by Marnee Blake
“That wasn’t your fault.” There was more to this story. She knew it. She knew him.
“You weren’t there.” He clasped her arms, as if trying to get through to her. “Every day I regret that decision. Every day, I think of his wife and his son.”
“No.” She gripped his forearms. “This doesn’t make sense. You wouldn’t have put anyone in danger on purpose.”
“Of course not. But he was in danger, because I underestimated the danger.” His eyes became knowing. “Like the train.”
“The train wasn’t your fault. My headache—I was the one that slipped. I was the one that hit my head.”
“I didn’t even consider the headache, what using these powers might do to us. I have this new ability to see ten steps ahead of us, and I never saw that coming. And you almost got killed.”
“No.” He was twisting this around, not seeing it clearly. “We didn’t have any other choice. You did what had to be done. We needed a plan, and you gave it to us.” He was being too hard on himself. Why couldn’t he see himself like she saw him? “We wouldn’t have gotten out of there if it hadn’t been for you. You’re a hero.”
“I’m no hero.” He rubbed her arms, as if to soothe himself more than her. “You don’t get it.” The low timbre of his voice sent heat rolling into her chest, and goose bumps erupted on her neck. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve considered leaving you guys? If I had been smart, I’d have let you go back in Glory. If I’d been smart, I’d have taken off on an ATV at Kitty’s house or snuck out of that hotel room while you were sleeping or in the shower. None of you know jack shit about protecting yourselves and you know even less about survival. If I’d been smart, I’d have left you all two days ago.”
His words stung, and her mouth felt dry as she pushed the sweaty hair from her forehead. Had he really come this close to leaving them? Her? The line of his jaw said yes, but the softness in his eyes said something else. The traffic on the street continued, cars honked and pedestrians passed. But it felt as if they were alone, in their own little space.
“So why didn’t you?” Her voice was a whisper.
“Because I couldn’t,” he growled. “And…because of you, Blue.”
She saw truth in his eyes. This close, with his face inches from her own, she couldn’t pretend she didn’t see it. Still, she asked. “Me?”
“Yeah, you. You and your stupid way of making me feel like I’m better than I am. They train me to kill people. For a living. But I throw some guys out of a helicopter, and you have me second-guessing everything. You and your vegetarian, do-gooder ways.” He let her arm go, as if he was disgusted by himself.
The words weren’t romantic. They weren’t even true. But something about them had her stepping forward, putting her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Every self-preserving instinct she possessed told her to step back. That this was incredibly dangerous territory.
She ignored them all.
“You wouldn’t have left us.” She shook her head. “Maybe you thought about it, but it isn’t in you. I trust you.”
“Well, I don’t trust myself.” She didn’t understand what he meant, but as his hands cradled her elbows and then slid around her back to press against her spine, she didn’t overthink. He didn’t push, only held her.
“Then you’re an idiot.” She took the last step into his arms, curling her hand up to his neck to coax him down to her.
Turned out he didn’t need much coaxing.
Their mouths met, him hunched over her, her on tiptoes in her Converse sneakers and Hello Kitty T-shirt. The kiss happened next to a graffiti-ridden pay phone and a wooden bench with Shandra and Darnell’s love note on it.
She couldn’t think of a better spot.
The touch of his lips sent tingles of awareness arching through her. As his tongue swept in, she sighed, trembling against him. It wasn’t the hot sun that warmed her skin and sent heat racing through her body. That was definitely Seth’s warm mouth.
His arms circled her, pulling her closer. He lifted her a little, her feet off the ground. As if she was floating. With her feet dangling, her entire body held against him, they touched from chest to thigh. In his tight embrace, the warmth seeped into her, filling her, chasing away the shadows. He was so tall, the shift brought their mouths closer, and he tilted his head to gain better access.
Seth didn’t kiss her rough or fast. He didn’t kiss like it was a step he needed to pass in order to get to the next base. No, he kissed like he knew exactly what he was doing, without a hint of swagger or arrogance. Only the straightforward way he seemed to do everything.
