by Cara Carnes
Dylan should’ve cleared the trip into Resino with Logan. It was dinner. Barbecue.
Hailey. He’d frozen up. He should’ve handled the situation better, or at all.
They didn’t stop her. No one stopped her.
It didn’t take a medical degree to realize this had little to do with the viperous bitch. Mary shook in his embrace. Every now and then, he understood words, but most of the mutterings were garbled gibberish against his throat. Her good hand clenched his shirt.
The truck turned into The Arsenal entrance. Dylan battled the common sense of stopping at the house, letting Logan come to them, and keeping Riley away from the compound. But Mary needed attention more than he needed to keep little sister from ferreting out answers.
“Head back to the compound, middle building.”
Riley’s small gasp and widened expression—easily visible and focused on him through the rearview mirror—made him smirk. They’d never let her get this far. Marshall would have his ass.
“Here’s good. Grab the badge on the console, get the door.”
“Right. Door.”
Riley bolted from the truck so fast he chuckled. The backseat door popped open. Nolan and Jesse appeared at the building entry, matching expressions of concern on their faces.
Marshall appeared, cell in hand. “Logan’s on his way over. You sure you don’t want her in medical?”
“I’m sure.”
“What happened?”
“That bitch cow Hailey showed up, started her typical shit,” Riley said. “Our girl here kicked her ass, then started freaking right the hell out.”
“Someone go get Quillery,” Nolan ordered. “Let’s keep the other girls back for now.”
“Except Addy. I’m not getting between her and any of her girls,” Jesse commented.
“Right. Addy’s clear,” Nolan said.
As Administrations Officer, he controlled access to all the buildings and who entered when situations happened. The glower when he noted Riley’s presence left Dylan frustrated, but he headed toward the room Mary had been bunking in and let everyone sort the rest.
Logan arrived and took over, shooing Dylan from the room. Dylan paced. Frustrated. He’d handled everything wrong at Bubba’s. She never should’ve been left alone. He’d damn near invited Hailey to pull her shit. If he’d seen her there, he would’ve turned around and come back.
No.
Hailey had run roughshod on his life long enough. Violated. Yeah, Dylan felt pretty fucking violated right about now. The murderous expression on Mary’s face when she vaulted over the table after Hailey grabbed his dick was burned into his brain.
Marshall, Nolan, and Jesse sat with Riley, Cord, and Dallas at the sofas in the recreation area several yards away. Vi and Addy sat at a loveseat, but both stood when their gazes latched onto him and Logan.
“What happened?” Vi asked. “Is she okay?”
“Let’s go sit. I don’t want to repeat myself a dozen times.”
Logan steered everyone back to the recreation room. His gaze settled on Riley, who puffed up and shook her head.
“That’s our little sister, Riley. You’d have an easier time curing cancer and colonizing Mars than getting her out of here. She’s been trying to worm her way into the compound area since we built it,” Marshall commented.
“That’s not very nice,” she whispered as she punched him.
“Is Mary okay?” Dylan asked.
“Everyone handles the emotional fallout of capture and torture differently. I’m not a psychologist or psychiatrist, nowhere near trained to diagnose or treat Mary’s situation. We need to call someone in to work with her. The sooner the better.” Logan looked around the room. “I have a suggestion, one who’d fit in well with the organization on a more permanent basis, if that’s where you’re heading. I know you’ve been considering expanding the Warrior’s Path Program services.”
“Warrior’s Path?” Addy asked.
“It’s Dylan and Jesse’s dream child,” Cord replied. “A program that lets soldiers returning home have somewhere to come and unwind, reacclimatize to civilian life in a structured, more military environment. Therapy programs and such would be a component of the expansion.”
“We’re hoping to train service animals and supply them as needed for PTSD and the like,” Jesse added.
“That’s brilliant,” Riley whispered, tears in her eyes. “Why haven’t I ever heard about this? I could help. Mom could, too.”
“We’ll chat about it later, okay?” Dylan offered.
His sister nodded.
