by L. P. Dover
“Say, before you go . . . Chris is worried about you. He said you aren’t returning his calls.”
My stomach clenched with guilt. “I know. I’ll talk to him soon.”
“When I get back, I’m going to tell him the truth about the others, about you. He needs to know. Maybe it’ll help him understand the way you are and why it didn’t work out.”
And there it was, one of the main reasons Chris and I couldn’t be together. The lies were too much to handle. I didn’t want that with Wade.
“Brina, you still there?”
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slow. “I’m going to tell Wade the truth too.”
“Are you sure that’s what you want? It could change things.”
My eyes burned. “I’m in love with him, Noah. If I want our relationship to work, he needs to know who I am. If it changes things, then so be it.”
“It’s your choice,” he murmured low. “This is why I cut you off. You deserve a normal life.”
I shook my head. “This is my life. It was my choice to be what I am.”
“Then tell him. It’ll all work out in the end.”
I had to believe it would.
I’d walked on the beach and stayed around to watch the sunset. I’d watched it rise many times in Charleston, but I’d never seen it set. It was breathtaking. However, time slipped quickly away. I had to get back to the ranch. I was surprised Wade hadn’t tried to call me. I’d been gone for hours.
The beach wasn’t far from Wade’s home, so it didn’t take long to get back. I pulled up to the gate, only to stop cold. It was open. Wade never would’ve left it like that. What made things even more odd was that the front door stood wide open. There were lights on inside, and from what I could tell, it looked like there’d been a struggle.
Grabbing my phone from the center console, I called him. It rang and rang. There was no sign of Josh or Trinity, nor did they answer their phones. Panic flooded my veins, and I went on high alert. Luckily, I had my Glock 19 handy in my appendix carry holster with fifteen rounds ready to go.
Gun in hand, I slipped out of the car to the side of the house. I snuck around to look in the floor-to-ceiling windows in the back. Things were broken all over the kitchen floor, as if there’d been a struggle. Shit. Heart racing, I snuck through the back door. If anything had happened to any of them, I’d never forgive myself. I’d let my vengeance on Keith Sanders get in the way of keeping those I cared about safe.
My pulse quickened, to the point I could hear it pounding in my ears. Other than that, there was no sound. The house was perfectly quiet. Why did Wade’s house have to be so ginormous? There were plenty of places for someone to hide. I had no choice but to go at it alone. My brother and his people were already on a flight back to Washington D.C.
I tiptoed through the kitchen and into the living room. It was wide open, not exactly the place I wanted to be. A lamp was lit in the corner, and in front of it, a smashed vase littered the floor. When the power shut off, I knew I wasn’t alone. Darkness cloaked the room and my eyes didn’t have time to adjust before my legs were kicked out from beneath me.
I fell to the floor with a loud grunt, the gun ripped out of my hands. The panic I’d felt earlier turned to rage. Jumping to my feet, I scanned the room, but there was no one there. “All right, fuckface. If you’ve done anything to hurt my niece, I’ll rip your balls off with my bare hands and watch you bleed to death.”
That was when I heard footsteps right behind me. I concentrated on his breathing and when he sucked in a breath, I knew to react. I lunged for the floor and he missed me, but it didn’t faze him. It was as if he’d anticipated it and knew where I was going to go. His body landed on mine, but all I could see was a figure in black, wearing a black mask. I elbowed him in the face and thrust my hips to push him off. He landed against the coffee table and growled in pain.
My gun was several feet away, so I scrambled across the floor, only to have his arms wrap around my legs. I kicked as hard as I could, but he never relented. This guy was super quick and knew what he was doing, not like most men I’d had to fight. This was a professional. His fingers dug into my calves and he slid me toward him, pressing his body into mine. I brought my arms up to slam them down on either side of his head, but he caught me in mid-swing. My legs and arms were now pinned. I couldn’t get away.
