Bound by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops Book 2)

by Amy McKinley

  “It was.” I fought the emotion and offered a small smile. “That’s all I wanted to know. I’ve got to get to my parents’ in an hour.”

  He stood when I did, and we walked to the middle of the lot, pausing when by Jaxon’s SUV. He took a step toward the car he’d been working on, and I grinned. “Is that your old car?” I seemed to remember that it was dark gray, not black.

  “Nah, but she’s a beaut. I got rid of mine shortly after high school.”

  I let my gaze wander over the classic lines of the older Mustang. “Such a great car.”

  “It is. I have a stripped-down version I’m rebuilding at home when I have spare time.”

  “It fits you.” My phone beeped with a text, and I gave him a small wave. “Thanks again, Mateo.” I used the key fob to unlock the car as someone pulled into the lot. I slid behind the wheel just as Vivi pulled into the spot next to mine. She got out of her car, all smiles. I gave her a little wave as Mateo’s parting words reached me.

  “Always good to see you, Little K.”

  Once I buckled in, I dug in my purse for my phone, my fingers closing around it just as it rang, glad my windows were up so I wouldn’t have to chat with Vivi.

  “Hi.” It was my mom.

  “Aloha, Kayla.” Her warm voice came through the connection like a hug, and I grinned, relaxing against the car’s leather seat. “I wanted to let you know there was a man here, looking for you.”

  Oh shit. White-hot panic shot through me like lightning. “Who was it?”

  “He said his name was Roy. He didn’t leave a way to get ahold of him, but he said he’d be back. I let him know you’d be over later today.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Mom. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Bye, sweetheart.”

  My hands shook as I swiped the screen to check my texts. Roy didn’t disappoint, and I stared at his text in horror: Until this afternoon.

  Holy hell.

  I needed Jaxon’s help.

  18

  Jaxon

  My entire body was strung tight with worry over the possible terrorist strike and the ex-boyfriend stalking Kayla, but at least telling her the secret I’d held for so many years had gone better than I’d hoped. She was still here and willing to give us a try. It was more than I thought I would ever have with her.

  When I unlocked the door to my condo and stepped inside, it was to Kayla pacing the length of the living room. Something was very wrong. “Kayla?”

  “Oh, God.” She whirled around, and the naked fear in her eyes almost brought me to my knees.

  “What’s happened?” I closed the distance between us. My fingers curled around her shoulders, and I held her at arm’s length.

  “Roy was at my parents’ door! He spoke to them.” She shook beneath my touch as she told me her mom called about Roy stopping by and that he would be back this afternoon when she was coming over. He’d followed with a text saying he would see her soon. “What am I going to do?”

  “We’re going to the station and turning over the evidence, and you’ll make a statement about Roy. While you’re doing that, I’m going to comb the area with several cops and look for him. You’ll be safe there until I come back for you.”

  “No.” She jerked back, putting some distance between us. “I can’t. My parents, Jax. What if he hurts them?”

  I ran my hands through my hair. Shit. I understood where she was coming from, and it would have been my first reaction, too, to get them to safety. “I’ll talk to your dad. Get him to take your mom away for a few days before he goes back to work.”

  She wrung her hands, nodding as she processed. “Okay. Yeah, that would work.” Shame pulled her features tight as she turned to me. “Are you going to tell him about Roy, about what he’s capable of?”

  “I am.” That was non-negotiable. “He’ll know something is wrong. The best way to get them out of the house is to tell him the truth. Once he’s assured that I’ll protect you, he’ll want your mom far away and safe.” I grasped her arm in a light hold and pulled her to me. “It’s going to be okay.”

  A tremor ran through her before she did what I knew she would—she dug deep and put her game face on. Kayla was nothing if not strong and resilient.

  “After they leave, I want to go there with you. So long as there isn’t a Roy sighting, we’ll get the packing done as promised. It’s important, and the sooner they’re out of there, they’re a little closer to their retirement years.” She drew a deep breath. “And the memories. They’re good ones, but it’s hard to walk by Kieran’s room, to feel him in every inch of that house, and they’re living it. They need this fresh start.”

