No Regrets

by Rebecca Deel

“Give it up.” Sasha clasped her hand briefly. “Matt and Cade have an overprotective nature. Think about it this way. Matt will rest better knowing you’re safe.”

  Matt winked at Delilah. “Take pity on me. I’m too old to go without sleep.”

  That comment brought laughter from the other three. If Delilah only knew how many nights of sleep Cade and Matt had missed over the years.

  “Can’t have that. I don’t want you to miss your beauty sleep.”

  “It’s hopeless,” Cade said.

  “Don’t listen to him.” Matt shoulder checked him as they left the restaurant. He escorted Delilah to her car, then climbed into his SUV and followed her from the parking lot.

  “I sense a romance blooming.” Sasha grinned. “This will be fun to watch.”

  “If you say so.” Threading their fingers together, he walked with her to his SUV. “I’m more interested in our romance than Matt’s.”

  “Are we having a romance?”

  The teasing note in her voice warmed him inside. “Oh, yeah. We definitely are.” Cade helped her into the cab of the SUV. “You don’t have any idea how much I want to kiss you right now.”

  “Please don’t tell me you’re waiting two or three days. I can’t stand the buildup much longer.”

  He flashed a grin at her. “Me, either. Not here, Sassy. You won’t be safe.”

  “Why not?”

  “I won’t be able to pay attention to my surroundings. I don’t want to focus on anything except you.” Cade shut the door, circled the hood, and slid behind the wheel.

  Although he longed to speed to his house, anticipating that kiss he’d dreamed about for months, he forced himself to obey all traffic laws. If one of the Otter Creek police officers pulled him over for unsafe driving, Cade would be delayed even longer. Besides, he wouldn’t endanger Sasha or an innocent civilian because of his own carelessness.

  Finally, Cade turned into his driveway and drove to the back. He positioned his SUV to ensure Sasha only had a few feet between her and safety. Aching for that kiss or not, nothing took priority over protecting Sasha. “Wait until I’m sure it’s safe for you to leave the vehicle. If you see something that makes you uneasy, honk the horn. I won’t be far.”

  “Be careful.”

  “Always.” Cade trailed his fingers over her cheek and made himself back off. Sasha wasn’t safe enough for him to lower his guard yet. Soon, he promised himself. Sasha would be in his arms and his entire focus.

  Sig in hand, he left the vehicle and surveyed his property. Nothing out of place and no signs of a disturbance. Cade walked the perimeter, checking for any trace of an intruder in or near his house.

  Satisfied Sasha was safe, he returned to the SUV, slung his Go bag over his shoulder, and escorted her to the back door. Once inside the house, Cade locked up and set the alarm. He’d given Matt his spare key and the code before they left PSI. He wasn’t sure how soon the medic would make an appearance. He doubted his friend would push too hard with Delilah yet.

  Cade set the Go bag on the floor and gently pushed Sasha back against the wall.

  “Don’t you want to turn on the lights?”

  “I’m a little busy at the moment.” He lowered his head and captured her lips. Everything in him focused on the woman in his arms. His heart rate spiked. Wow. Sasha shredded his hard-earned patience and control with one touch.

  When she flinched, Cade eased away, concern knotting his gut. “What’s wrong?” Would she reject him after all?

  “Sore spot on my lip.”

  His gaze dropped and he noticed her swollen lower lip. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Knowing he had made him feel sick.

  Sasha laid her hand against his jaw. “It wasn’t you.”

  Cade froze. “Who was it? Wait. Gerard hurt you, didn’t he? Your lip was fine before you entered Crime Town.”

  “I don’t think he realized what he was doing.”

  Not a chance. Fortress operatives were too well trained in restraining prisoners. No, this was a deliberate assault on Sasha, one meant to punch at Cade. “He knew.”

  He released Sasha and would have stepped away except she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “No way, buster. You aren’t escaping until you give me what I want, what we both want.”

  “I don’t want to cause you pain.” The thought of waiting another few days for a kiss almost brought him to his knees.

  “You’re skillful enough to work around the injury.” Sasha eliminated the distance between them and initiated this kiss herself.