It completely worked for her.
He nipped at her bottom lip, and she pressed her fingers into his back, pulling him closer, gasping. She allowed herself to cling to him, to fall into him as the delicious waves of fire raced through her, lighting her up from the inside.
They kissed until they were breathless, and she had no interest in stopping. She was hot, sweaty, and the street smelled like exhaust. But everything about their kiss was perfect.
“What do we have here?” The voice, right next to them, broke them apart. She dropped to the ground, irrationally annoyed at the interruption. A small man stood next to the bench, smiling under a hairline mustache, his pants too big for his body and bagging at his knees. “You two in the wrong part of town?”
Seth’s mouth firmed as he moved to tuck her behind him. “We don’t want any problems. Just using the pay phone.”
“And getting some action.” Two men nearby chuckled, one in a wifebeater and another with his hat pulled low. Their man wasn’t alone. “But we don’t care about that, do we? Nah, we want your money.”
“We don’t have any money,” she piped up. If Seth thought he’d give these guys a dime, he was nuts.
“You two? I don’t believe that at all.” He lifted his hand, still tucked into his San Antonio Spurs jacket. The unmistakable shape of a gun disfigured the pocket.
She was getting sick of people pushing them around. Who did these guys think they were? They’d taken out a helicopter and stopped an entire company of private military men. She glanced at herself, at Seth. They looked innocent enough. That was probably their greatest allure. Two young kids, a little dusty but pretty put together considering what they’d been through. They were perfect targets.
Seth pulled at her arm again, moving her entirely behind him. His body tensed, and she could see him eyeing the three men. No doubt he had a plan, had figured out how to take them all down.
Anger burst through her. If they were anyone else, they’d be at these jerk-offs’ mercy. Yeah, well, they weren’t anyone else. And she was going to make damn sure these guys didn’t forget it.
She froze their talker’s gun-wielding hand and stepped from behind Seth. “You interrupted my first kiss in a long time.”
The man’s eyes widened. “What the hell?”
Her anger blazed, burning a hole in her stomach, and she stopped him talking. She’d be quick. He didn’t have to breathe for the next minute.
Out of her peripheral, she saw the other two men tense. She froze them completely as well. Served them right for scaring innocent people. Wonder how many times they’ve pulled this stunt before? On that thought, she tightened them all up, putting a little pressure on their chests.
In a far reach of her mind, she realized this was the first time she’d split her focus in three directions. She noticed it was getting easier to use, this power of hers. Then she stepped forward, meeting her tormentor’s eyes directly. “Now, you listen to me. Here’s what’s going to happen. My friend was about to completely ruin your day. But I thought I’d give you the chance to prove you weren’t only meat with eyeballs. We’re going to leave”—she nodded down the street—“that way. And once I get down so far, I’ll let you go. Then you three are going to find something productive to do with your day. Go volunteer at a soup kitchen or something. Donate something to Goodwill. Give a kid a candy bar. Somethin
g.”
Seth yanked on her arm, and she followed him, walking backward, still holding the three men with her mind. When they reached the end of the block, she released them, watching as they caught deep breaths, holding their throats and gasping.
Their panic made her triumphant, and she experienced a brief pang of discomfort. She probably hadn’t needed to scare them so badly. The fight had been so one-sided. She’d been a bully. Did that make her any better than them? She shook her head. It was different. She had defended herself. She hadn’t picked the fight.
They ducked into the foyer at the coffee shop, and Seth turned on her. “Volunteer at a soup kitchen?”
“Why not? Better than what they’re doing right now.” She glanced back down the street to find the threesome huddled together, staring after them, clearly spooked. They slunk off in the other direction, whispering, as if they’d seen a ghost. She sighed in relief.
“I could have helped.” For a guy so adamant that he didn’t want to take care of them, he sounded pretty irate.
