by Katie Reus
Blue rubbed a hand over his head, a nervous habit he had. Right now he didn’t give a shit how obvious it was he was worried. He’d already told Harrison he was involved with Mina and had removed himself from her personal detail. It didn’t mean he was removing himself from her life. He didn’t need the damn money from this job and nothing could tear him away from her except Mina herself.
“She’s strong, man,” Vincent murmured next to him. “Look how well she’s held up under all this. She’ll be okay.”
Blue nodded tightly, unable to look at his friend. Instead he stared straight ahead at the wall in front of him. He, Vincent and the majority of the twelve man Red Stone Security team—including Harrison, Porter and Grant Caldwell—were waiting in the hall outside Warren Hollingsworth’s room. Blue shouldn’t be surprised the three brothers were all here but it had stunned him initially to see them. Mina was a high priority for them though, because of her father. Her father had rented a home in Star Island long-term, though by the way the doctors were acting, long-term wasn’t going to happen.
Blue rubbed his hand over his head again. Fuck. He hated that Mina was in there right now by herself. She’d been quiet on the ride over, simply holding his hand as they’d been driven by the armed team. But she’d basically closed in on herself.
He didn’t blame her, but he still hated it. Hated seeing her in pain and not being able to comfort her.
This thing he felt for her, something he wouldn’t put into words just yet because it terrified him, had come out of nowhere. And now he couldn’t imagine her not in his life. Which was insane. He knew that. But it didn’t change the fact that he’d fallen for her. Hard.
When he heard Harrison talking quietly into his radio, Blue’s head jerked around, looking down the hall to the other side of the doorway where his boss stood with four others.
Harrison met his gaze and shook his head, as if to reassure him. “Just the exterior guys checking in. We’re all clear.”
Blue’s tension eased a fraction, but he practically jumped when the door opened. After being in there for hours, Mina stepped out, her eyes swollen from crying. She opened her mouth once, then shook her head as she rushed into his arms. As he wrapped his arms around her, he glanced into the open doorway and saw one of the doctors pulling a sheet over her father’s body. Oh, shit. When Harrison had made it clear Warren Hollingsworth had been close to death Blue hadn’t imagined it was this close.
“Come on.” He gathered her tight against him and led her down the hallway, ignoring everyone as he made his way to the room she’d taken when they first arrived. As he passed Harrison, he mouthed the word ‘food’, knowing his boss would understand. Even though she probably wouldn’t feel like eating, Mina was going to need something to eat after the day she’d had and a lot of rest.
At the next hallway he steered her with him, keeping his arm tight around her shoulders. Even though she was tall, she felt so damn fragile against him as she tried to hold her sobs in.
“Just let it out,” he murmured.
Another sob escaped as they reached her room, this one punching right through to his heart. Not caring what anyone thought, he lifted her into his arms. She didn’t fight him, just buried her face against his neck and let loose the tears he knew she’d been holding in since she’d learned the news about her father back in Key West.
Without glancing back, he shut the bedroom door with his foot and headed for the curved settee in the corner of the massive room. Other than the bed it was the only piece of furniture big enough for him. Sitting down, he stretched out, keeping her close as she released all her pent up emotion. She burrowed into him, clutching onto his shirt as she cried. The way her body shook, her ragged tears, the almost palpable pain rolling off her, cut through him like a fifty cal. He just wanted to take all her agony away.
He wasn’t sure how much time passed, but eventually she stilled against him. Even though her breathing steadied out he knew she wasn’t sleeping.
She kept her head rested against his shoulder as she drew circles on his chest. “It was peaceful when he went,” she said brokenly.
He tightened his grip, the sound of her teary voice raking against him like broken shards of glass. “I’m so sorry.”
She sucked in a ragged breath. “Thank you. I hate that we lost this last year together. He…apologized for all our lost time, said I was the best daughter he could have asked for.” She stopped abruptly, and he felt more wetness covering his neck as she silently cried. Eventually she continued, her voice stronger. “He wasn’t exactly lucid near the end, but everything he said was what I’ve wanted to hear since I was a kid. I kind of love and hate him for that, for finally giving me all that, then leaving. I mean, I know he didn’t leave of his own free will but still, why did he have to wait until he was dying?”
Blue knew she wasn’t looking for an answer so he just held her.
She was silent again for a while, only shifting once to get more comfortable. He spread his legs wider, letting her snuggle up against him. He might hate the circumstances but he loved being able to comfort her. When she spoke again, her voice was utterly broken. “He…he had a dozen of my paintings surrounding him when he died. I didn’t even know he’d bought them. He said they brought him comfort.” She let out another sob, not as harsh as her first crying jag, but he knew she’d be mourning for a while.
This time when her breathing finally evened out he thought she’d fallen asleep. But when someone knocked softly on the door, she jerked against him and sat up. Her eyes were red-rimmed and glassy, the sight a knife to his gut.
“It’s just food,” he said quietly, rubbing his hand down her back. “Why don’t you grab a hot shower and I’ll set the food up for you. I’ll get some clothes out too. You can eat then sleep.” Her father had her room stocked with anything she could possibly want or need. It was clear her father had wanted her here with him at the end. Right now the only thing she needed was a full stomach and sleep.
