Stronger (The Unit Book 2)

by Greyson, Sarah

  “What? No one knows it’s here.”

  “Are you kidding me? That’s the first place people look,” he admonished her. Her face flushed and heated under his look of disapproval. What was it about him that made her want to please him in all things, even something so small as where she kept her key?

  Rob shook his head as Lola unlocked the door. She had one lock on the outside of the door, which was a deadbolt, to her credit. One would think her father would want more security for his daughter after the temper tantrum he had thrown today.

  She unlocked the deadbolt, opened the double door, and they stepped inside to the vestibule. She used the key to unlock the second deadbolt on the hardwood double door which protected her home from the outside world. She pushed her shoes, which were two sizes too big for her, off of her feet and placed them in the closet in the vestibule. She looked at Rob.

  “Sorry, but we may need to move. My shoes stay on my feet. And as soon as we are inside, you are putting on a pair yourself.” He smiled to please her. She nodded, understanding he was just trying to stay prepared. They stepped through the second set of doors into one of the most luxurious homes Rob had ever seen. Her daddy was definitely paying for this, or she had money of her own.

  “Are you renting?” he inquired curious as to her financial state.

  “No. Daddy insisted he purchase it for me if I was going to live here, in Cambridge.”

  He was immediately taken in by the earth tones which adorned the walls and the plush carpet that matched exactly. The floor plan was an open one. Standing in her living room, he could see a working fireplace which embellished the right wall before the staircase. Her lush furniture was perfectly positioned in her living room creating a classic space for entertaining. She had a coffee table in the middle of a couch, a love seat, and a recliner. He wondered which seat was her favorite. He noticed she did not have a television in her living room. Odd. That’s when he turned his head and looked to the left wall where she had four book shelves filled with books that appeared to have been read over and over again judging by the worn and cracked spines.

  “No TV?”

  “I like to read.” She looked adoringly at her makeshift library. One day she would have a real library. But for now, these shelves that housed her favorite escapes would have to do.

  Beyond the bookshelves and past the living room was her dining area. She had leather padded chairs surrounding a glass table top. As Rob moved closer, he could see the intricate leaf pattern that served as the base of the table. He admired the look. Everything went together in her home.

  “Did you decorate yourself?”

  “Yes. I insisted. Daddy wanted to hire someone, but I refused. As you can imagine, he wasn’t happy about that.”

  “I like your place. It has a homey, calm feel to it.”

  “Thank you,” she said as her cheeks flushed for the second time that morning.

  Finally, at the back of the home was her kitchen. It was filled with state-of-the-art appliances all in stainless steel giving it a professional quality. It wasn’t a large kitchen, but it was high end. Rob could tell remembering when he priced appliances to redo his kitchen.

  Lizzie. The way they had spent time painstakingly decorating their home together. The fun they had at Home Depot picking out appliances and cabinetry. Her laugh. He bowed his head as the memory hit him. He rocked back on his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets.

  “What’s wrong?” Lola asked noticing his change in demeanor.

  “Just thinking.”

  “You look like you just lost your best friend,” she said as she approached him cautiously. She now stood in his personal space. The air around her crackled to life with energy and electricity. She could feel the tension, the energy between them. She wanted to calm him. She wanted to please him. She wanted to remove that sad, hopeless look from his face. She touched his arm and he jumped. He was brought from his misery back into the light. His eyes met hers and he stared unabashedly. She felt the heat, the fire, of his stare. She ran her hand lovingly down his arm towards his hand which was still in his pocket. When she reached it, she tugged it free and took it in hers. She didn’t know what came over her, but she brought his hand up to her mouth and placed a gentle, soft kiss, brushing her lips over the skin on the back of his hand. He instinctually stepped closer to her. She took his hand and used it to caress her face. She rubbed the back side of his hand over her cheek.

  “Don’t,” he cautioned. “I’m broken.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t mean to fix you,” she said as she brought his hand back down to his side and held it in hers.

  “I need to look around. See what I need to keep you safe.” He had to escape her presence. He felt the tension, the energy, the electricity between them so thick, he didn’t know how he resisted not taking her in his arms and kissing her until she forgot everything but him. But, he could not betray Lizzie. He jerked from her and moved to the stairs.

  “Is it okay if I check out the upstairs? I need to see the breaches in security you have in this place.”

  “Sure.”

  He made his way up the rounding stair case. He came to the first room on the right – her bedroom. He inhaled deeply the smell of honeysuckle, so sweet and fragrant. He looked around and found she had windows that could be accessed from the fire escape. The fire escape is probably why she chose this bedroom, but from a security standpoint, it was extremely dangerous. Her bed was adorned with a lavender comforter and matching throw pillows. He never understood throw pillows. Lizzie had them on their bed, too. She had two dressers, each dark mahogany to match her bedframe. She had a king sleigh bed. His thoughts drifted to her sleeping in the bed. What he would give to wake her up with gentle kisses and nuzzle her neck, all the while inhaling her sweet fragrance, touching her soft skin. He imagined the way her body would feel under his. She was toned yet soft in the right places. He wanted to feel her ride him as he cupped her firm ass with one hand and her breast with the other. She was a remarkably beautiful woman, incredibly athletic. He was too broken for her. She deserved someone better. He shook his head and made his way back into the hallway.

