He checked the breakfast room, the large open living room, and then stepped out on the porch. Hands fisted on his hips, he waited, impatient for the coming confrontation. Reggie needed to be taken down a notch. Warned off. Fuck, he hoped he was the man to do it.
“Lookin’ for me?”
At the smug tone, he stiffened and turned.
Reggie was dressed in frayed shorts and a Las Vegas tee that stretched across his chest and cinched around his upper arms. His hands clenched and released, and then clenched again.
Meeting the other man’s gaze, he muttered, “We need to talk.”
“Talk’s not what I want,” Reggie said, eyes narrowing. “You’re fuckin’ my girl.”
Snake steeled himself not to react to his tone or his words. “From what I hear, she broke it off. She’s moved on. It’s time you did the same.”
His brows wrinkled. “You’re just some hired muscle. She’ll get tired of you.”
Snake shrugged. “Maybe. But when she does, I’ll have the good manners to honor her wishes and leave her be.”
The big man grunted. “Where you wanna do this?”
Snake raised an eyebrow. Last chance, asshole. “We don’t have to fight.”
Jaw tight, Reggie stepped closer and bumped his chest against Snake’s. “Chicken-shit SEAL.”
What is the man? Two? Snake didn’t move back. Keeping his gaze steady, he angled his head toward the beach. “Let’s take it down a ways. Let everyone else enjoy their afternoon naps.”
A knock sounded on her door, and Cat stretched, reaching across the mattress, but Snake wasn’t there. She levered herself up onto one elbow and pushed her hair away from her face. “Yes?”
The door burst open, and Harper charged inside, her eyes wide. “They guys are on the beach. I think they’re going to fight.”
Her heart fluttered then began to pound. Cat climbed off the bed and reached for the pareo she’s worn at the beach earlier that day and wrapped it around her torso, knotting it at the hip. She slipped past Harper and pounded down the hallway. “Why the hell did you bring him?”
Harper followed after her, her breaths panting. “He showed up at my place. Cried on my couch. Said he loved you. That you’d had a lover’s tiff. He asked for my help.”
Cat shook her head, beginning to tremble with outrage and fear. If Reggie decided to fight Snake, he might kill him. “The man put me in the goddamn hospital, Harper. He cracked my skull. We did not have a tiff.”
“No!” Harper reached for her arm and pulled her to a halt, turning her. “I didn’t know. I swear.” Harper’s face was pale, her eyes tearing.
Her friend’s emotions looked real. Cat’s shoulders slumped. “That’s my fault. I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“We should alert Virgil’s security team, but you shouldn’t go anywhere near that beach.”
Cat remembered Reggie’s sudden attack, and fear for Snake made her tremble. She raised her chin. “Snake’s here to protect me. If he’s hurt, it’s my fault. I should have had Reggie arrested in the first place. You go get help. I’ll try to stop them.”
Snake chose a place well beyond the cabana and out of sight and hearing of the mansion. The ground was flat. No slopes. The sand wasn’t quite as deep here, so they wouldn’t have to slog through it.
He stopped, pulled his shirt over his head, and kicked off his shoes. Then he watched as Reggie Parault, the World Heavyweight Champion, mirrored his actions.
Snake had to admit the man’s physique gave him pause. The trick would be keeping out of range of his shovel-like hands. One direct hit to Snake’s face, and the contest would be over. And he doubted Reggie would play by any rules. If Snake went down, Reggie wouldn’t show him any mercy. Not going by the rage banked in his ruddy cheeks and darkening eyes.
Reggie wanted blood.
Snake had to be faster. Smarter. The only way Snake could win was if he could get into Reggie’s head and make him so angry he’d lose his shit.
Delaying the start, Snake began stretching. “Must sting, having a woman like that show you the door. You’re the king. Saw your fight against Jones. It was brutal, man.”
Reggie’s stance widened, and he snorted. “He went down, same way you will.”
He pounded a fist into his hand.