“I know.” She glanced at him. “But your help makes people bleed. I didn’t want to cause a scene. You can do it next time.”
“Deal.”
They smiled. He touched her chin, and the air between them heated up. Memories of their kiss wound on replay through her head.
Was this what she wanted? He was a soldier. A killer, by his own admission. She could be making a huge mistake.
But as his eyes lowered to her mouth, she shivered. Huge mistake or not, they might die tomorrow. She had no idea what was going to happen. For the first time in a long time, she was living in the present. And it wasn’t half bad.
Chapter Thirteen
Kitty recognized Seth’s friends as soon as they walked in, even before she could hear their thoughts. They were both muscular with short hair, like Seth, but that wasn’t the giveaway. They carried themselves like soldiers, as if they meant business. With the confidence that came from meeting obstacles in their life—physical or mental—and overcoming them.
She was immediately jealous.
When they stepped into her hearing, though, she could tell they were much different from each other.
Campbell brings a bunch of people back and only two girls? Typical. The blond one was checking them out. He oozed charm and of the two, he was better looking. Seemed he knew it as well.
Little one is cute. Got that funky thing going on. Like the sneakers. He was correct, though. Blue was cute. And funky described her perfectly.
Then his eyes met hers. Well, hello there, beautiful. Just my type. Pretty hair, pretty eyes, and petite. Come to Papa.
She blinked. Was he talking about her?
Really big eyes. Very nice.
He was talking about her. She immediately glanced away, dropping her head. No one checked her out. No one had had a chance. Her father had been incredibly strict. She didn’t do after-school activities or sports. She didn’t even have close friends. Oh, she’d tried. But most people didn’t want to be friends with the creepy girl with the really religious mother. And once they were subjected to her father…well, they didn’t usually agree to come over again.
And boys? Please. What boy wanted to deal with her parents? They steered far and wide.
But her parents were gone now. These men didn’t know anything about them.
The true weight of that settled around her. She was alone. There were no parents left to enforce frustrating rules or stifle her with their restrictions. If people didn’t like her, it would be her own fault. Thanks to this power, she would know exactly why they didn’t like her, too.
She wasn’t the same girl she’d been two days ago.
She’d focused on how awful her new power was. She had to listen to everything. But…on the flip side, she got to listen to everything. No more guessing what people were feeling or thinking. Her whole life she’d lived in terror of her father’s next mood swing. She’d always wanted to know exactly what was going on in her mother’s mind. She’d felt beyond helpless not knowing, being at the mercy of decisions they made based on thoughts she wasn’t privy to.
Well, now she was privy to everything.
Maybe she’d been looking at this all wrong. She might hear them, but their thoughts didn’t need to affect her mind. Her brain was still her own. There was just more information available. That might not necessarily be a bad thing.
Seth stood, shaking hands with the two newcomers. “Guys,” he motioned to the group. “This is Nick,” he said, pointing to the tall one with dark hair. “And Jeremy.” This time he waved toward the good-looking blond.
Kitty offered a small wave. No one paid her much attention, and Seth spoke quietly to the pair.
Unnoticed, she listened, determined not to fear what she heard. Fearing their thoughts would be silly.
First, the blond one. Jeremy.
Not too tall. But a nice ass.
She’d never get used to everyone’s cursing, though. Jeremy thought she had a nice butt. How…interesting. Did other people think she had a nice butt? How strange to think about it.
Uncomfortable with Jeremy’s attention, she zoned in on the other man with him. Nick. He was worrying about traffic laws. Glad I brought Rickles, even if the guy’s been acting strange lately. The Tahoe fits nine. I wouldn’t have gotten seven of us in my car. Then his thoughts switched. Who are these people? What’s Campbell gotten himself into now? She could feel the older brother vibe oozing off him. The tenor of his thoughts wasn’t as strong as Jeremy’s. Softer, but pleasant, too. Seems taken with the blond girl. Hope that isn’t what this is about. He didn’t sound angry. Only concerned.
