Stephen swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing down his throat. “The general will have me killed.”
Dawson leaned in and whispered, “Who are you more afraid of? The general or his assassin?”
A visible shudder worked through the guard. Wordlessly, he reached into his pocket and handed Dawson the keys. Before the guard could react, Dawson pulled back his pistol and slammed it into his head. The guard crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Dawson holstered his weapon and climbed into the rig. After checking its contents, he did a quick sweep of the large garage and gathered two RPG’s, rocket propelled grenades, an extra box of ammo for the .50 caliber on the roof of the Humvee and armful of assault rifles and ammo. Then he climbed into the driver’s seat, activated his GPS and pulled up his daughter’s location.
When the red dot blinked to life, Dawson reached a shaking hand for it, running his fingers over the screen. “I’m coming, Faith. Daddy’s gonna save you.”
He'd been smart to plant the tracker in her stuffed animal. He'd known they would come for him, and eventually, they’d come for his family.
Dawson punched the door opener and eased out of the garage, waving to the two guards at the gate on the way out. They waved back at the familiar face and as soon as he was out of sight, Dawson floored it. He’d been out two weeks with his injuries. Two excruciating, life-threatening weeks where he could do nothing but lay there helplessly, unable to save his baby.
And now that he was back, he was going to kill them all. Every last one of his old teammates. King first.
* * *
King rolled over in bed, threaded his fingers through Laura’s thick golden red hair, allowing it to fall from his fingers as he marveled at its silken texture. Everything about her was so soft compared to his hardness. Her skin was smoother than a flower petal and it smelled even sweeter. He couldn’t keep his hands off of her, any more than he could keep his eyes from hers as she watched him openly, her gaze full of warmth, her eyelids heavy after their sensual lovemaking. The last time anyone had looked at him that way, it had been Trinity…
King pulled his hand back, the surge of guilt taking him by surprise. What was he doing? He was betraying his wife’s memory. He was weak. He balled his hands into a fist on the sheets next to her, unable to turn away or cross the new invisible barrier thrown up between them from his past.
The heat in his chest cooled as the realization of what he’d done sank deeper into his consciousness. He’d gone to Laura without a thought; his only awareness had been to have her. He needed her like he needed a drug. All thoughts of his responsibility had fled.
“King?” Laura slid her petite hand over to him, crossing through the wall he’d thrown up like it was nonexistent. Her palm covered his fist. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand. “Are you okay?”
His toes curled beneath the sheets at her light stroking. He didn’t just feel her touch on the back of his hand, it was like she was touching him everywhere inside and out, soothing him. And it was a soothing he didn’t deserve. If he was a real man, he’d pull his hand from hers, but Lord help him if he could move from that spot. “I don’t know.”
He wouldn’t lie to her; he would never lie to her. Laura Dawson deserved every bit of honesty he could give her, even if it hurt her feelings. Still, his voice hadn’t come out smooth and confident as usual, but rough and crackling. The hard knot in his throat prevented anything but that.
She lifted up onto her elbow, turning to face him fully. The sheet that had been covering her but seconds before slid down to her waist, baring her naked loveliness for his eyes to feast upon. “Did I do something wrong?”
How did she expect him to speak, let alone think propped up like a siren seductress next to him? He dug his fingers harder into his palm, the need to touch her again leaving him shaken. What right did he have to feel this way about any woman when Trinity was dead?
Because you love her. You love Laura.
“King?” If she’d done anything but continue that slow soft stroking of his hand, he probably would’ve pulled away, but she didn’t.
King licked his dry lips and took a deep breath. His bravery abandoning him at the last minute, he looked down at the sheets when he answered. “You’re the first one since my wife.”
Her thumb paused. His heart stopped. And then she resumed her stroking and he blew out a long, hard breath.
“Oh King. I’m sorry. Was it when you lost Hope?”
