by Anna Hackett
Ash tossed his friend a salute. He had a mission to prep for, and was going to spend it looking forward to the chance to get close to a certain sexy tech genius.
Chapter Four
Marin watched her tiny spider bot skitter across her desk in the tech lab. It didn’t require a controller like a drone. Instead, she’d programmed the bot to be autonomous, with one driving goal—to find the best spot to tap into the Gizzida system.
The bot had six little articulated legs, contained some alien technology, and was covered in scales. It was a blend of human and raptor tech that she’d been working on for months.
And now it was time to deliver it to Ash Connors.
Her stomach turned over and her nerves sprang to life. The man was too…much. Too big, hard, sexy, handsome. She stood and reached for the spider bot. Regardless of all the glorious maleness that was Ash, she’d promised to deliver this to him. The spider bot jumped onto her arm and crawled up. She grabbed it and tucked it in the breast pocket of her checked shirt.
As she walked through the corridors, a few people called out greetings. Everyone here was going about their lives. Teachers were leading kids down to the classrooms. Men and women sporting toolbelts were heading out to where they were outfitting new living quarters for the intake of new survivors. A smiling couple walked past, hand-in-hand. Off-duty squad members were heading into the games room.
Despite the fact that they were forced to live in hiding underground and were fighting for their survival, the small aspects of life hadn’t changed. Kids still grew up and learned, people still worked, ate, and slept. Couples still fell in and out of love, and babies were born. Everyone in the Enclave had their place, and a part to play in keeping their little part of the world functioning.
Marin headed down a ramp and into the corridor where the squad locker rooms were located, right near the Hawk hangars. She found the door with Squad Three written on it, and paused. Someone had taped a rather good sketch of a muscle-bound, tattooed man wrestling with a raptor on it.
From inside, she heard the rumble of male voices. They’d be doing their final preparations for the mission. She gave a brief knock, then pushed the door open.
Just inside the door, she jerked to a halt, her mouth dropping open.
“Hey, Marin,” Hemi called out.
She blinked. Hemi was pulling armor on over his black cargo pants. He was wearing a gray T-shirt that was stretched to the absolute limit over his broad, muscled chest. Beside him, Tane was also in black cargo pants, but wasn’t wearing a shirt. Oh. My. God. She stared at perfectly-formed muscles covered in bronze skin and black ink. His dreadlocks brushed his shoulders, and he lifted his chin at her.
Movement caught her eye, and she managed to drag her gaze off Tane’s ridged abdomen. Dom was sitting on a bench, thankfully already dressed in his armor. He was methodically shoving knives into sheaths strapped to his thigh. Griff stood just behind him, also in his armor, and checking a carbine over.
As she glanced past them, her breath caught in her chest, and she was pretty sure her eyes grew to saucer size. Levi was naked. He had his back to her, giving her a perfect view of his muscular, tattooed back. It was completely covered in ink. At first, she thought it was some sort of bird, but then she realized it was an angel. A dark, avenging angel with night-black wings.
Of its own accord, her gaze dropped down to a very tight, muscled ass. He half turned, and when he spotted her looking, he grinned at her before pulling his trousers on. As he moved, she caught a wink of metal in his nipple. God, his nipple was pierced.
Suddenly, a big body stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Levi. Dark-green cargo pants rode low on narrow hips. There were hard abs. Sweet Jesus, so many hard abs. Ash had an eight-pack, and Marin took a second to count each contoured ridge of muscle.
Stop staring, Marin. She dragged her gaze up. He had ink on one pec as well, and every inch of him was hard and lean and chiseled.
She felt a rush of dampness between her thighs. Clearing her throat, she looked at his face. He was scowling.
“You have the tech?”
She nodded. He was probably pissed at her for staring at him like a sex-deprived hussy. “Ah…I need…” What the hell did she need? Marin couldn’t seem to get her brain firing. She saw Levi shift into view behind Ash. He had clothes on now, and was tying his hair back.