  “Go sit on the balcony, and I’ll get things taken care of in here.”

  Rising onto her toes, she pressed a kiss on my lips that I very much wanted to deepen. But first things first—I needed to call her dad. He was going back on Monday, which would be my last day. Kayla and I had to talk about what came next. I knew what I wanted, but I worried that she might not want the same. Aside from the ex-boyfriend issues, she had another life miles from me, and I wasn’t sure she was willing to move.

  Her dad was worried about Kayla but agreed to get his wife to safety so long as I remained glued to Kayla’s side if she left my condo. He made that my official duty, as opposed to the usual beat cop tasks I had. And while Kayla was relatively protected in my condo, she was like a caged bird. I didn’t know if she would do as I asked, so what her dad ordered was fine by me. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate away from her, anyway. To be extra safe, I asked to install a tracking app on her phone. I was thankful that she let me.

  She wanted to wait to turn the flash drive over as evidence. We got lunch together, and I joined her outside, where we would talk about the next steps.

  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the sun sparkled off the water like diamonds. When all this was behind us, I wanted to spend hours with Kayla at the shore, chasing the best waves, and later, holding her in my arms throughout the night. I wanted to go to sleep with her and have her be the first thing I saw every morning. We had a lot of lost time to make up for.

  “Thanks.” With her legs tucked under her, a tentative smile curved her lips as she took the proffered sandwich. “Before you say anything, I know I need to take the flash drive to the station. But I’m terrified for my parents and would rather do it tomorrow. Roy says he’s watching my house, but he knows what I have, and I would think he would alternate from staking out the house to the police station, making sure I don’t deliver any incriminating evidence. It’s one day, and I will feel immensely better once my parents are away and safe.”

  “Do you have the flash drive on you or in your purse?”

  “No. I don’t want to risk him taking it from me. It’s in the small wooden box of Kieran’s in my room here.”

  I nodded in agreement. “Your parents will be gone in about an hour and a half. They’re going up the coast to a bed and breakfast that your mom loves.”

  “Thank you.” She visibly relaxed. “I hope this is over soon.”

  That was my cue. “I’ll agree to making a statement and turning the evidence over tomorrow so long as we don’t go to your parents’ to pack until after that. You’re safer here, and there are things we need to discuss.”

  “Oh. That’s never good. Should I be worried?”

  I set my plate down next to hers on the small table and rested my forearms on my legs, leaning forward. “No, of course not. I’m the one who’s worried.”

  “Why?”

  I grinned at her. She always had been impatient. “I know what we have between us is fairly new, but our history isn’t.” I clasped our hands together. “We’ve known each other all our lives, and for more than half of the time, I thought of you as mine. I love you, Kayla, and I want to take things further.”

  A blinding smile altered her face from beautiful to stunning. “I love you, too, Jaxon. I never stopped.”

  The tension between my shoulders eased, and I do
ve into what I feared she wouldn’t agree to next. “You already know I sold this place and will be moving. When your dad convinced me to try out being a beat cop to see if that’s the next step for me, I thought it might be. But it’s not what I want to do. I want you to know everything you’d be getting into if you make a commitment to me.”

  “I do know you.” Her brows furrowed. “What does it matter if you’re a cop or not?”

  “Because there will be times I’m not home, when I’m back on missions. Dangerous ones. I’ve been in contact with a buddy of mine, a former Navy SEAL who owns Gray Ghost Security. They do rescue and recovery, among other jobs. I wouldn’t work for them full time but mission specific and when they need more men.”

  “Okay. That’s not too different from what you were doing as a SEAL. What you’re telling me is that I’d be alone sometimes. I’ve known you forever, Jax, and going on missions, being a hero, is part of who you are. There aren’t limits to what I’ll accept about you. I love everything about you. I’m willing to adapt and to do what it takes to make a life with you work.”

