by Amy McKinley
He whispered my name as he chased my orgasm, following with his own. I felt the pulse of heat as he emptied himself deep inside me.
Shaken, I took his weight as he covered me. He’d branded me, and I knew I would never be the same again. I didn’t want to be.
My fingers brushed through his short hair as he nuzzled my neck. I floated in a haze of sensations. Limp and relaxed, I began to drift, stirring only when he pulled out and I felt the loss of him filling me. I was in trouble. One time would never be enough.
He took care of the condom, and the bed dipped from his weight again as he gathered me in his arms. I curled against him, my head resting on his shoulder. He made me want so many things. I just needed to convince that part of him that I sensed was broken that we were good for each other. Because there was no way in hell I would let this man go.
I’m not sure how long we lay wrapped in each other’s arms. I was content and didn’t want to move. Maybe we napped—it felt as if we had. When his hand ran along my side, I moaned. I wanted round two even though my brain had rebooted and I could think again. We had urgent matters at hand, and I couldn’t have a sex-a-thon just then, no matter how much I wanted to.
I’d never been so relaxed or content in my life. That man should bottle whatever he did to me. Wait, no… I’m selfish, and that’s for me only. I narrowed my gaze at him, assessing how to keep him all to myself. A slow smile spread across my face. He liked me. I could tell. We would work through whatever it was that was eating him alive inside. Then maybe he would fully commit, because I was quickly on my way to being a goner already. It wouldn’t take much for me to fall in love with him. I toed the line.
“I’d like to stay in bed with you the rest of the day, but we have work to do.” His voice rumbled in his chest and teased my skin.
He was right. By mutual agreement, we both got up, washed, and dressed. It wasn’t what I wanted at all, and I could tell by how he watched me that he didn’t, either.
“Are you all right?”
His concern softened me even more. “I’m great.” There was so much I wanted to say to him, but we’d have time for that eventually.
Hawk guided me to the couch and set a computer in front of me. He sat close by as he typed in a few commands. I used the time to study him. He was tall and lean, ripped with muscle that made my fingers curl, and had brown skin and dark hair. But his gorgeous cobalt eyes were confusing. I couldn’t place his nationality.
Rude or not, I was curious and wanted to know. “What’s your heritage? I don’t mean to be intrusive. It’s just that your eye color is throwing me, and I can’t figure you out.”
A wall slammed over his features, shuttering all emotion. He locked me out, and I went instantly cold. Every part of me stilled at the coiled power I sensed in his body. The muscles in his thigh tensed to rock against mine. The only outward indication he was upset was the pulse that throbbed at the base of his neck beneath his tight cotton shirt.
“Mostly Cuban, but let’s just say a melting pot of genes.”
“Well, whatever makes up your gene pool, you got the best of it.” I meant it. He was sculpted to perfection, from his model-worthy face all the way down his panty-dropping athletic body.
He grunted and went back to pulling up an app on his laptop. I struggled to think of something to say to fill in the awkward silence. I must have hit a nerve, though I had no idea why, because he was stunning. I could have stared at him all day and never tired of his chiseled features and mesmerizing eyes. I was riveted by him.
“I’m German and Irish. Obviously.” I grinned and pointed at my red hair. “Max looks more like my grandparents and mom, with his blond hair and blue eyes, and I take after my dad’s Irish descent.”
He typed in a username and password before turning to me. “I’m going to have you talk to Hannah about what your grandmother told you in that last letter.” He got up and went into the other room.
Ouch. Note to self: don’t bring up his heritage, at least not until we can talk about what bothers him so much.
The screen stared back at me with the Skype application opened but no connection made. I clasped my hands together. “Why?” I asked when he came back in with my jewelry box and brush.
“Hannah has a knack of figuring things out that aren’t obvious, like things that are hidden or puzzles. We’re missing something, and she’s our best bet.”