The sound made Snake inwardly wince, but he lifted both arms over her head with fingers linked. “Yeah, well, he was older. Slower. The media hyped up the face-off as the battle of the century, but really you had it in the bag before you ever walked into the ring.”
The prizefighter’s eyes narrowed, and his shoulders hunched. “Your point?”
“I’m not old.” He spread his arms wide and flashed a confident grin. “And I’m faster than you.”
“Only takes one fucking punch, asshole. Now, quit talking.” Reggie flexed his knees.
Snake began to dance, not like a seasoned fighter, but like a teenager, expending too much energy. When Reggie smirked, Snake shot out his hands, in quick succession, pretending to punch. “See, I think you like easy fights. Old men. Younger fighters. You like the sound of bones crunching.” He continued to dance and forced his breathing to come faster, like he was already winded. “Must have felt good cracking Cat’s skull with just a flick of your hand.”
Reggie roared and took a step forward, hands raised. “Shut up, motherfucker. And stand the fuck still.”
Laughing, Snake continued his little charade, coming in a little closer then ducking as Reggie swung. He felt the air move over his head, but quickly backed out of reach. “That all you got?”
“You two stop!”
Cat’s shout sounded in the distance. Other sounds intruded, many feet running in their direction. This fight could be over before he got a chance to deliver Reggie his nuts. He moved in closer and raised his fists, tucking his elbows tight to his body letting Reggie aim short, less powerful blows at his ribs and his face.
Snake grunted at the hit to his side, but knocked away the fist that would have shattered his jaw. He stepped forward and slammed his knee against Reggie’s side just to piss him off.
Reggie growled and swung again, but with mere inches separating them, he only peppered Snake’s shoulders and upper arms with blows. Painful blows, but not fight-ending.
Snake hooked a leg behind Reggie’s knees and shoved a forearm at his chest. The prizefighter went down on his ass, but flipped to his knees and dug his fists into the sand, ready to lunge upward.
Snake saw his opening. He didn’t care the other man might consider it cheating, he bent forward and clipped Reggie’s unprotected jaw.
Reggie’s eyes rolled back, and he sank, fine sand billowing around his heavy body.
Snake blinked, surprised at easily the big man had gone down. He raised his bruised fist and blew on it like a TV gunslinger would the end of a smoking pistol. “That’s for Cat, asshole.”
At a run, Cat reached him and flung herself against his chest, her palms slapping his skin. “Are you crazy?” she asked, her voice shrill. “Stop this now! He’ll kill you!”
Snake wrapped his aching arms around her and hugged her tight, squeezing out her breath. When she stopped wriggling, he released her and bent his head toward hers. “He’s not moving, sweetheart. Fight’s over.”
Tears filled Cat’s eyes as she stared back. Then she rose on tiptoe and kissed the side of his mouth. “You have blood on your lip, here.” She touched the other side of his mouth.
“I’ll live,” he said grinning and sucked in a full breath.
She smacked him again then waved a hand to the side. “And what the hell was all that dancing around like a fool?”
He laughed. “Psyops. I’ll explain it, later.”
A crowd of Virgil’s security team surrounded them. One took a knee beside Reggie and pressed two fingers on Reggie’s neck to check for a pulse. “He’s just out. We better get him inside and call a doctor.”
Cat’s friend Harper ran up, a huge smile on her face. “Who’d h
ave guessed the great Reggie Parault would have a glass jaw?”
Cat sank against Snake and wound her arms around his back. “You scared me.”
“Shit.” Harper raised a hand to shield her eyes from the bright sun. Her gaze was on the water.
Snake turned to follow the direction of her stare. A boat, filled with men with cameras, was pulling away, water churning in its wake.
Cat giggled. “You’re going viral, Snake. You bested Reggie. That punch, and that ridiculous dance, are going to be all over the Internet. Lyle will be ecstatic you’re wearing his shorts.”
Snake groaned. And his team would never let him live it down. He expected they’d play it at every celebration. Huffing out a breath, he pulled her closer. “Let’s blow this island.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “What do you have in mind?”
