Mission: Her Defense: Team 52 #4

by Hackett, Anna

  Luke moved closer to his woman and went down on one knee. “I’m right here, baby. I’m not leaving you. We’re both leaving here together. We have things to do after this mission.”

  A sob ripped from her throat.

  “I want you to move in with me. I want to fight with you, love you, wake up with you every day in my bed.”

  She stared at him, sucking in harsh breaths.

  Around him, Luke was dimly aware of Lachlan and his team shuffling out the remaining wedding guests.

  “I remember when I first saw you,” Luke said.

  “You scowled at me the entire time.” Her eyes met his for a fleeting second.

  “I felt like I’d been beaned in the head with a bat. You were so strong, so attractive, so damn independent. I knew I wanted you then, but I was too afraid to risk it.”

  “I felt the same,” she murmured.

  “Stay with me.” He waited until her eyes met his again. “Stay with me, Blair. I’m not losing you.”

  Suddenly, there was movement behind him, and another Cold Night man rushed at them. He was wearing a server uniform and had been hiding behind some tables. The man slammed into Luke and they skidded across the floor. Luke wrestled to get on top, jabbing his elbow into the man’s throat.

  But the man landed a punch to Luke’s mouth and he tasted blood. His head rang.

  They rolled across the floor and Luke managed to shove the man away. The Cold Night attacker was about to move, but Blair appeared. She swung the sword down.

  The man scrambled back with a yell. But her face was set and she went after him. The sword flashed again and she slashed the blade across his gut.

  Eyes blinking, the man grabbed the blade, staring at it in shock. Blood pooled on the ground beneath him.

  She yanked the sword back and the man collapsed.

  Then she turned and looked at Luke.

  His gut clenched. Her eyes were bloodshot.

  “I can’t…control it anymore.”

  “Blair.”

  A sob came from her and she raised the sword. “I don’t…want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t.”

  She nodded. “I’ll make sure of it.”

  Fear snaked through him and he rose. “Blair—”

  Chapter Eighteen

  To fight back the sob trapped in her throat, Blair bit down on her lip. She needed to swing the sword, to slice, to kill.

  She felt the power roaring inside her. Her blood pounding through her veins. The sword felt perfect in her hand.

  Again, she tried to let go but her fingers wouldn’t obey. With a yell, she charged, swinging the katana.

  She watched Luke and Lachlan duck, and a part of her cried inside. She was trying to stop, these two men meant the world to her. She didn’t want to hurt them.

  Fighting the overpowering impulse, she kept her next swing slow and sloppy.

  But the ugly compulsions inside her were increasing. Her conscious thoughts were scattering.

  She was losing herself.

  Luke. Her gaze fell on him. He was everything—so damn handsome, smart, good.

  Blair spun and crashed the sword into a table. The next moment, she ripped it out of the wood, her chest throbbing. She spun, crouching with one leg to the side and the sword held in front of her.

  Luke’s brown gaze met hers over the blade. He watched her intently, his gaze locked on her.

  “I love you,” she said, her voice shaky.

  She saw his shoulders move, like he’d taken a jolt.

  “You made me fall in love with you.” She sucked in a breath. “And I’ll do whatever I have to do to make sure I don’t hurt you.”

  “Blair—”

  She turned, running through the tables. She sprinted out onto the terrace. She was almost to the railing when something tackled her from behind.

  She went down on the ground, the sword smacking against the tiles. She turned with a snarl and saw Luke had his arms wrapped around her thighs.

  Scowling, she wrestled against him. They rolled across the floor. She held the sword tight.

  With a surge of strength, she got on top of him, straddling him. She jerked her arm and they both froze, the sword pressed against his throat.

  He didn’t move. “Blair. I’m here.”

  She pulled in some sharp breaths.

  “Blair.” She looked up and saw Lachlan step closer.

  He had no weapon in his hands. They rested by his sides and his golden gaze was on her face. Her best friend, her fellow Marine, her boss. He’d been there for her so many times before.