I shrugged then scooted closer to him so we’d both fit on the screen. That’s what I told myself, anyway. I was sticking to it. It wasn’t because he made my pulse skyrocket and my body burn or anything like that.
“Hawk.”
A gorgeous woman appeared on the screen, and I straightened my spine. Were they together?
“Hannah, this is Stella. I’m sure Jack has filled you in on her situation?”
“He has.”
She swung her gaze to me, and I fumbled with the box in my lap. God, the woman was icy perfection. “Hi, Hannah. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Are you talking to the guys?” Another woman’s voice sounded from somewhere not too far from Hannah.
Another beautiful woman peered at us as she nudged Hannah over. Goddamn. What’s in the water they drink? Hannah had flawless skin, light-blue eyes, and platinum-blond hair, which only highlighted her exotic features, high cheekbones, and full lips. The other woman was dark to her light, with olive skin and mahogany hair that fell past her shoulders, framing a face of classic beauty. I felt like Ronald McDonald next to them.
Hawk squeezed my thigh, and for some reason that evened out the balance enough, so I didn’t feel like a complete idiot.
“Is this Stella?” The other woman looked to Hawk, and at his nod, she flashed a blinding smile. “I’m Liv. It’s so nice to finally put a face to the name I’ve heard so often.”
Her warmth made up for Hannah’s aloofness. We exchanged greetings, and I found out Liv, the classic beauty, was Liam’s wife, and Hannah was with Jack. Hawk cut off the conversation that was getting off topic fast and told them what we needed.
I held up the jewelry box for their inspection, turning it completely around, showing them the top and bottom, and then opening the inside to reveal the hidden compartment Hawk found. After reading them the two letters from my grandmother, I showed them the locket.
“It’s lovely,” Liv murmured.
Hannah tapped at the keyboard on her end. “Turn it slowly.”
I did as she asked, not sure what she was looking for.
“Open it please.”
After I did, she asked to see the hinge again. Hannah leaned back and smiled at Liv. “See it?”
“I do.” Liv’s eyes sparkled. “It looks like a tiny screw would be there. It’s very deceiving.”
“There is a tiny pinhole at the base of the hinge. Hawk, do you have anything small enough to fit in there?”
Hawk took the locket from me to gauge the size before answering that he did. When he came back, he stuck a skinny needle into the hole, and a small click sounded.
I sucked in my breath. Tears blurred my eyes as the picture of my grandparents popped open to reveal a fortune-cookie-sized piece of paper folded into a tiny square. I took the message out then set the locket down so I could unfold the paper. In Oma’s even printing, she’d written another note that read, so many layers to our hearts. The one that kept mine safe rests with a piece of my past.
Adrenaline crashed through me. Oma was always talking about her heart and who she’d given pieces to. I turned to Hawk, excitement filling my veins. “I think I know where it is.”
Chapter 16
Hawk
The smell of lasagna and garlic bread permeated the cabin. Stella stood at the counter and prepped a large salad with romaine lettuce, cucumbers, pine nuts, and parmesan shavings before adding the dressing and tossing it all together.
I wanted more. We’d been talking for the past hour while we prepared the food. It was something all the guys had done at one point or another wit
h Liv and Mari—Hannah and Jo, not so much. Cooking with Stella was different, though—it felt more intimate, if that was possible. If I thought about how close we seemed to be getting for too long, it confused me. Sex was one thing, but the level of comfort we were sharing was entirely new.
“I could get used to this place.” Stella waved a hand around the kitchen. “It’s so much nicer than my tiny studio apartment, and the lake is gorgeous.”
“I like being out here too, and the location is perfect. The apartment isn’t bad, either.”
“I didn’t mean the building isn’t nice, ’cause it is. Obviously, as you have a place there, especially a bigger one than mine.”
I grinned at the mild panic that swept across her features. “I’m not offended. This is a great cabin. I prefer it over the city. I’ve spent enough time living there to know it’s not where I want to be.”
“Then why were you there? I mean, you said you had a business, but couldn’t you handle it remotely?”