He nodded, eyes still downcast. On instant replay the memory of that day shot through his mind. “I couldn’t save them.”
Laura’s hand tightened on his. “Please don’t say it was John...”
Her ragged tone dragged his eyes to hers and he could see the flash of fear in her green depths. He knew instantly what she was thinking. He drew his hand from beneath hers and intertwined his fingers with her, locking her in place. “Not your brother. This was before him.”
“Oh King, I’m so sorry.”
Thank God she didn’t try to withdraw her grasp from his. She was the only thing keeping him anchored to solid ground. Without her, he’d crumble. He needed her. He needed her soothing touch as much as he needed to breathe. “I haven’t been with anyone since.”
Slowly, Laura pulled free from him. Her fingers drifted up his arm over his shoulder and touched his cheek. It was all he could do not to curl into her palm.
“And you feel like you betrayed her memory with me?”
King had to force the words out of his throat, and damned if it wasn’t one of the hardest things he’d ever done. “Maybe. I vowed I’d never love anyone again after her, but I care about you so much.”
Would she think less of him now that he’d admitted his weakness? He searched her gaze for any hint of disgust but found none. Instead, her irises turned to a dark green, filling up with an emotion so intense he couldn’t even put a name to it.
“Stay here,” she said in a gentle, yet firm voice and rose from the bed. Like a moth to flame his eyes were drawn to her exquisite naked form as she slowly walked over to the fireplace. When she reached up high to pull the candles down from the mantle he swiped a hand over his mouth. Before returning to the bed with her bundle, she stopped at the bed stand and extracted a small lighter and then resumed her position next to him, sitting up Indian style.
She’d taken the three candles down, the large cylindrical shaped one in the center of white ivory and the two smaller cone-shaped ones of the matching color. Wordlessly she passed him the larger one, positioning it in his hand so that he held it upright. Curiosity took hold in his despair. “What are you doing?”
“Sometimes our emotions are too hard to explain with words. They’re too complicated. And I would never dishonor your wife’s memory with something shallow or cheap.” As she spoke, Laura struck the lighter, leaned forward, and lit the candle in King’s hand. A small flame flickered and then grew strong and bright, its glow illuminating the dark room. Still unsure, he kept a wary gaze on Laura.
She placed the lighter to the side and then picked up the other two smaller unlit candles. “That flame represents your love for your wife and child. It’s still just as bright as it used to be. And I would never want to take that away from you.” Laura’s voice crackled slightly, her eyes deepening to an even a darker green. King’s heart clutched. But damned if he could talk. His entire soul was at war, the honor and love he’d once felt for Trinity battling the new intense feelings he felt for Laura.
She tipped forward the long, tapered candle in her right hand until it touched his, and sure enough, that candle lit, with the flame equally as bright and burning. “And this is the love I feel for you, Kingston Kenrich. Just as strong and just as bright.”
A subtle tremor worked its way up his back, his foundations shaking. Heaviness filled the air.
Laura leaned forward again, lighting the third candle with both hers and his before pulling them away. Three flames danced in unison, burning as bright as the fire in Laura’
s gaze. “And this is the flame for Faith, because I love her as much as I love anything in this world. As much as you love your family. Love isn’t a fixed thing. It’s infinite. It never stops growing and it can be shared. I’ll never try to put out your love for your family, just as I know you’ll never try to put out the love I have for mine. But we can all exist together, equally as important and equally as strong.”
All the air left his lungs as he stared at Laura in awe. He’d never imagined that God could create anyone as perfect for him as her again. And yet, there she sat, beautiful, bold, compassionate, and knowing exactly what to say. In that instant the past five years of guilt and shame melted, dripping slowly down like the hot wax down the candle. It didn’t go away completely, but King drew in a breath and felt…warm. The cold, hard, aching knot had loosened. And the woman sitting before him was the reason for it.