“What did you do with Trinity?” I spat. I didn’t know where to look because I couldn’t see his face. He leaned closer and it gave me the leverage I needed. A man’s weight was their advantage over a woman, but I’d spent years training on how to escape them. Jerking my arm free, I stunned him with another elbow to the face, and kneed him in the stomach. I raced over to my gun and before I could turn around, I heard his voice.
“Brina, stop!”
I’d recognize Wade’s voice anywhere. Frozen in place, I held my breath, not even attempting to turn around and face him.
“Put the gun down. I’m not going to hurt you. It was a test. I had to see what you were capable of.”
The lights flashed on and I squinted against the brightness. I couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening. All I knew was that I was pissed. Snarling, I turned around. Wade pulled off the mask, his cheek already bruised from where I’d hit him. It was the look in his eyes that made all the anger disappear.
“What do you mean it was a test?”
He held his hands up and nodded to the gun. “Put the gun down and I’ll tell you everything. I already know about Keith Sanders. I was there.” Eyes wide, I stood there in shock. I couldn’t move. He approached me slowly, and gently took the gun from my hands. “I think we both have some explaining to do.”
I swallowed hard. “Wh—where’s Trinity and Josh?”
His watch beeped and it brought me out of my paralysis. I looked down at the smartwatch contraption on his wrist, as he tapped on the screen. “They’re on their way back. Think you can help me clean up? I’d rather not answer all of your niece’s questions.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want her knowing what I am.”
Taking my face in his hands, he rubbed his thumbs across my cheeks. “What we are, Brina. We’re one in the same.”
Brina
What we are? What did that even mean? Wade wasn’t like me. How could he be? By the time we heard the golf cart pulling up, I’d just scooped the last of the broken vase pieces into the trash. Rushing to put the broom away, I jumped on the couch before they came inside. Trinity walked through the back door with Josh following closely behind. They both squinted against the light.
“It’s bright in here,” she groaned.
“Did you enjoy star-gazing?” I asked, knowing very well that wasn’t the only thing they did out there, judging by the grass in her hair.
She cleared her throat and brushed a hand through her hair, cringing when grass fell onto the floor. “They were amazing. We don’t get to see the stars like that at home.”
The front door opened and I watched Wade walk through, his eyes on nothing but mine. He had changed out of the all black attire and into a pair of shorts and T-shirt. His hair was in disarray and I liked it. It wasn’t perfectly coifed like he always kept it. We hadn’t had a chance to speak since his watch alerted us of Josh and Trinity’s return. And I needed answers.
I pointed toward the door. “Is everything locked up out there?”
He nodded. “The gate’s secured.”
By the looks on Trinity and Josh’s faces they could feel the tension. Not to mention, Wade had a bruised cheek that was swelling. Josh tried to hide his smile and I glared at him.
Trinity noticed the look I gave him and backed up. “All right, I think we’re going to turn in for the night. What time do we need to be ready to leave in the morning?” she asked, glancing nervously back and forth from me to Wade.
“Ten o’clock,” Wade answered.
“Okay. We’ll see you then.” They walked past Wade to the stairs and Josh met my gaze, mouthing the words, �
��What’s going on?”
I shook my head and his brows furrowed, concern etched across his face. I’d have to tell him when Trinity wasn’t around.
Wade waited until he heard their bedroom doors close before approaching me. “Ready to talk?”
I stood. “Past ready.”
“Good. Come with me.” He took my hand and we walked outside to the golf cart.
“Where are we going?” I watched him grab a couple of blankets from inside the garage.
“I want to take you somewhere,” he said, loading the blankets into the back. “It’ll give us the privacy to talk freely.” Nodding, I hopped into the cart and we started on our way through the darkness. He veered off the dirt path and onto a hidden one that led in another direction. We circled around the large hill and came to a stop at the top.
Hopping out of the cart, I looked up at the night sky. “Is this where Josh and Trinity came?”
“No. I intentionally didn’t tell them about this place. I only wanted you to see it.”