“Some aspects, yes, but this was personal, so I wanted to come to California. I’d planned to leave with the rest of the guys then heard the fights between you and Max escalating. Like I said before, I was concerned, so I delayed my departure.” I’d already told her this so saying it again didn’t seem wrong. “And I’d hoped to take you out on a date.”
“You did? I would have said yes, even though the timing with my brother’s issues was shit.” Her eyes sparkled right before she ducked her head. “I feel terrible that you heard us fighting and that’s why you stayed. If you’d left, none of this would have touched you.”
I tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear, using it as an excuse to touch her cheek before I dropped my hand. She had no reason to feel bad about me hearing her arguments with her brother. My life had been one threat after another since I was young. “Stop apologizing. Being in a difficult or dangerous situation and helping people is what I do on a regular basis. This is nothing compared to most of the jobs we go on.”
“Well, thank you. Again. I’m glad I’m not alone in this. I wouldn’t have known how to handle it.” She nibbled on her lower lip as her gaze traveled over me. “I just wish I was here under different circumstances.”
That was the understatement of the year, and I vowed that when everything calmed down, I would make that happen. I wanted more with her beyond the battle with her brother’s loan sharks. One thing was certain: if we would even have a shot, her brother would have to get help for his addictions. “If you want, when all this is over, I can bring you back here, and we can go out on the water.”
“Yes.” Her smile was blinding. “I’d love that. Hey, do you have a boat?”
I wanted to share so much with her, but I couldn’t talk about the intense stuff. It wouldn’t have been smart. We barely knew each other, and the place was where my family sometimes vacationed when we weren’t using it as a safe house. “I could get my hands on one, and some water skis too.”
“I love waterskiing, and it’s been so long since I’ve done that. Now would be too cold to ski though.”
That sense of unease I’d been battling washed over me again. I needed to get the problem with her brother and the loan sharks sorted. Not only that, I had to find out what we were dealing with. Everything in me sensed there was more to our involvement than what appeared on the surface.
Waiting for the guys to get there was causing knots to form in my gut. Jack and Chris had been cagey about who was after her brother. We knew the organization’s name. My stomach cramped. There was more to Max’s problems than a run-of-the-mill loan-shark operation. That was the most obvious conclusion and what we’d all assumed from the beginning. It’s also why I’d been having so many flashbacks. Those, I could have done without. But the two couldn’t be connected, so I questioned why I was on edge.
“Everything okay?” Her brows furrowed.
“You sure you’re all right with the guys coming here? There are a lot of us.”
She grinned, and her natural warmth sparkled in her eyes. “Of course. I’m looking forward to getting to know the people on your team. From the little you’ve told me, it’s clear they’re important to you.”
“They are. After dinner, we’re planning on having a meeting.”
“Oh. Should I not be here for that?”
“It’ll be about the people after you and Max, so yes, you’re included.”
She froze. “Have you found anything out?”
“Information is still coming in. It’s going slowly because of who we haven’t involved.”
“The police?”
“Sort of. Anyway, we’ll learn more tonight and put a plan in place for how to manage the threat going forward.”
Her lips pursed, and I practically saw her mind working in overdrive.
“How did you all end up in business together?”
Luck? Good fortune? “The guys that you’ll meet later I’ve known since I was a kid. Our core group, and a few more from our military days, make up our team.”
“You were in the service?”
“Navy SEALs.”
“Oh, wow.” She leaned toward me. “I’m impressed. So you all decided to go into the Navy together?”
“Yes. When we went into the military, we were split across two teams. The new guys in our group have become family too. It’s sort of how it goes with SEALs teams. On missions, you have to know how each other thinks, anticipate what everyone will do, and execute like one unit. Off mission, we maintained the same camaraderie. Bonfires, dinners, anything and everything in between that kept us close, a family. It carries over to life after being active duty.”
“Why did you get out of the military?”
