by Jenika Snow
His face was set hard, and she shivered. Although this was the same man she had made love to hours before, something inside of him had become deadly. She held her breath as his gaze stayed rooted to the floor. In the next instant, Gage grabbed her arm and was pushing her into the bathroom.
“They’ve found us.”
“What? How do you know? How can you be sure?” He moved in front of her, popping open the window as if he had done it a million times. She looked between him and the window, finally realizing he wanted her to go through it. “What? You want me to squeeze through that small hole?” He already had her hand and was dragging her toward the window. “I can’t fit through it.”
“You’re going to have to because those men are looking for you. They might not recognize me, but they sure as hell will recognize you.”
“Can’t I go out the front?”
“They’d have you shot and captured before you even stepped out the door."
Her heart slammed hard against her chest, and she looked at him, fear surrounding her. “I’m scared, Gage.”
“I know, baby. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you again, but you have to trust me and listen to everything I say, okay?” He cupped her cheek. “No matter what you see or hear, I want you to promise me you’ll leave if things get too dangerous. Can you promise me that?”
She shook her head, but he was already putting the car keys in her hand. “You’re coming with me, right?”
“Yes, but I have to hold these men off if it comes down to that. There will be more coming. I’m sure of that.” He pressed his mouth against hers before lifting her up.
The fit was tight as she squeezed through the window. The wind blew dirt around, and she held her breath so she didn’t cough. She gripped onto the edge of the window and slowly let herself slide down the wall, the material of her capri pants scraping along the hard surface and seeming loud enough to wake the dead. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the bathroom window shut silently. She looked up at the frosted glass, gripping the keys so tightly they dug into her palm. The SUV was no more than five feet from her, but she pressed herself against the wall, hearing three loud raps on their motel door. She could hear deep murmurs and then silence. She held her breath and listened, wondering if Gage was okay. Gunshots rang out along with the sound of breaking glass and loud swearing.
Neeka unlocked the door and slipped into the driver’s seat. She started the car and peeled out from behind the building. Dirt spun out all around her as she navigated the large vehicle toward the front of the building. She could still hear the sound of a gun going off and worried about Gage’s safety. She slammed on the brakes just in time to see a body fly through the window of the motel room she was just in. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw it wasn’t Gage.
She opened the glove box, remembering from movies how people kept their guns stashed there. It was a wild guess, but sure enough, a large silver gun lay atop the vehicle’s manual. She didn’t know if it was loaded, didn’t even know how to check. She got out of the SUV, keeping it running, and made her way toward the front door. The bloody body of the man that crashed through the window lay no more than five feet from her, shards of glass embedded in his face, blood starting to pool around him. She shivered at the sight as she pressed herself against the doorframe.
She held the gun at shoulder length, again, like she had seen in the movies, and looked around the corner. Gage and another beefy-looking man were wrestling on the ground, each of them holding a gun and trying to aim it at the other. One of the guns went off and the bullet slammed against the door, sending splinters of wood and paint in every direction. Her heart was racing at how close it came to her. The feel of the heat was hot enough to singe her skin. She took a calm, steady breath and looked around the corner again. Gage had the upper hand, but the guy beneath him was big and burly and was putting up a fight.
The man beneath Gage lifted his hand, the gun he held pointing straight toward Gage’s back. She started to break out in a sweat as she aimed the gun at the stranger's head. She'd never used one before but knew she would not watch Gage die. Her hands shook, and she prayed she didn’t miss.
Before she lost her nerve, she pulled the trigger, her arms jarring back as the smell of heated metal filled her nose. Her shoulders ached and her teeth rattled. Stuffing from the bed wafted around the room as she watched the scene before her in shock. The man looked at her with wide eyes, likely more shocked that she had attempted to shoot him than at the fact that she had completely missed. She looked at Gage just as he was pulling a gun out from behind his back. She turned her head just in time to hear the gun go off. She turned around with wide eyes, Gage staring at her with a determined expression.
She dropped the gun, the clattering of it causing her to shake at the reality of what was happening. Tears slid out of her eyes, her teeth chattering as she suddenly grew so cold. Gage was in front of her in the next instant, a bag flung over his shoulder and worry creasing his features. She wondered how long she had been standing there because Gage already had what he needed and was pushing her toward the SUV.
“We have to leave, Neeka. There will be more soon, and I don’t doubt the police have been called.”
She climbed into the front seat, her gaze going toward the front office as the woman who had checked Gage in came running outside screaming. She had curlers in her hair and wore a bright pink robe. Gage slammed on the gas, and the force sent her slamming into the cold leather seat. She was vaguely aware of him reaching over and buckling the seat belt across her body. He got onto the road just as the sun started to descend over the horizon. The horizon was painted orange and pink, the clouds skimming where the sky kissed the ground.