“What can we do for her?” he asked.
“Honestly, what you’ve done. Don’t treat her any different. Let her talk if she wants to, but don’t push her into conversations. She’s accepted she needs help, so we’ll get it for her. Until then, she needs to know you’re there supporting her, no matter what. I’m sensing she hasn’t always had that.”
“No, she hasn’t,” Vi replied. “How soon can we get her help? Do I need to take her somewhere?”
“She’s not going anywhere,” Dylan said. “We’ll bring in whoever he recommends immediately. I want her safe. You, too. Driggs is still out there.”
“She doesn’t want to be treated like a freak, an outcast. She already feels like one, based on what she’s said. She thinks she only holds value as Edge and sees Mary as a ghost,” Logan explained.
“Disposable. That’s how she referred to herself.” Dylan looked around the room. “I’m not okay with her feeling like that.”
“None of us are, brother.” Marshall stood. “Thanks for the info, doc. Cord and Dallas will get whoever you recommend here, stat.”
Dylan didn’t wait for permission to see her. He entered the room and waited for her to turn and notice his arrival. She’d showered and changed clothing. The pale blue shirt fit her generous curves snugly. The yoga pants hugged her lush ass.
What a horny bastard. She’d just had a panic attack because of her capture, torture, and rape, and he was standing there admiring her ass. Jesus. He swiped a hand through his hair and approached.
A soft smile formed on her face. “I’m kind of hoping you got the barbecue to go, because I’m really hungry now.”
He chuckled. “I’ll have someone run in and grab some for dinner.”
“Sorry for freaking out and making a scene. I didn’t realize how bottled up everything was, and I’m not sure why seeing that woman mauling you made me go off, but I’m really sorry and...”
Dylan put a finger on her full lips to halt the apologies. Each one made kissing her harder and harder to resist. She had no idea how much of a temptation she was, how much he wanted to taste her sweetness, stir the restless curiosity he sensed in her.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart. Hell, I should thank you for getting that bitch off me. When the time is right we’ll talk about Hailey, okay?”
“It’s not any of my business,” she whispered.
“Yes, Mary.” He waited until her soft blue eyes met his. “It is. Everything about me is your business because I want it to be. Okay?”
A cute blush rose in her cheeks as she nodded. Her pale pink tongue swept across her lips. “I brushed my teeth.”
Her eyes widened as soon as the blurted statement tumbled from her. Dylan chuckled and studied her expressive face, the way her forehead furrowed when she closed her eyes and softly chided herself for being stupid. So cute.
He cupped her face and ran his thumb along her cheek until her eyes opened and she watched him. Mouth slightly open, she didn’t move or blink, as if waiting for something.
“I’m going to kiss you now, Mary.”
“I-I’m not very good at all this,” she whispered. “Maybe we should wait until...”
“Until what?”
“I don’t know. Next century or something.” She looked down and settled a hand on his chest, but then froze and pulled away.
“You can touch me whenever and however you want,
Mary,” he whispered. “You don’t need permission, but I’ll give it anyway.”
“O-Okay.”
“Does it bother you when I touch you like this?” he asked, stroking her face gently.
“No, it feels nice.”
“Good. You okay with me kissing you, sweetheart? I need you to talk to me. I can tell you’re scared, maybe a bit confused.”
“More embarrassed than anything. I’m not very experienced, Dylan. I’m not even in the same playground as you. You’re major league, and I’m like the kindergarten T-ball flunk out.”
“I’m thinking warning you I was going to kiss you was a bad idea,” he said.
“No, it’s just that—”
Dylan claimed her mouth, locking his lips against hers in a soft, slow sweep. He tasted her honeyed skin, nibbling and guiding a response. He grasped her waist and continued the kiss until she relaxed into the contact and hesitantly responded, as if doubting he was there, kissing her.
THE KISS WAS FEATHERLIKE and exactly what she needed, a testament to Dylan’s firm control and cautious nature. She put her hands on his arms because touching his muscled chest tempted her to run her hands along his firm abdominals. That wouldn’t make her any better than the pawing bitch in town.