  What was a man to do? Cade used great care as he sank into the soft, gentle kisses. Minutes or hours later, he brushed her bottom lip with his tongue, asking permission to deepen the caress. When she opened her mouth for him, he indulged in the kiss he’d been longing for since the first moment he met Sasha Ingram.

  The combination of her sweetness and explosive chemistry ignited a firestorm in his body. At that moment, the memory of other kisses he’d exchanged with other women vanished. The only touch that mattered was Sasha’s. Cade knew he would remember this moment for the rest of his life as his world shifted and realigned, his brain imprinting her responses.

  He didn’t know how long they kissed in the dimly lit kitchen when he became aware of the front door opening and his alarm being disabled. Cade broke the kiss, then stole two more before turning to stand in front of Sasha, wrenching his focus away from the silk of her mouth and the soft curves of her body. The intruder was probably Matt. Still, he wanted his girlfriend safe in case he was wrong.

  A moment later, Matt walked in. He stopped. “Everything okay?”

  “You didn’t tell me Gerard hurt Sasha.”

  “We iced her lip while you were showering at PSI.”

  Sasha gently patted Cade on the back of the shoulder. “I haven’t noticed the soreness in the past few minutes. Someone distracted me with great skill.”

  Remembering those minutes, he smiled. “Glad you appreciated my efforts.” Cade moved away from Sasha to prep his coffeemaker. If Trent stayed long enough, he’d want coffee. “How was Delilah when you left?”

  Matt shifted his weight.

  Hmm. Looked as though Sasha was right. A romance was blooming, at least on Matt’s side.

  “Better.”

  “Why was she upset?” Sasha asked.

  “I can’t say. I won’t violate her trust.”

  “Can we help?”

  Matt shook his head. “Be there for her. That’s all anyone can do at the moment.”

  “Tell us if we can help.”

  A nod. “Do you plan to work tomorrow, Sasha?”

  “I have a business to run.”

  The medic turned to Cade, eyebrow raised.

  His friend didn’t know women if he thought Cade would tell Sasha no. As long as one of Bravo team was with her, he wouldn’t insist she stay in a place better secured although his instincts insisted he do just that. “It’s her decision.”

  “You’re staying with her?”

  Sasha frowned. “You can’t babysit me, Cade. What could happen in broad daylight?”

  Both operatives stared at her. She’d been taken hostage in a fake bank robbery in broad daylight. “A lot,” Cade murmured.

  She gave a huff of laughter. “You’re right. I’m living proof. Will Trent be upset if you’re with me instead of helping at PSI and training with your team?”

  “He’ll want you safe. I taught four classes today. I pulled my weight. Someone else will step up tomorrow.”

  The doorbell rang.

  “That’s Trent.” Matt pivoted and retraced his steps to the living room.

  The two men returned a minute later.

  “Tell me you have coffee.” Trent sat in a chair at the table. “The stuff masquerading as coffee in the hospital is brown swill.”

  Cade pushed the start button. “Coffee will be ready in five minutes.”

  “How is Grace?” Sasha asked.

  “Worried about
you. Tell me what happened with Gerard.”

  Sasha told him everything that happened in Crime Town. “What will Gerard do now?”

  “He’ll be looking for another job without a recommendation from Fortress. We won’t endorse a loose cannon.”

  Distress filled her eyes. “I don’t want to be responsible for his unemployment.”

  “He’s made a series of bad decisions during his training at PSI. Since his choices improved the past two weeks, we thought he’d matured. We missed something.”

  “Or he’s good at hiding his true nature,” Matt said.

  Cade drew Sasha into his arms. “Character can’t be hidden for long. What did Maddox say?”

  Trent grimaced. “He tore a strip off my hide for keeping Gerard in the program as long as I did. He completed the separation papers and faxed them to me before I kicked Gerard out of PSI.”

  “How did he take it?”