He’d give her a glimpse of his world. “Somewhere quiet. It’s not fancy. But there’s a beach….”
A smile curved her mouth, and she ducked her head. “Are you taking me home?”
“Do you mind? We might have to do our own cooking and dishes.”
She rested her cheek on his bare chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and let out a deep sigh. “Sounds like heaven.”
Snake brought her to his small house, situated on a strip of beach not far from Virginia Beach. He told Cat he’d paid more than the house was worth for access to the sand. The house was as small as her Manhattan apartment, really just a cottage, with just two bedrooms and one bath. A sheltered carport sat at the back of the house. A tilting white picket fence ran down both sides of his property, separating his yard from the adjacent cottages’. She loved it.
Painted a deep blue, with white shutters and a metal roof, and very sparsely decorated, his place was clean and comfortable. Besides, the only piece of furniture they’d needed over the past week was the bed. The rest of the time, they’d spent out of doors—swimming, fishing, and riding jet skis in the surf.
Cat knew she’d have to go home—and soon. She’d ignored most of her calls, but in the voicemails, her assistant’s tone had become more urgent. They had orders to fill and a layout to design for a major magazine. The Fosters hadn’t forgotten about their offer.
Still, she wasn’t ready to go. Nothing was settled between them. They never talked about the future, and now, she was afraid these few days would be it. Cat didn’t know how they could make this relationship work, but she wanted to try. If only he was willing…
His large hand enfolded hers. She glanced between the loungers they occupied. The deep canvas chairs were set beneath an awning on his porch. As was their habit, they’d settled there to drink beer and watch the sun go down. Oh, if Harper could see me now…
Snake pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Penny for your thoughts,” he said, his voice soft.
Because tears instantly filled her eyes, Cat had to look away. An awkward moment, to be sure. But how often did a girl get the chance to say this? “I love you.”
He dropped her hand.
Swallowing against a tight throat, she kept her gaze turned away. But then she heard him moving. His palms gently gripped her thighs, opening them. When she turned to look, he was smiling and moving closer. His arms surrounded her, and she found herself tucked against his chest. The solidity of his embrace felt right.
“I love you, too. Wasn’t going to say it. I know you have to go.”
She drew a deep shuddering breath. “This doesn’t have to be the end.”
“So glad you said that first,” he murmured against her hair. He cupped her face and lifted it. His kiss was gentle.
A promise she felt all the way to her toes. “We can make this work,” she said, her voice husky.
His head nodded, bumping hers. “For a while, we’ll be spending a lot of time apart. I know. I still have my assignments. You have your company to build.”
“But we can meet, here,” she said, beginning to smile between her tears. “As often as we can, and I’d love to have you come to New York.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I’ll even let Lyle dress me. Occasionally. I’ll do my best to look the part.”
The fact he was willing to try meant everything. She shook her head. “While Lyle would be over the moon, I don’t need you to change to try to fit in. I love you just the way you are.”
Snake stood and reached out his hand to help her stand. They moved inside the house, past the tiny living room with its view of dunes and water, to the bedroom in the back.
As she lay down in the center of the bed, she opened her arms.
Snake climbed between her legs and settled his weight against her body. “I love you, Cat Mikkelson.”
Happiness bubbled in her chest, and she gave him a smile. She trailed her fingers over his back. “I know you didn’t have that tattoo when you came into this world. Just what is your name?”
Snake chuckled, his eyes wrinkling at the corners as his mouth stretched. “Just plain Joseph. My parents call me Joe.”
“I like it, just plain Joseph.”
“That’s a good thing, because the McPhersons have a thing for naming their firstborn sons after the fathers. I’m a fourth.”
Her breath caught. She’d never considered having babies with the man. She’d been so worried about right now to think too far ahead. “Good thing you have ‘snake’,” she whispered, “otherwise, we’d have to call him something silly like ‘five’.”
Snake’s chest rose, and he blinked fast.