He taunted and teased with his tongue, daring her to give chase. The playful kiss turned seductive when he deepened contact. She followed the lead he assumed with ease.
By the time he severed contact, her brain was a foggy mess, and her lips throbbed with a well-kissed sensation she wanted to experience again and again. Gaze on his mouth, she wondered what it’d feel like to have his kiss somewhere else.
“You keep looking at my mouth, sweetheart, we’ll both be in trouble. Your girls are outside, two of them anyway.” Dylan ran a hand down her arm. “You okay?”
Mary nodded. “Thanks for not pushing, making me talk about...stuff.”
“I’m here whenever you’re ready, but Logan mentioned you’d asked for help. We’re going to bring someone in, okay? Jesse and I were already working on starting up a program here, and that needed someone. This is really good timing. I’m glad you’re ready to talk to someone.”
“I...Having someone here for people to talk to is a good idea, especially with everything you all experience. Hopefully, they won’t be pushy and try to make people talk. An open door is a lot easier to walk through when a friend is on the other side.”
“Yes, it is.” He took her hand. “Let’s go run the gauntlet. I’m starving.”
Vi and Addy swarmed her just outside the door. Neither cried or carried on, thank goodness. The Mason brood huddled nearby, all tight, encouraging smiles and relaxed stances. The blonde from Bubba’s approached.
She had Dylan’s deep green eyes and skin so soft and gorgeous it almost hurt to look at her. Mary drew away from Vi and Addy and planted a hesitant, but friendly smile on her face. At least she’d showered and cleaned up a bit this time.
Oh, God, can she tell I just face-molested her brother?
“I’m Riley. I just have to say I love you. The way you handled Hailey? Wow! I’m girl crushing hard on you.” She smiled. “Dallas went to grab some barbecue for us all. I hope you’re hungry.”
Even though her words were friendly, her gaze kept sweeping the area. Dylan settled protectively behind Mary.
“Riles hasn’t been in the compound before. She’s a bit curious. Cord mentioned he had coms ready to establish contact with your man, Graves. They’re stateside now, and he’s attempted contact a couple times.” Dylan squeezed her shoulders. “If you’re up for it before we eat, I figure you and Quillery could take care of that. He’s worried.”
Fallon Graves was the kind of man who’d move a mountain to save a kitten. To him she was the kitten. She and Quillery both.
“Quillery? I thought your name was Vi.”
“It is. Well, Viviana really, but I go by Vi. Quillery is my codename. Mary is known as Edge.”
“Codename? Like a spy codename?”
“Hardly, we’re strictly back office. Vi and I handle whatever researching, hacking, decrypting, and stuff a team needs. We’re their eyes, ears, and brains, if necessary.”
“That’s so cool.” Riley looked behind her. “If even one of you tries to stop me from going and watching this, I’ll hurt you so bad you piss blood for a month.”
Addy chuckled. “I like you.”
“What do you do?”
“Oh, I’m kind of like them I guess.” Addy motioned toward the guys. “I do field work.”
“Wow.”
“Oh! I’m going to go get Bree and Rhea so they can eat with us,” Addy said. “I’ll be back.”
“What do Bree and Rhea do? Are they super spies, too?”
“No. They’re brainiacs. One created a super-secret, powerful energy system, and the other designed biochemical and neurological weapons small enough to fit into the small drones Mary and I made.” Vi walked toward the doors leading to the operations building.
“Now you’re just messing with me,” Riley said. “There’s no way.”
“Oh, yes way.” Vi replied. “Tell you what, Marshall asked for a demonstration of HERA’s abilities. What do you say, Mary? Should we set up a demo for tomorrow, first thing in the morning?”
Vi’s definition of demo was a bit more violent than Marshall and his brothers probably realized, but Mary needed a mental diversion from the headspace she’d been occupying. Logan had talked her into seeing a therapist. A head shrink.