  “Vowed revenge, particularly against you. Watch your back, Cade.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Fury filled Sasha at Trent’s words of warning. “Cade didn’t do anything to him.” Talk about a sore loser. Worse, the man’s sense of entitlement and arrogance made him more dangerous than she realized. If he blamed Cade, how soon would he turn that anger and blame on Sasha? Cade had been protecting her when he went after the trainee.

  “Gerard doesn’t see it that way. According to him, Cade sabotaged him at every turn since he stepped foot on the PSI campus.”

  “That’s ridiculous. Did he offer proof?”

  “Cade recommended Gerard’s training be extended another six months.”

  She turned to Cade, positive he had good reasons for the recommendation. “Why?”

  “His skills weren’t up to par. He preferred to work alone instead of with his team. He failed two of his classes because he refused to follow instructions.” He sighed. “Maddox is right. We should have canned him several weeks ago, but his teammates lobbied to keep him in the program. They agreed to stay in the training program with him if I gave him another opportunity to prove he could make the cut. Trent, we need to talk to his teammates.” Cade dropped a quick kiss on Sasha’s lips, then released her to pour his team leader a mug of coffee.

  Trent glanced at his watch. “I’m meeting with them in an hour.”

  “Bravo should be at your back,” Sasha said. She didn’t know Trent’s background, but suspected he was more than capable of defending himself. Still, he needed people he trusted when meeting with four potentially angry, dangerous men.

  The corners of his lips curved. “Worried about me?”

  “You bet I am. You fired Gerard because he was an arrogant jerk and would have endangered himself and his teammates on missions. Don’t be guilty of being arrogant yourself. Take backup.”

  Bravo’s team leader chuckled. “Cade, hang onto Sasha. She’s a keeper who reminds me of Grace.”

  Cade’s gaze locked with Sasha’s. “I agree.”

  Her eyes widened. Did he mean it? She prayed he spoke the absolute truth because she wanted to keep him, too. Cade Ramsey was the total package for her, one she was finding more and more irresistible.

  “Conference room at PSI?” Matt asked.

  “I can handle Gerard’s team,” Trent insisted.

  Cade’s eyes narrowed. “With us at your back. Bravo spent as much time training them as Durango. We’ll deal with it together.”

  “What about your girlfriend?”

  Cade sat next to her at the table. “She’s coming with us. I won’t leave her here alone, especially now.”

  Trent nodded. “I’ll have Simon and Liam meet us in the conference room in fifteen minutes. We need to toss around ideas for Gerard’s replacement. I’d like to make a recommendation to them when we meet.” He finished the last of his coffee and took the empty mug to the dishwasher. “I’ll wait for you in the living room.”

  On this trip to PSI, Matt rode with Cade and Sasha. “What are the odds we’ll have a confrontation with the rest of Gerard’s team?” he asked.

  “Minimal.” Cade glanced in the rearview mirror at the medic. “Of the five men, only Gerard gave us problems. He’ll try to stir up trouble, but I don’t think he’ll succeed. They worked hard to achieve as much as they have in the last few months.”

  “They volunteered to stay in the program with him. That has to mean something.”

  “Loyalty. Doesn’t mean they’re best buds.”

  As Cade parked beside Trent in PSI’s parking lot, two more black SUVs rolled up. Liam and Simon climbed from their vehicles and waited on the sidewalk for the rest of them to emerge.

  “Hate to drag you back to PSI,” Trent said. “I thought talking to Gerard’s team tonight might cool tempers before discontent spreads to the rest of the trainees.”

  A snort from Liam. “If there are hot tempers. Gerard wasn’t a favorite of most of the trainees.”

  “Maybe not. However, his team trained together from their first day at PSI,” Simon said. “We’ve watched them in the field. They bonded over the last few months.”

  Matt shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”

  Liam turned to Sasha. “You okay after that debacle in Crime Town?”

  “I’m fine.”

  When he looked skeptical, she smiled. “It’s sweet of you to worry.”

  That comment made him flinch and the rest of Bravo laugh. Guess the tough soldier didn’t like to be called sweet. He was all soldier on the outside. Inside, though, he was a good man who cared about people. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked about her wellbeing.