  Goddamn. This woman. She was everything to me. I stood and pulled her into my arms, needing to feel more of her. After a few seconds, I told her everything. “There’s more. I’m moving into one of the houses on the island that my mom’s family’s owned for generations. You remember it, right? You were there once or twice.”

  “Sure. It’s beautiful.”

  “Xander and his new wife will be living there when they’re back from their honeymoon. Riley’s great. I know you’ll like her.” I loosened my arms so I could gauge her reaction. “Xander signed on with the Gray Ghosts too. But we’re going to start a custom-surfboard business.”

  “On the island?” She tilted her head to the side, weighing what I’d dumped on her.

  “Yes. There would be a place for you in the business if you wanted it, but there’s no pressure. You’ve always loved to read, and I get that your job is perfect for you. Are you able to work remotely?”

  “Yes.”

  Her carefree laugh filled the balcony, urging me to ask my next question. “The point to all of this is that I was hoping you’d move in with me on that island.”

  “I would love to live with you.” When her arms wound around my neck, I lifted her. She wrapped her legs around my waist, and I held her tightly. For the first time in years, I was where I should have been.

  19

  Kayla

  Jaxon’s arms banded around me, and I swore my soul sighed. He had been my childhood crush and my teen obsession, and over the years, I’d thought of him as an unattainable dream. In his embrace, all my feelings for him melded into an unbreakable bond, one I wouldn’t let petty differences destroy.

  With him, I was home. Safe. Loved and cherished. I wanted it more than I could ever have expressed.

  One of Jaxon’s hands moved to cradle my head as he deepened the hungry kiss, our tongues tangling together. I couldn’t get close enough. The clothes between us were a barrier I wanted gone.

  When he broke the kiss, I swayed in his arms. In slow motion, he peeled off my T-shirt. My bra followed. I tugged at his shirt, and he took a step back, pulling it over his head by the back—so sexy. My fingers traced the swell and dip of his defined chest. I was barely aware of him divesting us of the rest of our clothes until he pulled me close, skin on skin.

  When his hand cupped the back of my neck, tilting my head once again for his kiss, I followed his lead willingly. He backed us against a wall then, with a hand beneath me, lifted me. I wrapped my legs around his waist while he continued to support me. Our kiss heated, turning frantic—even more so than when we were young.

  When we broke apart, he nibbled on my lower lip as I sucked in air I hadn’t realized I needed. He trailed kisses down my neck, biting at the apex of my shoulder and sending jolts of desire to my already aching core.

  I kneaded his shoulders, whimpering. It wasn’t enough. He had me trapped in that position, and I couldn’t do all I wanted to. On a growl, he pulled me against him, and in the next second, we were striding into the bedroom. With infinite care, he lowered me to his mattress, following me down. I welcomed his weight.

  We played a silent game of tug of war while I attempted to gain the position to sit astride him. He grinned. “Next round.”

  I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped because there would be a next time and so many more after that. Jaxon was attentive and wild. I was more than fine with his weight over me, making me feel more than I’d ever experienced. Even more than our only night together—we were kids then. Now, I had the man, and I wasn’t letting him go.

  His hand cupped my breast, and I arched as his tongue swirled around the stiff peak of my nipple. My skin heated as my breath sawed in and out. I needed him to fill me. My fingers curled around his thickness, relishing his answering moan.

  “Not yet.” He gently removed my hand.

  Frustration itched along my body. He shifted, moving lower. Goosebumps erupted where he no longer covered me. Then he spread my legs and settled between them. I gasped at the first brush of his tongue. His teeth nipped gently at my nub, the pads of his fingers following, caressing and rubbing in conjunction with the overwhelming explosion of his fingers filling me. My back arched in response. Everything faded except for his touch.

