting scars and fears, and ultimately made that wall over their hearts and souls thicker. Staring at Donata, bent down, long hair blowing in the gentle breeze, her shirt falling off her shoulder and teasing him with a view of her breast, and he wondered if she were real. Was she? Or was she a figment of his imagination, and he finally lost his mind? She was too beautiful. Too sweet, too intelligent, to perfectly matched for not only him but for his brothers and cousins, too.
Things changed instantly with her. Now, as he thought about life, about tomorrow and the next day, he thought of Donata. Nothing else has meaning, or at least as much. She was priority.
When she glanced up at him, her face went from a smile to serious instantly. His heart hammered inside of his chest.
“Bailey, are you okay?” she asked. He stared at her and she stood up, flowers in a basket, and walked closer to him. She was more beautiful than any flower, than any moment of happiness, she was everything.
“Bailey?”
He reached out and stroked her jaw. She tilted her cheek against his hand causing him to cup it and closed her eyes. She looked content, trusting, and vulnerable. He instantly felt protective, possessive, and mad with desire and love for her. She was his. Holy shit, she was their woman.
“You like the garden, baby?” he asked, forcing a coherent thought, still stunned by her natural beauty out here in the sunlight.
She opened her eyes and smiled as he released her cheek.
“I love it. It’s also abundant. You guys must really love flowers, yet I hadn’t seen any in the house. Or do you just like to grow them and look at them?” she asked.
“Never thought about picking them,” he replied. But now that she had been doing that the last week, and placing her own creations of floral arrangements around the house, it added a special touch and hominess to the place, as well as a woman’s touch, even though she made make shift vases out of empty beer bottles and other things. He had to chuckle. He could get used to her added feminine touches, her scent, her shampoo infusing into everything in the house, including in his bed sheets that smelled like her. Even the laundry smelled better when she helped to switch it. That was crazy. He was overanalyzing everything about the woman, and it made him love her more and scare him more. He was especially scared about this mission, but Admere wanted Donata, and there was no damn way him and the team were going to let the man have her.
“Now that you’ve been pretty crafty with your vases, I think we should expand the garden next time around to incorporate your favorites.”
She smiled. “It’s your garden and I love what’s here. It’s a luxury and a comfort to be out here and be able to pick the flowers right from the garden.”
“It’s your garden, too, now, and I’m happy you’re enjoying it.”
She leaned up and kissed his chin. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close. He whispered into her ear, “I love you, baby. I love having you here with me. I love spending alone time with you, as well as with the others and you. Hell, making love is my new favorite thing to do,” he said and suckled lightly against her neck.
She ran her palms along his arm muscles and sighed. “I love that, too.” They were quiet as he held her close, just enjoying having her so near and protected.
“Bailey, are you going to leave me?” she asked him and his chest tightened.
“What?” he asked but didn’t pull back to look at her. She knew something was up. They didn’t want her to worry. They never had to answer to anyone and definitely weren’t going to start now by dealing with the concerns of their woman expressing her fears, her uncertainty and of course her insistence that they don’t go. That’s exactly what would happen. She would panic. They talked about this. Donata wouldn’t know until they were gone. She did not, and hopefully would never really know their professional capabilities. Admere would hunt her down until he had her, raped her, and killed her, plus, anyone close to her. That meant her girlfriends in New York, their men and of course, Bailey, his brothers and cousins, too. This was the only option.
“I’m not stupid. I know something is going on. Who is going to leave me for some mission and why?” she asked.
He pulled back and cupped her cheeks.
“I believe we talked a little bit about rules, Donata.”
She looked away and then sighed. When she turned back to hold his gaze there were tears in her eyes.
She whispered, voice cracking, “I just love you all so much. I can’t get this feeling out of my gut, Bailey. Like something bad is going to happen. I can’t lose any of you.”
“You’re not going to lose us. We love you, too, and we will do whatever is necessary to protect you. Trust us, as your men, your lovers, and as soldiers, to keep you safe and well loved.”
He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her, thinking how he really didn’t want to leave her. How the others didn’t either, but it was a means to an end. They needed to end this situation once and for all. She would forgive them for keeping it a secret until they were gone, and they could spend the rest of their lives making it
up to her.
* * * *
The atmosphere was thick, and uneasy. It was difficult to pretend they weren’t all gathering their intelligence, making final tweaks to the mission and deciding who was going and what their specific roles would be. Brady wrapped his arm around Donata’s waist and hugged her from behind as she watched Slogan cook on the grill with Turbo and Covan next to him talking. They were putting on their happy faces and pretending that they all weren’t feeling anxiety about leaving Donata, and fear of what could come heading straight for danger and in a terrorist region of Saudi Arabia.
Brady wrapped her up tight and she leaned back against him and chuckled.
“What are you doing?” she asked him as he sniffed her hair and her neck making her giggle.
“I smelled something really good and it led me right to you,” he said and suckled her neck a little harder.
“Oh really? Are you certain it isn’t the steak? I heard you love your steaks,” she said to him as she turned around in his arms and ran her palms up his chest.
Brady swallowed, stared down into those sexy, smoky, green eyes and just stared at her as a thousand thoughts went through his head. Would he make it back to her? Would his brothers and cousins? He was damn well going to make sure they all did. Holy fuck, he never had worries and concerns like this before leaving for a mission. Things were different now. They had a woman, eventually a wife. Donata was priority, and leaving her like this felt like they were abandoning her. He talked about this with his brothers and cousins. This was why sharing a woman would be perfect. She would never be alone, uncared for, or unprotected. He had to remember that.
She cupped his cheek.
“Brady,” she whispered.
He licked his lips.
“You think steak is my favorite?” He shook his head. “Not any more. It’s this body. It’s you,” he said and kissed her tenderly starting from the corners of her mouth to plunging his tongue in deeply in exploration, to gliding his mouth along her chin and neck then to the deep cleavage of her breasts. He pushed the one strap down and suckled against her breast until he found her nipple and tugged.
Made Men 10: And Then...There Were Seven (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 15