Were those tears in his eyes?
He rolled them both until she was on top, her knees tucked against his sides. As she untied her suit, his very unhelpful hands got in the way, caressing her breasts then her ass.
She rose just high enough so he could slide down his trunks. The moment his cock was freed, she reached for it, positioned it against her folds, then began floating downward in shallow pulses. When they were joined, she leaned forward until her breasts pressed on solid muscle and sighed against his solid chest. “I love the way we feel when we’re together.”
“Baby, don’t think. Not now. Tomorrow will come, but we’ll make us work.”
She kissed the warm skin over his heart then pushed upright, bracing her hands against his chest as she loved him.
Epilogue
As flashbulbs exploded, Cat pasted on her best celebrity smile, one hand on her hip as she pivoted for the paparazzi to get their money shots of her red, sequined dress. One of her designs. A simple, knee-length sheath, with short sleeves and a Mandarin collar. She carried a matching sequined bag that was barely larger than a clutch with a black lacquer handle. Her heels were black patent leather, because she’d thought the sequined pumps also in her collection would be overkill and too reminiscent of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz.
This charity fashion show would feature several of her outfits with matching accessories. A huge coup for her up-and-coming company, because only the most prestigious of New York’s fashion houses had been invited to provide sneak peeks of their new collections. Selected items were up for auction to benefit this year’s cause, the Soldier’s Sanctuary.
As big a deal as this night was, Cat couldn’t truly savor the success. She’d received a staticky call from Snake the night before, saying he was heading home. He’d been gone for over a month on a shadowy, dangerous mission he couldn’t tell her about. The call had taken away her immediate worry, but now she was anxious to head to the beach house. That day, she’d cleared her schedule. First thing in the morning, she’d be driving south. She felt like groaning. This event was nearly four hours long. She’d have to endure it then go home to pack.
“Ms. Mikkelson, have you spoken to your father?”
Of course, they’d ask about him. He’d been released from prison the previous week. After her mother refused to take him in, he’d found a friend, ready to whisk him away to his private island for some pampering and planning. No doubt, Virgil would be eager to help out her father, seeing as he loved being th
e center of controversies and paparazzi fervor.
As for herself… “I haven’t spoken to him,” she answered, flashing a carefree smile.
“Cat! Where’s your fiancé, Snake?”
Fiancé. She loved the sound of that term. Although, she couldn’t wait to call him husband. They planned a small wedding on Virginia Beach with his teammates, his parents, her mother, and her very small circle of friends. Harper, wouldn’t be included. No shadows would mar their special day.
Canting her head, she gave another easy smile. “I’ll be seeing him soon.”
“When’s the wedding?”
She merely winked. The date was a secret, known only to her and Snake. For now. Quietly, they’d been issuing invitations for a weekend gathering. They’d surprise their guests with the wedding. Although, she was sure his clever friends at Charter Group had already figured out the truth. Before he’d left on his most recent assignment, they’d arrived at the beach house, en masse, to check her out and make sure she was good enough for their buddy. Apparently, she’d passed their test.
After he’d flown out, those not part of the current mission showed up to mow their small lawn and handle other heavy chores, just as they did for the wives of their other teammates currently out of country.
A commotion sounded at the entrance to the red carpet.
“Snake! Snake!” reporters called out.
Confused, she turned to see him striding her way. His gaze locked on her body. She trembled, so relieved to see him looking well. And impossibly handsome in a black, fitted tux.
When he reached her, he slipped an arm around her waist and bent her backward for a hot kiss while lights flashed all around them. When he brought her upright, he grinned. “Lyle,” he whispered, glancing down at his stylish clothing.
“I’ll have to send him a thank you gift.” Forgotten was the crowd around them. The shouts, the blinding flashes. “You didn’t have to come. I was heading to the house in the morning.”
“I couldn’t wait.” His eyebrows waggled. “How much of your lipstick am I wearing?”
The Omega Team: SEAL Escort (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Uncharted SEALs Book 12) Page 5