“You weren’t supposed to go back in the room, Neeka. I told you to leave if things got out of hand.” His voice was like steel.
She looked over at him, hearing what he was saying but not comprehending any of it. He looked over at her and breathed out wearily, running his hand over his hair as he continuously checked the rearview mirror.
“You’re in shock right now. Fuck, I wish you hadn’t been put in this situation.” He rested his hand on her leg, and she looked down at it, his golden skin a contrast to her pasty-looking white flesh.
“I could have gotten you killed, Gage. I missed, which distracted you and left you at a disadvantage.” She stared at the road in front of her, the reality of it all slamming into her with such excruciating force it sucked the air from her lungs. “I’m so glad you’re okay, though.”
“Oh, Neeka. You were so brave, baby.”
He sounded so sincere, his focus bouncing from the road to her. She let her tears fall, Gage’s fingers reaching up and brushing them away. She took a big, steadying breath and looked out the window. “How much longer until we reach my father’s home?”
His fingers dropped from her face, and his voice went hard again, like the solider he truly was. “I’m going to drive straight through. It was never safe for us to stop, but doing it now would be out of the question.”
She knew he had stopped for her, knew that everything he had done was for her. “What will happen when I see my father?” What she really wanted to know was what would happen between them, and what would happen with her. They might have shared a night of intense pleasure, but she couldn’t forget that her father had hired Gage to find her. She was a mission, a job, and she couldn’t let herself think a happily ever after would be a result of that.
She let her head fall back against the seat. Instantly, the memories she had of what Gage and she shared washed away, now only terror filling her every cell at what her future would hold.
* * * *
Gage looked over at Neeka for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes. She was sleeping, the illumination of the lights from the dash casting an ethereal glow upon her pixie-like features. He had been driving for hours now, the sun starting to rise as they entered Hillcrest, a small country town on the outskirts of Shyloh. He was
about an hour or so from Edward McCarthy’s home, and as much as he hated seeing Neeka go, he knew it was for the best. He was a trained solider, a lone man who didn’t need extra baggage to hinder his missions. If he were to start something with Neeka, it would give his enemies a target, and that was something he could never live with.
She made a small noise and shifted in her seat, the blanket he draped across her body sliding down slightly. He knew forgetting about her was for the best, but it didn’t make his heart ache any less. She slowly woke, blinking several times before turning a drowsy look his way.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Her voice sounded sleepy, slightly horse.
“We’ll be at your father’s house in about an hour.” He watched her, gauging her reaction. She blinked a few times and looked out the front windshield, nodding several times. “Do you need to use the restroom? Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m fine. I just want to get home.”
He nodded more to himself than to her. It was better to just get her there and not drag this out.
“Gage?”
“Yeah.” He looked over at her, her vision still trained on the road in front of them.
“What happens next?”
He knew what she was referring to. It was the same thing he had asked himself over and over the entire trip. “I drop you off with your father, make sure you’re safe, and then I go back to base.” His focus was straight ahead. He didn’t trust himself to look at her for fear he might say something that shouldn’t be said.
“It’s for the best.” Her voice was soft.
“Yeah.” His words were void, his emotions being pushed deep inside of him so that he would be able to say goodbye to her forever. They might have shared that one night together, but she had awoken something in him that had never been touched, a feeling that warmed him and gave him strength.
He drove for another ten minutes in silence until he couldn’t take it any longer. He pulled the car off the road and parked it behind an outcropping of flora. He turned the car off and checked his surroundings, making sure everything was all clear.
“What are you doing?”
He turned to look at, knowing that he should just keep driving, but unable to stave off his emotions. He reached up and cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip, back and forth. Her breaths became shallow, quick. They stayed silent, just watching each other. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers gently. It wasn’t supposed to be anything more, just a soft kiss goodbye, something to hold him for the rest of his life.
That soft and gentle kiss turned into something stronger, more passionate. She tilted her head and moved closer. He speared his hands in her hair, caressing her scalp as their tongues stroked along each other. She made little mewling noises, the sound spearing straight to his cock. She stared to shift and soon she was straddling him. She grinded her pussy on his erection while she pressed her breasts into his chest.
“I want you, Gage. I need you.”
She breathed against his mouth as her hands moved to the fly of his pants. He didn’t stop her, no, as much as he should have, he was a selfish bastard. He wanted her just as much, wanted to bury his cock deep inside of her until she was branded as his.
She undid his pants and pulled his cock out, stroking it in pressurized motions. She went back to kissing him, licking his lips, teasing him to the point of madness. He all but ripped the button from her pants in his attempt to get them off. When they were gone and she was naked from the waist down, he molded his hands against her breasts, teasing and tweaking the stiff nipples. She continued to grind her cunt against his cock, her juices coating his shaft with slick, hot wetness.