  “You’re loved,” Lachlan said. “You’re tough as hell, and you’ve survived so much. You can fight this and get through it. You saved me, when everyone else left us for dead.”

  She shook her head. “The sword, it’s too strong.”

  “Nothing is as strong as you,” Luke said. “Fight it, baby. I know you can.”

  She gave another sob, sensing more people moving closer. She looked up and saw Seth, Callie, Axel, and Smith. Her friends. Her teammates. The people she cared about most.

  She wouldn’t hurt them.

  With a wave of strength, she shoved Luke away, leaped up, and raced toward the railing.

  “Blair!” Luke roared.

  She reached the railing and jumped onto it. The wind tore at her dress and hair.

  “Blair, no!” Luke sprinted toward her. “You are not fucking sacrificing yourself. You can fight this.”

  “I can’t…” Her body hurt so much. Her skin was stinging all over.

  “I love you, too,” he said. “I’ve never said that to a woman before. I can’t lose you. When my mother died, it wrecked my father. Like how losing Will tore your family apart. Losing you, it would wreck me. The pieces would never go back together. I want you here, beside me.”

  His words tore through Blair, and her hands dug into the hilt of the sword.

  “I love everything about you,” he said. “I’m not letting you leave me.”

  “And I won’t hurt you, or anyone else.” She bent her knees, bracing herself.

  Luke sprang, moving fast. He grabbed her by the waist and yanked her off the railing. The sword cut his arm.

  Damn the man.

  They crashed to the ground.

  * * *

  Luke wrestled Blair. Damn, she was far stronger than usual. Her face was wild, her eyes bloodshot.

  “You are not dying here, dammit,” he snapped.

  She made another harsh sound, her knee jabbing into his gut. “The sword wants more blood.” She lifted it.

  “Then I’ll give it blood, but it won’t be yours.”

  Luke reached up and grabbed the sword over her hands…and pulled it toward him. He wouldn’t lose her. No matter what.

  The tip of the blade sunk several inches into his shoulder.

  He hissed. Damn, that hurt.

  Blair cried out. “No!”

  She released the sword, rushing to clutch his injured shoulder.

  “Axel,” Lachlan barked.

  “On it.” A heavy cloth wrapped around the sword. Axel yanked it out of Luke and out of sight.

  Luke groaned. Shit. The pain was like fire.

  “Callie!” Blair cried out.

  The medic appeared on the other side of Luke, tearing open her backpack.

  Blair, pale-faced and shaky-looking, cupped his face. “Damn you, MacKade.”

  “What? You can sacrifice yourself, but I can’t?”

  Still straddling him, she leaned down and kissed him.

  He kissed her back, biting her bottom lip. “It’s just a scratch.”

  She let out a small sob. “Right. Bet you’d say that even if your arm was amputated.”

  He managed a laugh.

  She stroked his jaw. “I love you.”

  “God, I love you too, baby.”

  He’d been so afraid of losing her. He knew his nightmares would be filled with the sight of that sword in her hand for a long time to come
.

  “Well, it didn’t hit anything vital.” Callie pressed some absorbent pads to the wound. “But you’ll need some stitches.”

  Blair shuddered.

  “That was ballsy, MacKade.” There was admiration in Axel’s tone.

  Lachlan nodded and in the Team 52 leader’s eyes, Luke saw gratitude.

  “Excuse us a minute,” Luke said.

  He sat up, Blair putting pressure on his injury. He grabbed her tight, cradled her in his lap, and pressed his mouth to hers.

  She made a small husky sound, her arm wrapping around him. She kissed him back—wild and deep.

  Cheers and wolf whistles erupted around them. When Luke lifted his head, he saw all of Team 52 grinning. Nat had appeared as well, no doubt having talked her way through the guards. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

  Voices echoed from inside. Luke turned his head and saw a group of New York police enter the ballroom.

  He sighed. “Looks like it’s time for me to do my thing.”

  Blair scowled. “You’re injured.”

  “Callie can give me something so I can get on my feet and do my thing. And it’s time for you to do your thing.”