He grabbed one of the blankets and I picked up the other. We laid them out and sat down, facing each other. The moon was our only light and it was just the right amount. We could see each other, but there was a little bit of darkness that helped conceal me. I never thought I’d have to tell anyone my secrets.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. “How long have you known?”
“Known what?” he asked. When I met his stare, he continued, “That you kill people?”
“It’s so strange hearing you say that. I never thought I’d be able to tell anyone without them running for the hills.”
Leaning in closer, he placed his hands on my thighs. “I didn’t know until today, when I saw you leaving the apartment building.”
“Why were you even there?”
He cupped my cheek and I leaned into him; his hand was so warm. “I went there to kill Sanders for you. My father was the one who had it fixed so they’d stop at that gas station.”
I gasped. “Your father? He made it sound like you had no clue what he was.”
“Trust me, I know. He was protecting you from the truth. Turns out, you don’t need protecting after all.” A sly grin spread across his face and I smiled.
“Told you I could take care of myself.”
“I see that. It must’ve felt good to get your revenge on Sanders.”
“Honestly, I wish he would’ve known it was me. And if I had my way, I would’ve made him suffer more. He wasn’t worthy of a quick death.” I shrugged. “Now, I’m waiting to find out who shot my brother.”
“Are you going to be the one to kill them?” he asked, concern etched across his face.
“It’s what I do, Wade. I kill people who hurt my family. I’ve done it many times, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”
He nodded, then his eyes shot open. “Fourth of July. Were you the one who killed Danny Wheeler?”
“Guilty,” I confessed. “Let me guess, you were told to kill him too?”
He scoffed. “I had no clue what the fuck was going on. My father’s the one who told me it had to be one of your brother’s inner circle. We had a feeling Josh and Emmitt were part of it, but we could never figure out a third.”
“You found her,” I said, holding out my arms. “After my father was killed, I made the decision I wasn’t going to let anything like that happen to my family ever again. For years, I trained with Josh and Emmitt. They taught me how to fight and shoot.”
“When was your first kill?”
I remembered that day like it was yesterday. “Five years ago. His name was Drake Penley. He was researching ways to kill my brother. Guess you could say, I got to him before he could follow through. I wasn’t about to take any chances.” My eyes burned and a tear fell down my cheek. Wade wiped it away and pulled me onto his lap. “I lost my father because they didn’t think Sanders would follow through on his threats. I’m not about to lose my brother by making the same mistake.”
Wade held me tight and I put my head on his shoulder, breathing him in. “I feel the same way about mine. That’s why my brothers and I all joined the FBI together.”
“You’re all agents?” I asked incredulously. “How do you manage that and Chandler Enterprises at the same time?”
He shrugged. “I don’t do much for the FBI anymore, not now that Chandler Enterprises is mine.”
Sighing, I slid off his lap and turned to face him. “We’re still different, Wade. You’re part of the FBI. You kill people because you have a badge.”
He grabbed my face, making me gasp. “That’s where you’re wrong, sunshine. I’m an assassin, just like you. We’re called the Circle of Justice, a secret group of the FBI, formed by my father. We kill those who deserve it.”
“Like who?”
His hands slid off my face and for the first time, I could see a hint of vulnerability on his face. “We have a list. I can show you when we get back to Charlotte. But it consists of people who’ve escaped the justice system. Take for instance, rapists or pedophiles who repeatedly find new victims, yet get out of jail to see the light of day again. Those are some of the first to go.”
A fire ignited in my gut. “If I had the resources, I would’ve been doing that already.”
“You know,” he said, biting his lip, “when we get back, you could train with me, see what all I do.” Grabbing my hips, he lifted me up and laid me on the blanket, covering me with his body. “That is, if you’re interested.”
“We’ll see,” I murmured, my breaths coming out in rapid pants. “This is a lot to take in. I never would’ve thought that you’re a killer, that you’re just like me.” I kissed him and moaned when he pushed his tongue inside me.