“I want you so fucking bad.” He nipped and licked her throat as he growled against her flesh. She sighed and moaned as she thrust her hips against him. She reached between their bodies and gripped his dick and he hissed out in ecstasy. She lifted slightly and aligned the head of his cock with her pussy hole. She didn’t go slowly, just sank down his shaft quickly and ravenously. They both groaned in pleasure as she started to lift her hips up and then slam them back down. He gripped her waist and lifted his hips in time with hers until the sound of her soaked pussy sucking at his cock filled the interior of the SUV.
He grunted at the pleasure-pain of it, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hold off from coming. She was so tight and hot that he was doing everything in his power to make sure he didn’t get off before she did. She bounced on him, her head thrown back in pleasure, her tits bobbing right in front of his face. He tore her shirt up and tugged down her bra. Her breasts were perfect with quarter sized areolas the color of a ripe peach. He latched his mouth onto one and sucked like he was a man dying of thirst. He felt her pussy contract and ripple around his cock right before a gush of hot liquid spilled from her, coating his shaft and sending him precariously close to the edge. She groaned loudly and pressed her pussy all the way down, grinding her clit against the root of his dick and crying out her orgasm. He didn’t hold back, just ripped his mouth from her nipple and buried his face against her chest. His climax tore out of him in hot, thick jets of cum, filling her until she was filled with his seed.
He held her tightly as they both rode out the pleasure. She sagged against him and he ran his hand up and down her back, wishing he could tell her what she meant to him. A solider wasn’t supposed to have emotions, wasn’t supposed to feel anything but determination and concentration. They were supposed to be powerful, strong, and level headed. Emotions caused weakness, and weakness caused death. He continued to hold her, knowing this was the last time he’d be able to do it.
Chapter Eleven
An hour later they were pulling onto her father's street, the massive wrought-iron gates looming before them. She gave Gage the code to type in, the gate opening before them like welcoming arms. It felt wonderful to be home, to know that she was safe again, but there were things that still frightened her, and things that her mind wouldn’t let go.
Neeka looked over at Gage, his jaw set hard, his expression unreadable. She thought about the way they had just fucked no more than an hour ago. It had been powerful and ravenous, something that she would forever remember. She wondered what he was thinking at that moment. Probably how glad he is to be done with his mission. That might be true, but she had definitely felt something for him when they had been intimate, and unless she had been completely mistaken, she had seen emotion covering his face.
He drove up the paved driveway, pulling around the circular courtyard, and stopped in front of the massive double front doors. He turned the car off, and they sat there in silence.
“I thought you would have jumped out of the car before I even stopped it.” He chuckled, but it sounded humorless. “Aren’t you happy to be home?”
She faced him, wringing her hands together as she spoke her fears. “What if they come back for me, Gage? Rye knows where I live, knows every aspect of my life. I know he won’t let this go.”
He looked at her with an almost pained expression and finally spoke after several moments of silence. “As long as he’s still alive, he will always be a threat. This world isn’t safe, but I promise you, Neeka, Rye Vincent will not hurt you again. If I have to kill him with my bare hands in order to ensure that, then I promise you that’s what I’ll do.” Gage grabbed a small bag from under the driver’s seat and unzipped it, pulling out a nickel-sized piece of metal. He handed it to her and she held the cool metal in her hand, surprised at how light it was.
“What is this?”
“It’s a tracking device. Although I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, if something were to happen you could press this,” he said, pointing to the small button on the side of the metal, “and it will would transmit your location immediately to Alpha One base.” His expression was serious as he looked at her. “I’ll be able to find you no matter where you are, Neeka.”
There was such conviction and determination in his voice that she shivered. She
knew to her very bone marrow that Gage spoke the truth, that even though they wouldn’t be able to be together physically, he would still be watching over her. It was surreal and eye opening. Just a few days ago, she was in Rye’s custody, and then Gage came along. He was her knight on a white stallion, her rescuer and protector. All it took was a few short days for her heart to realize what it wanted, but now she was faced with the reality of never having it. Some would call her crazy and a fool, but she knew the truth, Gage had given her something that no other man would be able to do. He had given her protection and safety when the world around her had been dark and dangerous.
She turned her attention to the front doors as they opened, tears welling in her eyes when she saw her father sitting in a wheelchair behind them. She ripped the door open and raced toward him, crying harder when she saw how gaunt his face was and how his clothing hung from his bony body.
“I thought I would die before I saw you again, sweetie.”
She dropped to her knees by her father’s chair, laying her head in his blanket-covered lap and feeling his thin legs beneath them. His voice sounded weak and strained, like he was using too much effort to speak to her. She looked up into his dark eyes, tears slowly making tracks down both of their cheeks as they stared at each other. His fingers were loose skin over bone as he brushed his knuckles over her cheek, wiping away the tears like he used to do when she was a child.
“I missed you so much, Dad.”