His hands shaking like a damn baby, and him completely uncaring, King lifted up onto his knees, careful to keep the candles upright. Moving them to the side carefully, he leaned between her two outstretched arms and kissed her soft lips. Once. Twice. Pulling back, keeping his gaze locked fully on her, he took the candles back to the mantle and then returned to Laura.
His body surrounded with emotion, he carefully placed one knee on the bed, stretched out, and leaned down, at the same time taking Laura down with him. He rolled over, trapping her beneath him. Threading his fingers through hers, he pinned her hands on the mattress next to her head and did exactly what he needed to do. He took her mouth fully, thrusting his tongue into hers, slanting his head with the intensity and the rawness she evoked in him. He needed her like he needed to breathe. That little bit he’d been holding back inside had been set free. He was hard now, so hard he ached.
Without breaking his mouth from her, he shifted his knee between her legs, settled himself against her moist heat, and thrust inside. She moaned into his mouth, wrapping her legs around his hips as he began to thrust into her with all the fever he felt inside. Slow and hard, he took her until she cried out her release and he his.
And when he was done, he rolled onto his back. Taking her with him, he settled her head on his chest, sifted his fingers through her hair once more, and locked her to him. Still breathing hard, he turned his head to the side and stared at the candles. He knew now that he was free to love Laura as much as he wanted. His heart swelled inside his chest, pushing against the boundaries of his ribs. “I love you.”
Laura stared at the flames, feeling King’s steady hard heartbeat beneath her ear. Her heartbeat matched his.
She closed her eyes in pleasure, her heart breaking and searching for his all at once. It made sense now, why he’d pulled from her after their first time together. She’d been so stupid to think for even one instant that he found her lacking. King was an honorable man. He was a good man. And he was an honest man.
And he’d been struggling with this guilt this whole time. She’d been falling for him before, but now, she’d nosedived right over the cliff.
“I love you too.”
She’d never felt this intensity for another human being in her entire life. Her love for Faith had been easy and swift, fierce like a mother. But this feeling she had for King went beyond that, to a soul deep connection. The kind she knew that she’d feel even after their life together. No matter what happened, she would always have this for him.
But she didn’t want to think about what might happen in the future, all she wanted was the here and the now. She wanted to snuggle up beside him and never leave. There could not be a moment in her life that could possibly be more perfect than this.
After the intense lovemaking, and a deep emotional connection, she ought to be exhausted, but she was wide awake. Her mind whirled, racing in circles, flitting around like a hummingbird but always coming back to land on King. She tickled the thick, wiry, black hair on his chest, skimming her fingers over the various scars hidden beneath, testing the rough, hard planes of his muscles. Even stretched out fully, her toes only reached his shins and her head was just at his shoulder. And when he wrapped his arms around her she felt as though she were completely protected. Surrounded by his love.
“Laura?”
“Hmmm?”
“Faith needs a father. I want to be that man.”
Dear Lord. The blood drained from her fingers and rushed to her chest. She hadn’t told him. She hadn’t told him the truth. The thoughts ricocheted around her mind.
King squeezed her to him. She tried to pull back. “King—”
A boom shuddered through the room. Followed by another. And another. Vibrating the walls and rattling the glass of water on the bed stand next to them. Laura lifted her head. “What is that?”
King shot up. “I don’t know.”
“Is Diggs letting Faith play with the speakers this late?”
“That’s not the speakers.” King bolted from the bed. “Get to Faith, bring her. Now.”
Laura scrambled from the bed, yanking on her clothes. “I left her in the kitchen with Audra.”
King shoved his legs into his pants and grabbed his pistol, checked the clip and then grabbed her hand. “We’ve got to get to her. Stay close to me, do not leave my side. Do you understand?”
Laura nodded, unable to squeeze out an answer past the huge lump choking off her airway. “What is it? What’s going on?”