“That sounds…really good.” Her voice was raspy, but she pushed up from him and headed for the connecting bathroom on shaky legs.
As soon as she shut the door behind her, he opened the bedroom door and found Vincent on the other side holding a gym bag. Another one of the security team members held a silver tray with a silver domed top. Probably real silver too.
“We’ve got you clothes and enough food for both of you,” Vincent said, handing him the bag.
“Thanks.” He set the bag down and reached for the tray. It was probably over protective, but he didn’t want anyone else in this room right now. Not even men he trusted. “In the morning she’ll have a lot of stuff to deal with and I’m sure she’ll let the team know what her plans are but for now, she’s going to get some sleep.” And he was going to make damn sure that happened. He glanced over his shoulder even though he knew she couldn’t hear him, before looking at Vincent again. “If you find out anything about Ivan, call or text me.” He wanted to be kept up to date on that situation even if he wasn’t on the security detail anymore.
“Of course. We’ve got our guys patrolling the grounds, two are static near her bedroom window and we’ll have a team stationed on each end of the hall,” Vincent said.
Blue nodded, liking the setup, especially since he was also in the room with her and fully armed. He didn’t care that the kidnappers had been caught, he wasn’t letting his guard down until they knew everything about the plot to take her.
While waiting for Mina, Blue looked over the food they’d dropped off, then opened the bag Vincent had brought him. He was surprised to find his actual clothes. Vincent had an extra key to his place for emergencies so he must have sent someone over. He needed a shower, but that could wait until Mina was sound asleep. After changing into an old Marine Corps T-shirt and loose cotton jogging pants, he checked the security of the room again. He’d already done it when they’d arrived, but as he waited for her, he couldn’t sit still.
As he was checking one of the w
indows again, the bathroom door opened. Steam billowed out behind Mina. Her hair was damp around her shoulders and she had a thick blue robe knotted around her slender waist.
He immediately crossed the room to her and experienced the strongest surge of protectiveness when she immediately went into his arms.
“The shower helped a little,” she murmured against his chest. “I just keep thinking about everything I’ve got to do now. Talk to estate lawyers, deal with the funeral arrangements, and then there’s Ivan—”
Blue leaned back and placed a finger over her lips. “You have nothing to worry about right now except eating and sleeping. In a few hours you can deal with all that but you’re not going to be alone. I’ll help you with everything.”
She nodded, her shoulders relaxing as she glanced over at the tray. Almost on cue, her stomach rumbled and her cheeks flushed pink. The circumstances were wrong, but he loved it when she did that. “I didn’t think I’d be hungry,” she murmured.
“You’ve been through a lot. Your body needs the fuel now. And you’ll sleep better.” After a pause, he said, “I’m officially off your security detail.” He wanted her to know that he wasn’t going anywhere.
At that, her face fell and when tears welled up he froze. Shit, what had he said wrong?
Before he could ask her what had upset her, she said, “You’re leaving?”
He swore savagely, taking them both by surprise, but he shook his head and tightened his grip on her hips. “I’m off the detail because my focus would be split. As long as you want me here, I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to help you with everything.”
The tension that had bled into her expression immediately faded to be replaced by something he couldn’t define. Almost a kind of wonder. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she whispered.
That tightness in his throat was back. “I feel the same,” he rasped out. He swallowed, feeling so out of his depth it was fucking terrifying. “When I left the Marines I had no clue what I wanted to do. I just took this job with Red Stone because I was qualified and I liked the people I’d be working with. Now I feel like…” He scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling beyond raw as he tried to get the words out. “It sounds fucking stupid when I say it, but I feel like every decision I made, led me to meeting you.” God, that was lame even if it was true.
To his surprise, Mina wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, burying her face against his chest. “That’s not stupid at all.” Her words were slightly garbled against him, but he understood.
He felt as if he was in a freefall with her. Like he’d jumped out of a low-flying plane without a parachute. There was no safety net where she was concerned and he didn’t give a shit. If he got burned by Mina, something told him it would be worth it.
Chapter 12
Mina opened her eyes with a start, jerking upright in bed. As reality crashed in on her, sadness swelled through her as she thought about her father being gone. Then when she saw Alex’s side of the bed empty, a pang of sadness sliced through her until she realized he was in the bathroom. She could faintly hear the sound of the shower running. Raking a hand through her hair, she glanced at the bedside clock. Two in the morning.
So she’d only slept a couple hours. It felt like a lifetime though. And she was famished. Sliding out of bed, she turned on the dim bedside lamp then took the dome top off the tray and set it aside. She could order more food because she knew her father had multiple chefs on site. Her father.
Her throat tightened as she replayed the final conversation they’d had. He’d been so open with her, so apologetic for making her feel like she was a disappointment. She hadn’t even realized how much she’d craved hearing the words from him until last night. Now she had to plan his funeral and deal with so much financial stuff it made her head hurt.
Staring at the remnants of what she and Alex had eaten, she put the dome back on and took the tray to the door. She felt bad just leaving it for someone to get, but she didn’t have the energy to take it to the kitchen and she didn’t feel like searching for the kitchen in this strange house anyway.