It’d been a no-brainer once Mike brought up the idea. It was always all or nothing with our group. Sticking together had saved us, and the same bond only grew stronger as we got older. “Mike decided he wanted to start a security company that focused on rescue and recovery. We’re contracted as private military.” That wasn’t the only business we’d started. Jack and Mike formed the one that had brought us to California on that last trip—we set up shelters for homeless teens. It was personal and something we’d all taken part in.
With the cabinet open and a stack of plates in her hand, she paused. I took them from her, and she mumbled her thanks. “So if one of you wanted out, all of you followed, just like that? That’s pretty impressive.”
I shrugged. “It’s how we are. You, your brother, parents, and grandparents were a close-knit family that you’d do anything for, right? It’s the same for us.” In a way. Most families didn’t follow each other’s every move or career choice. We tended to stick close together.
She nodded, clearly still weighing her situation. “But if you work with the government, then what you’re doing for Max and me—”
“Not all our jobs are government or military contracted. We’re helping you outside of our connections.” Sort of. “That’s why it’s taking a little longer to get all the answers we need. You’ve expressed how important your brother is to you. If there’s a way to help without getting him arrested, we’ll go that route. It’s how we’re operating right now.”
The timer dinged, and Stella opened the bottom oven. Mitts in hand, she pulled out the first lasagna. After I got the second out from the top oven, I put in the garlic bread. Stella slid her tray in too.
“I think we’re about ready. When are they getting here?”
The door opened, and I grinned at her. “Now.”
She squared her shoulders and moved with me to the door.
“You must be Stella.” The pretty boy of our group entered first. Of course. “I’m Hayden.”
Mike knocked him aside with a smirk. “If you forget his name, he’ll answer to ‘heartthrob.’”
“Ah, because he’s so pretty?” Stella winked at him, and my worry about her being intimidated by us fled. She wrapped her free hand around my forearm, and my other concern about meeting the guys, particularly Hayden, dissolve
d.
Hayden’s laugh filled the room. “I like her. She calls it like it is.”
“Stop. It’s going to his head, and we’ll never get him to shut up. It’ll be like high school all over again.” Keegan rolled his eyes before narrowing them on Hayden’s face. “We could take care of that with a few hits to his nose.” Even when he teased, the ever-present aura of danger that clung to Keegan caused Stella’s smile to waver.
I put my hand on her lower back, and she moved closer. “Ignore him.” I pointed to each of the guys, skipping over Hayden and Keegan, and made quick introductions. “This is Jack, Mike, and Chris.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” She smiled and shook their hands. “So this is the original crew?”
Mike shot me a look. “Except for Trev, Chris’s brother.”
“Did you cook?” Jack asked Stella, changing the subject. “It smells amazing, and I know Hawk didn’t do that. When it’s his turn, we eat hamburgers or brats. Is that lasagna?”
She smiled, and the warmth in her eyes made me shift my hand around to her hip, tugging her closer. “Yes, and we made it together.”
“If you don’t keep her around, Hawk, I’m moving in.” Mike rubbed his hands together as his stomach growled. Hayden elbowed him and moved to get ahead, passing Chris. Hayden, Mike, and Keegan volleyed to be first to the table. Not much had changed for us over the years.
Dinner was loud and one of the best I’d had since eating at Liam and Liv’s. Nothing was left to put away. As usual, everyone chipped in to clear the table, and we set the pans to soak. Then we loaded the dishwasher and moved to the large family room.
The cabin looked small from the front. It wasn’t. It was deep enough to accommodate all of us comfortably, from the wraparound couches and scattered chairs to the oversized dining table. There was sleeping for twenty if you counted the pullouts, bunks, and Murphy beds.
Stella settled on the couch next to me and leaned into my side. I lifted my arm, and she nestled against me. I stopped myself as I bent to brush a kiss across her forehead. After that afternoon, we were closer physically, but I wasn’t sure what would happen, and the guys didn’t need to catch wind of the change between us.