  She tilted her head, her fingers running over his stubbled jaw. “What’s that?”

  “Disappear and leave me with the dead bodies to clean up and explain.”

  There was no heat in his words this time. She smiled at him. “You’re so good at it.”

  With a growl he kissed her again, then nipped her chin.

  “And this time, I’ll make it worth your while…later,” she murmured.

  His hands clenched on her. “I’ll hold you to that, cupcake.”

  They pushed to their feet and as soon as he released Blair, she stumbled.

  He reached for her and she pressed a hand to her head. “I’m a little lightheaded.”

  Callie wrapped an arm around her. “It’ll probably take a little while for the effects of the nanopoison to clear fully.”

  Axel appeared, sweeping Blair up into his arms. “I’ve got you. Hang on, my lady.”

  Blair scowled. “You are not carrying me out of here.”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “No, I—”

  “He’s carrying you,” Lachlan said, interrupting her. “That’s an order.”

  “Blair.” Luke cupped her jaw. “You climbed the outside of a skyscraper, battled a madman, and then fought off the effects of a cursed sword. You’re a badass, we get it. Let Axel carry you.”

  She huffed out a breath. “Oh, fine.” A tiny smile appeared. “Meet you at the X8?”

  He rubbed a thumb across her bottom lip. “I’ll be there.”

  * * *

  When the elevator doors slid open, Blair stepped into the base at Area 52. She let out a sigh of relief.

  She had her arm around Luke’s trim waist, and his arm was draped over her shoulders. They were still a bit battered, but thankfully Callie had pumped them full of some heavy-duty painkillers on the trip home.

  Seth had refused to let Blair fly, so she’d spent the flight snuggled into Luke’s side. No complaints from her.

  Behind them, Lachlan and Seth exited the elevator, carrying a large, black containment box between them. The last Muramasa katana was inside.

  She heard heavy footsteps and looked up to see Ty striding down the hallway, his white coat flaring out around his powerful body.

  “Glad to see you guys.” Ty’s gaze ran over the team before landing on Blair. “Told you not to touch the sword.”

  Blair smiled, then flipped him the finger.

  A faint smile tipped the man’s lips before he stepped closer and gave her a quick hug.

  “Just a few bruises and scrapes,” Blair said. “But we made it.”

  Luke’s hand squeezed hers. “The best thing, we didn’t lose anyone in New York.”

  That had been an unexpected boon that had made Blair’s day. Although several people were still in the hospital with terrible wounds, none had been fatal. Thankfully.

  Ty took the box, nodding at Lachlan. “I’ll take care of this. I want to run a few more tests, and then I’ll have Arlo lock this away for good.”

  “Excellent work,” a deep voice said.

  Blair turned her head and saw Jonah standing at the edge of the group, his hands in the pockets of his dark-blue suit pants. He nodded at them. “You did good work recovering the sword. Now it can’t hurt anybody else.”

  “Well, MacKade is the proud owner of twenty stitches in his shoulder,” Blair said.

  Luke smiled. “The scar will be a reminder not to piss you off.”

  A faint smile tipped Jonah’s lips. “I’m taking it that I can assume that our relationship with the LVMPD got a little closer?”

  “If you mean that Blair is mine and I’m in love with her, then yeah,” MacKade answered.

  Blair smiled up at him. God, he was going to turn her to complete goo and completely ruin her badass reputation.

  “And the samurai cult?” Jonah asked.

  “New York’s finest took in all the Cold Night members that were part of the attack. They’re questioning them and looking for anybody else that might be operating inside the US. They’ll coordinate with me and my detectives here in Vegas. There could be other cells, but we’ll weed them out. Without any scientifically enhanced swords, they hopefully can’t cause too much trouble.”

  Jonah nodded. “Which is just how we like it.”

  Axel snorted. “Until the next drama.”

  “Everyone get some well-earned rest,” Jonah said.

  Soon everyone dispersed, and Blair led Luke down the corridor to her personal quarters. They were both hobbling a little, exhaustion like a heavy blanket on her shoulders.