She’d had a few less than stellar attempts at therapy growing up and promised herself she wouldn’t try again when she was old enough to make her own decisions. But Logan was right. She deserved to have a clean start, and that meant a good housecleaning of the brain. He hadn’t exactly framed it like that, but it made sense to her in that context.
Dylan remained nearby, but his brothers hung back as they entered the operations room. Vi did the tourist thing for Riley while Mary sat down with Addy at the controls. She tapped a few keys on the keyboard as her friend helped put the headset on her.
The speakers came to life as the call went through.
“Graves.” His voice boomed on the overhead speakers.
Riley and Vi froze near the monitors as she activated the visual feed with his smartphone.
“Jesus,” Riley whispered.
Mary chuckled. Fallon Graves left many female admirers in his wake. “Edge here. Glad you and the noob made it out without incident.”
“Damn good plan, as always, Edge.” His mouth set into a firm expression she recognized too well. “What have I missed?”
Mary summarized the incidents with Hive, the burned assets under Driggs’s command. Her kidnapping. “Quillery and I are at The Arsenal now. I want you here, Graves. So do they.”
“The Arsenal. That’s the Mason brothers, right?” he asked.
“It is.” Marshall stepped up. “Marshall Mason. Edge has a lot of good things to say about you.”
“Worked with a Mason during a black op a while back. Dylan. Kickass soldier, saved my ass.”
Mary tensed. When was that? What had happened?
“It takes one to know one. It was a pleasure working with you, even if I had no clue who you were back then,” Dylan commented. “We’d be glad to have you here.”
“I’ve never been one to settle down in one place for long.”
“We’re not much on that ourselves. Fortunately, we’re wheels up more than down. I’m not a daycare facility. You’d be your own sitter. I offer more than fair wages, housing if you want a secured place to crash without the hassle of upkeep, and a good benefits package. And toys. Lots and lots of toys.”
“They getting your toys, Edge? You know I’ve wanted to play with those for a while now.”
Dylan tensed beside her. Mary quirked an eyebrow at the operative smirking at her through the feed. Graves was a shameless flirt.
“Quillery and I are offering them whatever toys they want, exclusive use. We’re
putting on a little demonstration in the morning.” She let the statement hang there without invitation.
“Don’t start without me.”
The feed cut off. Mary removed the headset and looked around.
“Okay, I think that went well.”
“Sounds like we have incoming. Where was he calling from?” Marshall asked.
“Unknown,” Cord replied. “I’ll let the front gate know we’re expecting a visitor sometime tomorrow.”
“I don’t think Graves is gonna hang around the entry waiting for permission to get inside, especially if he knows Edge is here. The boy is very protective of his Edge.” Vi waggled her eyebrows.
Mary groaned and shook her head. “It’s not like that. Don’t make it dirty. We’ve worked together a lot. He’s like a brother.”
“Pft. Please. I’ve got six of them. Let me say. That man was not talking to you like any of them have ever talked to me.” Riley wiped her forehead. “I almost combusted just listening to him.”
Dylan growled beside her.
“It’s not like that,” she whispered to him.
“I don’t share,” he replied.
“Good. Because neither do I.” She touched his arm and smiled. “Feed me.”
CHAPTER NINE
“So, what’s with you and my brother? I totally felt the vibes there.” Riley leaned in and waited for a response.
Mary choked on the rum and Coke she’d sucked down faster than a thirsty camel. She should have stopped at the third, but this was the first girls’ night she’d had in forever. Maybe Vi was right and she needed to learn to relax, not worry so much.
They were huddled in Mary’s room, all six of them. It was a tight squeeze, but no one seemed to care. Riley had hauled over two humongous bottles of liquor, a cooler of ice, and more mixers than Bubba probably had at his barbecue bar.
Mary leaned back against the pillows and rubbed her belly. She’d eaten her weight in ribs. They’d been too yummy to resist. Bubba had sent a herd of ribs and brisket out. Apparently feeding the entire Mason brood was an event—one rarely taken on since Rebecca Mason, their mom, loved cooking. And fussing over her boys.