Chapter 19
King ripped open the door, raised his pistol and checked around the corner. “It’s clear.” He grabbed Laura’s hand and hooked it over the waistband of his pants. “Don’t let go.” He needed to know she was listening and staying close by, but he also needed his attention focused ahead. The booms ricocheting through his bedroom hadn’t been gangsta rap, they’d been legit explosions.
He’d been in enough battles to recognize that pounding vibration in an instant. He could hear his team shouting throughout the mansion, detected half of them down in the training facility below, the others on the floor above. He kept his gun at the ready, and moved quickly down the hall, clearing left and then right until he could see light in the chandelier at the head of the staircase. Smoke drifted upward, thick and heavy. Christ. The kitchen was on the bottom floor of the front west side of the house.
For the first time in five years King started to pray. He prayed that Faith was okay.
They increased speed, as fast as Laura could handle. They drew within a foot of the landing. He stopped, threw out his hand behind him and pushed her back against the wall. His shoulders slid across the hard surface of the wall edge as he leaned around, but before his nose cleared the corner a huge explosion rocked the mansion and the blast threw him sideways. He shoved his arm out, taking Laura with him. Debris rained around them. He took the brunt of the shrapnel in his back. They hit the floor, hard. He grunted, trying to lock his elbows out at a ninety degree angle to keep from crushing her, and rolled. They landed a few feet down the hallway.
Laura coughed, tried to catch her breath. He rolled off of her, hit his back and hissed in pain. He sat up in the next second, not giving his mind enough time to process the injury. “We’ve got to move.”
He shot to his feet and yanked Laura up with him.
“Faith! Oh my God, King, we have to find her.”
Her gaze bounced around the hallway wildly, and he knew that if she let it take over they’d both be in trouble. He grabbed her jaw, being careful not to hurt her, and said in a deadly calm voice, “Calm. Down.”
Satisfied when she locked onto him, he said, “I need you to calm down so I can focus on finding Faith.”
She nodded, sick with tears blossoming in her eyes. Unthinking, he pressed a hard, quick kiss to her lips and then planted her hand on his waistband at his back once more. “Stay close.”
And then he was moving, the unconscious training taking over. The smoke was so thick in the foyer it provided plenty of camouflage for them to work their way down the staircase without worry of being spotted. When they reached the bottom step, the so
und of a loud engine filled the air, followed by a loud crunching of debris under tires. Through the dust, an armed Humvee blasted through the gaping hole where the front doors had once been.
King locked eyes with Dawson through the bulletproof windshield. His blood went cold.
Dawson kicked open the door, his familiar face covered with rage.
King lifted his gun and stepped back, plastering Laura between his back and the wall. “Motherfucker.”
Dawson lifted his own pistol, taking aim at King’s head. “I should have finished the job when I had the chance.”
A primal growl worked up inside King. “How did you find us?”
Dawson kept his body behind the door, the armor plating protecting him from King’s fury. “Did you really think you could kidnap my family and I wouldn’t find you?”
“John!” Laura called out and tried to step around King. He shifted his shoulder back, blocking her movement.
“Stay put.” The last thing he needed was to try to focus on Dawson and Laura at the same time. Shit. Shit. Shit.
She leaned her face against his back and nodded. “Okay.” Her voice was weak and frightened. He wanted to tell her it would be okay, as if he knew that to be true.
“Laura, are you okay?” Dawson called out. He kept his pistol angled around the door but his body behind it, giving King not one inch of a target to hit. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine,” she said.
His patience shrinking by the second, King eased slowly to the right, praying that Laura would stay with him. If he could get at a better angle, and put Dawson in his sights, he could gain control of the situation. At least until the rest of the team got there. He could hear them scrambling below, knew that they were gathering for the attack. But what worried him more, was that he hadn’t heard a single sound from Faith or the direction of the kitchen.
“Stop moving before I put another bullet in you,” Dawson bit out.
“You won’t risk hitting her,” King retorted, testing Dawson’s loyalty to his sister.
Mayhem’s King: Operation Mayhem Page 15