  The members of Bravo and Sasha followed Trent into the main building. Trent turned on lights as they walked toward the conference room. Once inside, Cade sat Sasha in a chair beside his. Matt took up position on her other side. Still on bodyguard duty.

  Cade raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “If trouble erupts, leave the room. Don’t wait for me to tell you to run, just take off. Go to the kitchen and wait for me.”

  That’s when she noticed Cade had chosen a chair for her with quick access to the door. If the confrontation with Gerard’s teammates turned violent, Cade and Matt would place their bodies between her and the other men, giving her a chance to run for safety.

  Her heart squeezed. He’d thought this through on the way to PSI, she realized, and had chosen the safest place for her. “I will, I promise.”

  “We need to talk about a replacement for Gerard on his team.” Trent found a marker and walked to the white board. “Ideas?”

  The five men tossed names out, then eliminated all but one in their discussion of each candidate.

  “Will they take the suggestion?” Simon asked. “They might want to choose their own replacement.”

  “We can suggest.” Trent replaced the cap on the marker and erased all the names. “It will be up to them to decide if they accept her or not.”

  A low rumble of voices and footsteps heralded the arrival of Gerard’s teammates. Cade wrapped his hand around Sasha’s. Through their connection, she felt his tension.

  Matt shifted his chair, placing his body between hers and the approaching men. Simon and Liam leaned against the wall at her back. Trent stood at the head of the table.

  As soon as the trainees filed into the room, Trent motioned for them to take seats on the other side of the table. “I’m sure you’re aware we released Gerard from PSI and Fortress this afternoon.”

  “Why?” The man who asked the question sat with his hands folded on the table, his attention fixed on Trent.

  “He didn’t tell you?”

  “We want to hear your side.”

  Careful words. Sasha studied each of the remaining men. They didn’t seem poised to break into violence. Then again, Bravo’s speed astonished her during their training sessions this afternoon, including the confrontation with Gerard in Crime Town.

  Trent ran through a list of problems Bravo and Durango had noted during Gerard’s time at PSI. “The incident t
oday in Crime Town was the final straw. When you’re on a mission, you can’t afford to have someone refuse to follow instructions. Your lives depend on your teammates doing their jobs and following the plan.” His lips curled. “Until you can’t follow the plan. Things always go wrong which is why we make contingency plans. You couldn’t trust him in the field. I wouldn’t have allowed him to work joint ops with my team and neither would Durango.”

  Another member of Gerard’s team spoke up. “Gerard said he got the boot because of Ramsey.”

  “Do you disagree with our assessment of Gerard’s skills and abilities?”

  “No, sir. However, a trainee who doesn’t get a fair shake won’t improve enough to make the cut no matter what he does.”

  “I got in your face several times over the past few months,” Cade reminded the trainee. “Did you consider me unfair?”

  “No, sir. I deserved it.” He glanced at his teammates. “We all did.”

  “The purpose was instructive,” the first man said. “You corrected bad habits or reactions, and pointed out why the behavior needed to change.”

  “You and the other instructors are trying to keep us and our principals alive,” a third man added. “Gerard’s been improving.”

  “You and your teammates kept him in line,” Liam said. “That’s not the same thing.”

  “As soon as Gerard was on that training op without one of you to make him toe the line, he did what he wanted.” Simon placed his hands, palms down, on the table and leaned closer, his expression stony. “Worse, he hurt Cade’s girlfriend, an innocent who volunteered to help us train. There’s no excuse for what he did. He had no reason to touch Sasha, but he did it anyway to poke at Cade.”

  The trainees stared at Sasha. Her cheeks heated.

  “What if you had been on a mission?” Cade asked. “The situations we encounter are fluid, the emotions volatile. He deliberately put his hands on my woman, hurting her in the process. She was already injured from the bank incident. He held a loaded gun to her head.”

  The fourth man sneered. “Come on, Ramsey. The gun was loaded with rubber bullets.”

  Cade yanked up his sleeve to show them the bandage on his arm. “Fifteen stitches in my arm says otherwise. You might have loaded rubber bullets in your weapons. Gerard didn’t.”