  Arlo appeared, a scowl on his grizzled face. “Mason, heard you climbed a skyscraper and wielded a nanotech cursed sword.”

  Blair smiled at him. “All in a day’s work, Arlo.”

  The older man made a noise. “You get any more stitches?”

  Her nose wrinkled. “Nope. But MacKade got twenty.”

  “She cut me,” Luke said.

  Arlo rolled his pale-blue eyes. “You two deserve each other.” He wagged a finger at them. “Stay out of trouble.”

  As Arlo strode off, Blair pressed her head to Luke’s shoulder. “I’m too tired for trouble. I could sleep for a hundred years.”

  He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “And I’ll sleep right beside you.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Blair rolled off Luke, her orgasm still shivering through her body. She flopped on her back beside him. Oh, she loved his big, comfy bed.

  “We should meet for lunch every day,” she drawled.

  He stroked her skin, his eyes closed. “It’s never long enough.”

  Yes, in the two weeks since their return from New York, their little meet-ups for lunchtime quickies had become a habit when she was in the city. And it was never long enough.

  Still, he’d managed to go down on her until she cried out his name, then fucked her fast and hard. She had no complaints.

  He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. She took a second to admire all that sleek, bronze skin.

  “I’ve got to go soon,” he said. “Clements is picking up a suspect for an interrogation on this latest case we’re working. Burglary ring that’s killed a few homeowners.”

  “Hope you bring ’em down, Detective.”

  “Oh, I will. I’m also planning to stop by the courthouse today and see Salvador Morgan try to slither off his charges.”

  She grinned. Baxter didn’t quite have it right. Her man was a hundred times more determined than a Rottweiler with a bone. He’d worked tirelessly to link Morgan to the theft of the swords and to the attack on her in her apartment. Not even Morgan’s slick lawyers could get him off.

  She’d stood beside him at the memorial for the fallen SWAT officers, and that had only driven him harder to ensure Salvador Morgan got what he deserved.

 
“And Baxter is back in today, on light duties,” Luke added, almost as though he’d read her thoughts.

  “How is Baxter?” Blair asked.

  Luke glanced at her. “Better.”

  Her gaze fell on the scar on Luke’s shoulder. It was healing up nicely. She crawled toward him and pressed her lips to his shoulder. He reached over and tugged on her hair.

  “I have to go, too,” she said. “I have a meeting at the Bunker.” She pressed her lips to his, taking her time to kiss him thoroughly. It was no surprise when she felt a fresh trickle of desire. It didn’t matter how much they had sex, she always wanted more of this man. “And I need to drop by my apartment and grab some clean clothes.”

  Luke’s hand shot out and he gripped her bicep. “I’m sick of this two houses thing.”

  They did a lot of back-and-forth, sometimes cooking dinner and staying at her place, but most of the time they stayed at his. She liked his pool and his bed.

  Things were good. Great. She didn’t want that to change.

  She licked her lips. “It’s not that bad—”

  “I have plenty of space in my closet, Blair. And I think your artwork would look pretty good on my walls.”

  She stilled. “Are you asking me to move in?”

  “Yes.” He tilted his head. “I was going to ask you after Christmas. I don’t know why you look so surprised. I love you, Blair. This is a natural progression.”

  She swallowed. “It’s only been a few weeks.”

  “Hell, I wanted you to move in two weeks ago. I don’t need any longer to know that you’re the one for me. And in case you need time to chew on this, down the track, I’m going to pick out a ring for you. Then I’ll propose, we’ll get married, and then I’m hoping to make a family with you. To make a future together.”

  Blair could barely draw a breath. She wheezed. “Well, you don’t muck around, do you, Detective?”

  He pulled her close. “Not with what’s most important to me. Every day, I’m reminded that life can be cut short. Every day, I remember my mother, and it makes me want to hold on tightly to what truly matters.”

  “Okay,” Blair said.

  His gaze narrowed. “Okay, you heard what I said? Or okay you’ll move in?”

  “I’ll move in.” God. Her belly fluttered.