  The next room he encountered was the bathroom. It was spacious and luxurious like the rest of her brownstone. He found the same earth tones here as he did in the rest of the home. In fact, every room had a complimentary earth tone color. All except her bedroom, painted a shade of lavender to compliment her bed spread.

  When he finished assessing her security or lack thereof, he returned to her in the living room. The secret of her favorite seat was now exposed as she sat on the couch’s right hand side with a book in her hand. He approached so quietly, she never looked up from her book. He stood there a moment drinking in her beauty. Her long hair was draped over her shoulder, out of her way. Was she a natural blonde?

  “You have some serious security issues with your home. For instance, anyone can enter your bedroom through the fire escape stairs and platform.” She looked up, startled by his presence. She hadn’t heard him enter the room.

  “You’re the expert. What does that mean?” She wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly what that meant, but for some reason she had to hear it come from him.

  “That means my job is going to be a lot harder. Why didn’t your father pay to have some high-tech security installed in your place?”

  “I didn’t want it. I want to live like a normal person.”

  “Well, until my team can neutralize the Ortiz Cartel, we will have to get a system installed – with cameras.”

  “Okay.” She stood and walked to him. Once she was in his space, she held out her hand. “Can I borrow your cell phone please? I need to call my father to have him install his precious security system.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. When he handed it to her, their fingers brushed and the electricity that coursed between them caused both of their heads to rise and their eyes to meet. She bit her bottom lip. He groaned silently. He wanted to nibble her botto
m lip, so plump, so red, so ripe.

  After she asked her daddy for the system, she handed the phone to Rob.

  “Yes sir. I understand. Tonight, that would be great. Yes sir. The sooner, the better.” He pressed the end button and looked to Lola. “They will be here in a few hours to install the system. Are you hungry? I’m starving. I don’t remember the last time I ate.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean. I haven’t eaten a solid meal in weeks. Shall we go out? I don’t have anything here.” She motioned to the kitchen.

  “Let’s hit the grocery store, and I will cook us something. Do you like broiled Mahi Mahi with arugula?

  “I love Mahi Mahi. It’s one of my favorites. But I can cook it. You don’t have to. You’re here for a different reason.”

  “I don’t mind. I enjoy cooking.”

  “Why don’t we cook it together?” she suggested meeting his eyes with her hopeful ones. It was very important to show him she wasn’t a spoiled princess.

  Could he do this? Could he cook with another woman? A woman who wasn’t his Lizzie? He looked into her eyes and saw the hope and excitement there. He couldn’t let her down. “Sure. We can do that.” He bowed his head and wiped at his nose. He was reliving the times he and Lizzie cooked together, too numerous to count. He rubbed the heel of his palm against his chest to rub out the pain of her memory. He tried to push the memories of Lizzie to the back of his mind, but he knew only alcohol could do that. Alcohol and now his Lola.

  Again, she sensed his pain. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No. I’m fine.”

  “Clearly you’re not fine. What is going on? You can talk to me. I won’t judge you, I promise.”

  “No.” He turned away from her.

  Not being able to stand seeing this man who she was so desperately attracted to in pain, she approached him. She stood behind him and felt the heat crackle between them like a wild fire burning out of control. She reached for his shoulder, but he shrugged her hand away. How was she going to reach him?

  How was he going to forgive himself for losing Lizzie so he could finally move on? How long was he going to torture himself with her memory? When would it finally begin to fade? When would the movie and her cries stop playing in his mind?

  Chapter 15

  Securing the outside, he led Lola to the SUV parked in front of her brownstone. Opening her door, he helped her inside. Once he closed her door, he rounded the vehicle and hopped in the driver’s seat.

  “Can you direct me to the nearest grocery store? One that will have the ingredients we need?”

  “Sure. Go straight and make a right at the second light.”

  He pulled out onto the street with ease. Following her directions, they arrived at Whole Foods Market and he pulled into the lot and parked the car. Again, he placed his hand on her knee, and again it felt like her body had caught fire. A simple touch was too much for her.

  “Stay here until I make sure we’re safe. I don’t think we were followed, but just let me check.”

  She waited patiently inside the SUV while he monitored and observed his surroundings. When nothing appeared threatening, he opened her door and extended his hand to her. Without being shy, she took his hand and this time interlocked their fingers. They held hands into the store.