“You don’t have to hide anymore, Brina. I thought you’d fear me if I ever told you the truth.”
“No,” I whispered, taking his face in my hands. “The only thing that scares me is the way I feel about you. I don’t want to let it go.”
“You’re not going to.” He lowered his head, his lips only a breath away. “Because this is the first time I’ve told anyone outside of the circle what I do. And I’m sure as hell not letting you go.”
“Wade—”
“I’m in love with you, Brina. I’m so in love with you, it fucking scares me.”
The air whooshed out of my lungs and I sucked in a shaky breath. “I’m in love with you too.”
Pressing his lips to mine, he nipped my bottom lip. “Look at us . . . laid bare to one another, underneath the stars. Now that there’s no more secrets, what do you want to do?”
There were so many things I wanted, but all I could think about was his weight pressing me into the ground as he thrust inside of me. “Kiss me,” I commanded.
Everything moved in slow motion, starting when Wade’s lips touched mine. My body lit up, hotter than the summer sun. I was on fire, burning from the inside out.
Growing impatient, I moaned breathlessly. “Wade?”
He nipped the tender flesh behind my ear and groaned low in his chest. “Yeah?”
“I want you . . . now.”
His lips stilled against mine and he pulled back. “Here?”
“Yes,” I claimed breathlessly. “Unless you want to have golf cart sex, because I don’t think I’ll make it all the way back.”
Shifting me in his arms, he wrapped my legs around his waist and I gasped as he pushed me into the ground. Lifting my hands above my head, he held me prisoner while he bit his way along my collarbone and down to the mounds of my breasts.
“Don’t think I could make it back either,” he murmured, grabbing one of my breasts. He pinched a nipple between his fingers and I cried out as the pain shot through my body. It felt amazing.
Lifting off me, Wade sat back and slid my shorts and T-shirt off. The night air blew across my skin, making me tremble, especially as I watched him stand and undress.
“Sure you know what you’re getting into?” I teased.
He winked. “I thin
k I can handle it.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Slowly, I glided my fingers down his washboard abs and slid his boxers down to the ground, his cock so thick and hard I could barely wrap my hand around him. Holding him tight, I pumped the full length of his cock and licked the tip, rendering a strangled moan from between his lips.
“You’re fucking killing me, sunshine.” I let him go and he hauled me up, until I was standing before him. He closed his lips over a taut nipple and sucked feverishly.
“More,” I rasped, arching my back.
“I’ll give you more,” he growled, sliding down my body. “But first,” he gently turned me around, “I want to explore.” Goose bumps broke out all over my skin as Wade started at my ankles, and ran his hands up the length of my legs. I could feel his breath blow across my skin as he grabbed my ass, and leaned in to bite my right cheek.
Using his knee to bump my legs apart, he slowly kneaded my ass, working his way closer to my center. Thumbs reaching between my legs, they rubbed me in a circular motion, as his hands continued to manipulate my flesh.
I let my head fall back as my core tightened. Then he shifted. Not knowing what he was going to do next thrilled me. When his face pushed between my legs and his tongue licked a straight line up and over my clit, I sucked in a huge gasp. He’d turned around.
Looking down, we made eye contact and I almost lost it. Bringing my hands around the back of his head, I raked my fingers through his hair as he tongue-fucked me. Over and over, he licked and sucked my clit until I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Give it to me,” he commanded. “Let me taste you.”
Just hearing his words was my undoing. Grinding against his face, I exploded from the inside out, gripping handfuls of his dark tresses as he tasted every drop of my desire. I stumbled back a step and melted into his lap. I couldn’t help but smile. No man had ever made me come that way.
“That felt amazing.” My body quivered as it came down from its orgasm-induced high, and Wade was all too happy with my reaction. “I think I’m addicted to your mouth. I want more.” His cock throbbed between my legs as I teased him by sliding along its length, only letting the tip inside me.