As she closed the door behind her she heard the water shut off. Thoughts of a naked Alex with water rolling down that muscular chest, over his taut abdomen and even lower made her entire body tighten. The sharp realization that she was turned on stunned her. She hadn’t thought she’d be able to feel anything but sadness right now. And this wasn’t just about her wanting to find pleasure, she wanted a deeper connection with Alex. Before she could take a step back to the big bed, the door quietly opened and Alex stepped out—wearing only a towel around his trim waist.
When Alex saw her, his eyes widened. “Hey, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“You didn’t,” she said, her gaze roaming hungrily over his bare chest.
Stepping out, he sort of wrapped his arms around his chest like he was trying to cover himself.
“Are you hiding yourself from me?” she asked, unable to stop the laughter from escaping. It seemed so ludicrous that he could possibly be doing that. Despite the last couple days and how raw she felt from losing her father, it felt strangely good to laugh.
She couldn’t tell for sure because of the low lighting, but she guessed he might have flushed. He cleared his throat in that nervous way that always took her off guard. Everything about Alex screamed confidence but sometimes he seemed so insecure around her that it floored her.
His arms dropped from his chest. “No, I just didn’t want you to think I was coming out here half-dressed for…other reasons.”
“I wouldn’t say no to those other reasons.” The words just slipped out but she wasn’t sorry she’d said them.
He stilled, his dark gaze pinning her with such heated intensity she felt it all the way to her toes. But just as quickly he looked away and grabbed his gym bag. “I forgot my bag out here,” he muttered, taking a step away as if he was going to head right back into the bathroom.
“Are you just going to ignore what I said?” she asked quietly, sounding bolder than she felt.
He met her gaze again, but she couldn’t read his expression. “Mina, you’ve been through a lot.”
So had he. He’d had to freaking shoot someone, something she imagined was hard to deal with, even for someone trained like him. “And?”
He scrubbed a hand over his short hair, something he seemed to do when he was nervous. “And, I’m not taking advantage of you.” Before she could respond, he practically sprinted to the bathroom, taking that bag with him.
She blinked at his ninja-like departure. She couldn’t believe he thought he’d actually be taking advantage of her. For the first time in her life she knew without a doubt that a man wanted her simply for her. And not just any man. But Alex. A mouth-wateringly sexy giant of a man who’d already risked his life for her more than once in the past couple days since they’d met. Then he’d stayed on to take care of her after her father died.
After experiencing how talented he was with just his hands and mouth and feeling firsthand how thick his cock was, she knew without a doubt when they finally got completely naked together, it would be amazing between them. And she wasn’t going to let his misguided idea of being noble get in the way. If she had to seduce him into it, she had no problem with that.
She wasn’t sure how long he would be so she turned off the lamp then hurriedly stripped off her robe. She shoved it in the empty dresser drawer of the nightstand before sliding beneath the luxurious sheets and pulling them completely up to her shoulders. With her heart racing, she waited for him to return.
And waited. When fifteen minutes passed she wondered if he was going to stay in there the rest of the night. Thankfully the door cracked open a fraction, but before she got a good glimpse of him, he snapped the light off.
Even in the dimness she could see him as he made his way to the bed. He dropped his bag next to it, then quietly slid in next to her. She guessed by his careful movements that he thought she was asleep. Lying on his bac
k, he let out what she thought sounded like a frustrated sigh. She hoped he was frustrated with himself and not her.
Sliding closer, she reached out a hand, stroking over his chest once. “Alex?”
“Yeah?” His voice was unsteady.
“Will you hold me?”
“Of course.” He didn’t even pause, just rolled over and pulled her into his arms.
And froze.
One of his big hands palmed her naked back as she cuddled up against his chest. His breathing hitched as he tentatively slid his hand lower down the curve of her spine, then lower still until he froze again right at the curve of her bare butt. The feel of his callused fingers on her skin sent a thrill of need through her, making her nipples tingle in awareness.
“You’re naked.” The words sounded accusing.
“You’re very perceptive,” she whispered against his chest, sliding her hand up under the hem of his shirt, teasing her fingers over the sharp lines and striations of his cut stomach.
“Mina…” He trailed off, as if he couldn’t think of an argument.
Which was good because she didn’t want to waste her time talking when they could be pleasuring each other. Pushing up, she moved quickly so that she was straddling him. With the light from the alarm clock and the faint light from behind the thick drapes covering the windows, she could make out his face. And she could tell he liked what he saw.
He drank in the sight of her naked and straddling him, his expression fierce. Like the warrior she knew him to be.
“Take off your shirt,” she whispered, wanting to see him again.
Half leaning up, he stripped it off, then took her completely by surprise when he flipped them so that he was on top. He moved with such a liquid grace. Arching into him, she shuddered at the feel of her nipples brushing against his chest. The contact was electric and she loved the feel of his weight on her.
“You make me crazy,” he murmured before brushing his mouth over hers. He cupped her head, tangling his fingers in her hair as he held her tight—as if he was afraid she’d change her mind.