  They traveled down the aisle with Rob pushing the cart and Lola placing the items inside the basket. They strolled up and down every aisle. Lola took great comfort in the mundane experience of grocery shopping, especially with Rob at her side. When they turned down the spice aisle, a woman openly stared at Rob. Lola was desperately attracted to Rob and his gorgeous features, so she shouldn’t be surprised other women would be too. But something about the way this woman was looking at Rob raised the hair on the back of Lola’s neck. She had never felt jealousy before, but she was feeling it now with a vengeance. Lola had to stake her claim on the man by her side. She reached down and grabbed Rob’s hand, interlocking their fingers together. Rob, surprised and taken aback, jerked his head at Lola. He saw her staring at the woman who was checking him out. Wanting Lola to know he felt the same way about her, he brought her hand up to his lips and pressed his lips softly to the back of her hand. Surprised and curious, she looked at him. His lips tugged at the corners of his mouth. Her cheeks burned at being caught acting jealous. His grinned widened and for the first time since meeting him, she saw his glorious dimples in both cheeks. That smile was worth all the embarrassment and then some. Right then she made it her mission to get him to smile like that more often, especially at her. He always looked either serious or sad. It was such a heartwarming relief to see him smile at her. It felt like this man was going to give her a chance.

  After covering all of the aisles and getting what they needed, they headed to the checkout. Rob insisted on paying. She would never understand why. It was clear she had way more money than he did. He worked for a living. She had a well-endowed trust fund. Nevertheless, she let him have his way, because it brought another dimpled smile to his face.

  He realized he was having a good time. It had been a long time since he felt that way. The last time he truly enjoyed himself was with Lizzie. Guilt consumed him. How dare he have a good time when Lizzie wasn’t even alive anymore? He shook his head and folded back in on himself. The real Rob was shut down once again to Lola. Rob couldn’t make eye contact with her. He cast his eyes upon the ground until they stepped out of the grocery store, and then her warrior was back. Little did he know Lola was on a mission? And when she was on a mission, she could be ruthless.

  Arriving back at the house, they unloaded the groceries, and Rob helped put them away. Rob got out the pan and the ingredients to cook their dinner. Lola busied herself making the marinade for the fish. Once she was finished, she handed it to Rob. Rob poured the marinade over the fish and placed it in the refrigerator for a few hours. The security installation team would be there any minute. He peeled two carrots and handed one to Lola to snack on while they waited.

  ∞

  The men arrived, and Rob questioned them on their level of expertise as well as the equipment and the installation. He knew as much as they did by the time they were done.

  This was no ordinary, simple system any trained criminal could bypass by turning off the power. No, this system was the best money could buy. They installed ultra-sensitive motion and body heat detectors. This was backed up with motion detectors able to tell the difference between a human and a cat on all windows and doors. Cameras were set up on the fire escape, front door, and back door which would feed into the monitors now taking up desk space inside Lola’s living room. The men had to access the roof to install the box necessary for all monitors and motion detectors. Rob would know if anyone was trying to gain entry into her brownstone. Also, part of the security package was a tracker they placed on her necklace which was chosen because they had not removed it the first time they took her, so chances were, if they got her again, they wouldn’t remove it.

  Her necklace meant so much to her. It had belonged to her mother. Her mother loved the ocean and so did Lola. She went every chance she got and even learned how to surf. The necklace had a seashell charm dangling from it, perfect to attach the tracker to. She didn’t care, as long as they didn’t break or ruin the charm. It was all she had left of her mother.

  “Are they going to have to break the necklace?” she worried while she looked down at the floor. He could sense the necklace was important to her and felt an overwhelming desire to reassure her.

  “No. They won’t break it. Watch. They are going to place that tiny little piece inside the seashell with superglue. You can take it to a jeweler and have it removed once this is over with.” He reached out his hand and ran it up and down her bare arm trying to assure her that everything was going to be okay. She had to be scared, but she sure didn’t act like it. He admired that about her.

  Once the tracker was installed, she was instructed to never remove the necklace, not even in the shower. Now she could b
e tracked from Rob’s cell phone and Blackrain’s office.

  The men finished up leaving Lola and Rob alone once more. Rob returned to the refrigerator and removed the fish. Lola began setting the table. Absentmindedly, she placed a candle in the center of the table and lit it. Rob had finished preparing the meal and served two plates, placing them on the placemats Lola had set out. Lola sat down after getting them drinks. She flaked off a piece of the fish and moaned at how delicious it was. “How did you learn to cook like this?” she asked watching Rob sink back into himself. Why did she keep losing him? “Look, I don’t know how long we are going to spend together, but I honestly would like to get to know you. What happened? You can tell me. I will understand,” Lola begged Rob wanting to ease some of his hurt.

  “I lost my fiancée to a terrorist group known as the Armed Islamic Group. They operate out of Algeria but a year and a half ago they had a cell in the states. They kidnapped her and killed her.” He surprised himself. He never talked about it with anyone other than Michael or his other brothers. What was it about her that made him so honest?

  “Rob, I am so sorry. Did she suffer?”

  “I don’t really want to talk about it. Let’s just enjoy our meal,” he said with a smile that didn’t reach his sad grey eyes.

  She flaked another piece of fish and ate it with a bite of arugula. “Thank you for protecting me. Why did you decide you wanted this case?”

  He couldn’t tell her he wanted her like his next breath. He couldn’t tell her he longed to feel her body respond to his. He couldn’t tell her she cleared his mind better than any drug prescribed by the doctor could. Because doing that would be betraying Lizzie, and he couldn’t do that. Lola was different than the women he slept with. Lola made everything okay. Lola eased his mind and his spirit. She made him want to be a better person. He could feel things for her. In fact, he already did.