Ash sidestepped and blocked her view of Levi again. “You need what?”
“Huh?” God, get it together, Marin. You aren’t a trembling virgin. “I need…” Her gaze drifted down again. “You to put a shirt on.”
Chuckles sounded, and Marin felt heat in her cheeks. One of Ash’s eyebrows rose in a flash of amusement. He leaned over, grabbed a T-shirt, and yanked it on.
Finally, she got her brain cells functioning. “I’ll need to give you some instructions about the spider bot.”
He nodded and gripped her arm. Marin’s brain cells blissed out again. There was so much strength in that grip, and she saw his hands were scarred. This was a man of action, who wasn’t afraid to fight, and stand between people and danger.
Ash pulled her out of the locker room. As he strode down the hall, she had to work hard to keep up with his long stride.
“You enjoy the view?” His voice was sharp.
Right, he was pissed she’d looked at him. “Um. I’m not going to apologize for being female.”
He grunted.
Well, Marin would have been mortified if he’d seen her undressed. “I’m sorry, Ash. I didn’t even think you’d still be getting dressed. I’m sorry I stared at you.”
He glanced at her sharply. “I was dressed.”
She tried to look solemn. “No, you weren’t. You didn’t have your shirt on and I saw that you have an eight-pack. And a tiny mole beside your navel.” Oh, God, stop talking Marin. But she couldn’t help the babbling. “You must have very low body fat.”
A flash of amusement crept into his blue gaze. “Levi was naked.”
“He was?” All she could see in her head was Ash’s bare chest.
“Yeah.”
She frowned. “Right. He was. I’m sorry I saw him naked.”
“He won’t care.” Ash’s scowl reappeared. “He probably liked it.”
“I should have knocked louder.”
Ash just shook his head, and led her through a large doorway.
The Hawk hangar was a huge, cavernous space filled with coverall-covered maintenance people bustling between the Hawk quadcopters. Marin loved the quadcopters. They were such a great design, and perfect for getting the squads in and out of missions. They’d lost a few since the start of the fight against the Gizzida, and the maintenance team were very protective of the remaining aircraft.
Ash pulled her over to where some crates were stacked against the wall. He gestured for her to sit and then sat across from her. He hitched a leg up and his thigh brushed hers. Marin worked hard to keep her brain from drifting back into drooling mode.
“Where’s the bot?” he asked.
Marin pulled the spider bot out of her pocket and held her palm up.
He leaned forward, interest igniting in his eyes. “It’s a spider.”
She nodded. “I designed it based on a spider’s physiology. It’s an autonomous bot, so he’ll travel himself, tracking down any signal he detects from the raptor system. Then he’ll find the best place to spike in.” The bot skittered up her forearm. Ash held out a hand, his fingers brushing hers, and the bot leaped across from her arm to his hand. She felt a spike of heat where their skin touched.
“This is amazing, Marin.”
“Thanks.” Heat filled her cheeks. “So you just need to get close enough, then it’ll do the rest.”
“Got it.”
She showed him how to deactivate the small bot and he tucked it away. Then his gaze met hers and he tilted his head. “I have a question for you.”
She shifted on the box. “Okay,” she said, suspiciously.
�
�When I get back, do you want to grab a drink?”
Marin blinked. “A drink?”
He smiled “A drink. A cold beverage.”
She frowned. “You mean with the berserkers? To celebrate the mission?”
“No. Just you and me. The two of us.”
Marin frowned. Where did this come from? Was he making fun of her? “Are you playing me?”
His eyebrows rose. “No.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Why do you want to have a drink with me?”
He leaned closer and his scent hit her. Something dark and sexy. Her pulse spiked.
He smiled at her again. “I think you know why, Marin.”
Ash loved watching the little crease appear in the middle of Marin’s brow.
“No, I don’t,” she answered.