  He made me crazy. Sensation after sensation shot from his mouth to my core, heating every inch of me. A fine sheen of perspiration coated my skin with each rolling wave of desire crashing over me. Deep inside, he hooked his finger while his mouth stimulated that bundle of nerves, and my body exploded. He groaned, covering me fully with his mouth.

  When the light show eased behind my eyelids, the pulsing of my core rippled. I needed him like my next breath. “Please.” I couldn’t form any other words but tugged on his large shoulders. “I need you.”

  He shifted, and I whimpered from the loss, my body loose, relaxed, but also desperate for more of him. We weren’t finished. Not by a long shot. There was the crinkle of a condom wrapper, and then he was over me, his lips full and slick from tasting me. Another jolt of need hit me hard at the sight of this incredibly handsome man. Our eyes met, and I gasped at the hunger reflected in his gaze, the fierce desire.

  “Are you sure, Kayla?” His voice was rough with want, his body tense with barely restrained need.

  I moaned when he pressed at my entrance. He held still, waiting for my response. “Yes,” I whimpered again. When he didn’t move, frustration had me digging my nails into his hips, pulling him closer and growling. “Jax!”

  He chuckled, dipped his head, and nipped at the edge of my jaw. “I’ll never get enough of you.”

  Then he was inside me, thrusting deep, and I wasn’t capable of thought, only feeling. He loomed over me, and I matched the movement of hips with my own. His broad shoulders flexed above me, sexy as hell. Explosions rocked my body, and I screamed his name. When the last tremor quieted, my body went limp, sated. We lay together for several minutes, catching our breath, coming down from the mind-numbing sensations. Then his grip shifted and wrapped around my waist, and he rolled, taking me with him.

  Sprawled over him, our legs tangled, my fingers tracing lazy circles over his washboard stomach, I was content.

  “There have been so many nights I’ve dreamed of holding you in my arms again.”

  I wanted to nod because I felt the same. But the movement was more than my exhausted body could handle. “I never found anyone to love like what I have for you. No one could even come close.” And they hadn’t. I’d given my heart to him years before.

  “I love you, Kayla.”

  My eyelids fluttered until I couldn’t hold them open any longer, and I whispered that I loved him too. In his arms, I drifted to sleep, finally home.

  20

  Kayla

  With my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee, I sat on the cushioned chaise lounge on the lanai, watching the sun rise in a fiery burst of orange and pink as it sepa
rated from the arms of the ocean to climb the sky.

  We’d woken slowly and made love a second time. As a result, my languid body was one with the lounger I reclined on. He was everything I’d remembered and so much more. Mature Jaxon was worth waiting for.

  There was a lot left for us to discuss, especially the blame I’d placed on him and the hurt from the distance we’d both retreated into. But I knew we would heal all our old wounds and be stronger from them, as we’d come so far already.

  The chair next to me groaned as Jaxon lowered himself into it, a twin cup of coffee in his hand. “You ready for today?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He was talking about going to the station with him. I would have rather had the topic of moving to the island, especially because it would have been a better place to hide from Roy, but that was a week or two in the future. Our hope was that the article Stephanie had written and my statement would be enough evidence for an arrest warrant and that Roy would be picked up sooner rather than later.

  “It’ll be fine. I’ll be right there with you, and after your statement is taken and the evidence logged, we’ll come back here.”

  “Yeah, let’s get this over with, then.” I gulped my last sip then stood. “I’ve been slacking on the painting.” He grinned, and my knees went weak. I suspected it would always be like that, since I had that reaction to him even when we were kids.

  “I’ll be off this afternoon, and I’ll help. There isn’t much to do, just the living room and kitchen. We can knock out the rest of it today.” His grin turned wolfish, and butterflies took flight in my stomach. “Come here.”

  In two steps, I was beside him. He took the empty mug from my hand, depositing it on the small table. Our clothes were next, falling around our feet. The hungry look in his eyes made my heart flutter. He leaned forward, brushing his fingers along the outside of my thigh. Trails of goosebumps followed in their wake.