Finally, Nick addressed the group. “We brought the Tahoe. You guys ready to go?”
“Yeah, man. Thanks. We have to get the tab.” Seth stood, cleaning up their table, and Luke rose to go to the counter.
She listened to Luke as they walked out. Wonder if they’ll know if that guy lived. Wonder if he’d even show up on a Google search. Secret soldier, killed after falling from second floor. The soldier in La Junta. He hadn’t stopped thinking about him. Poor Luke.
She followed the others outside, listening as an older couple complained in their minds about the younger set, how loud and rude their generation was. She turned to them and smiled in apology, mouthing a sorry. They glanced back at the muffin they were sharing and didn’t make any more eye contact.
Outside, the heat hit her like a cannon blast. She gasped.
“At least it’s a dry heat.” Jeremy appeared next to her.
Remembering the things he’d thought about her, she smiled. “That’s what you tell yourselves?”
“Been reciting it the whole time I’ve been stationed here.” He leaned closer and continued in a stage whisper, “It’s not working.” He offered his hand. “I’m Jeremy Rickles.”
She took it. “Hello, Jeremy. I’m Kitty.”
Kitty. Sexy porn star name.
That made her grin.
Nice smile. Score. She shook her head, laughing.
His grin widened. “What’s funny?”
She continued out the door he held for her. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Well”—he offered his arm to her—“we have the entire ride back to the apartment for you to explain.”
She looked at his arm and then up at him. After a moment, she looped her hand around his and allowed him to escort her toward his SUV.
“Front seat for you, pretty lady.”
Behind them, she could feel Nick’s disapproval, even though his thoughts weren’t pointed enough to put them into words.
As Jeremy helped her in, and she listened to him appreciate her behind again, she decided to enjoy the attention. What harm could come of it?
The trip across town took twenty minutes, weaving in and out of traffic. Beside Seth, in what passed for third-row seating, Blue dug her fingers into the leather armrest with one hand and cut off blood flow to his arm with the other. She mustn’t like Jeremy�
��s driving, either.
But the touch of her hand both comforted him and made him want to pull her into his lap. A simple connection, but it had his whole body ready. He wanted to wrap his arm around her. To run his hands all over her. He rubbed his palms on his thighs, forcing himself to stay still, to not reach for her.
He’d kissed her. Bad idea, even though he’d wanted to do it since he met her. Maybe it was a reaction to the extreme circumstances.
Yeah. Right.
What the hell am I doing?
You’re an idiot. That was the only explanation. He’d let her—and that smart mouth of hers—get close. He had a few good friends, like Nick, and Mark, who was stationed in Germany. They were work buddies. They shared beers and a few laughs. He would trust them with his life on the battlefield. But they didn’t know about his mom or Bobby.
Yet Blue had the whole story.
Why her? She made him laugh, and she was easy to talk to, yes. She was also sexy as hell, but that wasn’t all of it, either. She seemed to understand where he was coming from.
That kind of thinking was dangerous. And he sure as hell shouldn’t be kissing her.
If he gave in to his feelings, it would put her in danger. People did stupid things when they were emotionally involved.
He only had to hold it together—remain aloof enough to keep her safe—until they made it to Bragg.
Determined to keep things in perspective, he scanned the car. Luke and Jack stared out opposite windows in the middle bench seat. Luke hadn’t been the same since La Junta. Seth didn’t push, though. He remembered his first casualty too well.
And Jack? In the rearview, he caught Jack’s reflection. Looked pissy like he always did.
Between them, Nick looked grouchy but remained silent. Thank God he wasn’t hounding him right now. He deserved an explanation. But Seth hoped he’d be able to put it off until some of them split up. Luke and Jack said they’d only stay the night. If Seth only had to convince Nick to let Kitty and Blue tag along to North Carolina, maybe he’d be more receptive.