“Yes, you do.”
She blinked. “Then it’s a no.”
He straightened. That wasn’t the answer he’d been anticipating. “No?”
She waved a hand in the air. “Guys like you, do not have drinks with women like me.”
“Women like you?” He wasn’t sure where she was going with this. And to be frank, he wasn’t used to women saying no to him.
She shook her head, her curls bouncing. “You need a woman like Indy. Sexy and confident.”
“Indy is a friend. She’s like a sister to me.”
Marin leaned forward, like she was imparting a state secret. “Ash, I’m a geek.”
“I know. A smart and sexy geek. I like it.”
She froze. “You do?”
“Yes.”
Then she shook her head. “No. Handsome biker bad boys do not find geeks sexy.”
“I do. I like smart, funny, and fresh.”
“You’d find it interesting at first. You’d think I was funny or cute. But then you’ll decide I get lost in my work and don’t give you enough attention. Or that I need to talk and smile more. Or dress sexier. Or I’ll say something that makes you feel dumb.” Her eyes widened. “Which you’re not.”
“Marin.” He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Don’t judge me by the dickheads you’ve dealt with in your past.”
He watched her mouth drop open, then click shut. She stared at him, and he could almost hear that clever brain of hers ticking over.
“I like you. I’d like to grab a drink with you.” Then strip you naked and lick you all over. Something told him she wasn’t quite ready to hear that, yet.
She shook her head again, and he was mesmerized by the bobbing curls.
“It’ll start with a drink, then you’ll break my heart and stomp on the shattered pieces. I’m not equipped to deal with you.”
Ash started to laugh, but when he realized she was serious he bit it back and sobered. “Don’t say that. I’m the one who’s out of your league. You’re smart and brilliant. I went to college for a grand total of eight months. I bet you have more than one degree.”
“Three. But that’s beside the point. I’m—” she looked down at their joined hands “—I’m not brave enough.”
Ash had seen enough bad in his life to recognize good when he saw it. “Yes, you are. We both know you’re fiercer than you give yourself credit for, Princess.”
His words fell between them and Marin froze like a stone. Her wide eyes glued to his face, and then something flickered in them. “SuperSoldier3?” Her voice was a whisper.
Shit. He’d given himself away. “Marin—”
She shot to her feet. “You’re SuperSoldier3?”
He held out a hand to her. This wasn’t how he’d wanted to reveal himself, right before a mission. “Marin—”
“Oh, God.” Her cheeks turned pink, and she glanced around wildly. “I thought you were someone off the tech team, not a berserker.” She was breathing fast now, her chest rising and falling.
Ash grabbed her hips and pulled her between his outstretched legs. “Breathe, Marin.”
“This is…is…” She closed her eyes, her face growing pale. “I told you things.” Then her eyes snapped open. “Oh, God, I touched—” She broke off.
“You touched yourself.” He pulled her closer when she tried to yank away. “And it was sexy as hell, Marin. I touched myself while I imagined what you were doing. Came harder than I ever have before.”
Her lips parted, and his gaze slid to them. Shit, she was so cute.
“This can’t be happening,” she murmured.
“Marin.”
“This is a joke, right? Make fun of Marin Mitchell.” She arched her neck, looking around. “Are your squad mates going to jump out and have a laugh?”
“No.” Anger fired. “I told you not to judge me by the assholes you’ve dealt with before.”
Her eyes glinted. “The assholes in school or college, or the assholes when I started work? There have been plenty of them.”
Damn, he’d fucking screwed this up, big time.
“I won’t be the butt of anyone’s joke.” She yanked away from him.
Ash surged to his feet. “I told you, I’m not making fun of you. This is—”
“And I told you, I know the rules of the world. Men like you do not end up with women like me.” She spun to stalk out.
He grabbed the back of her shirt, and held her in place. Damn, he didn’t have time to sort this out right now, and he hated seeing her go like this. “I have to be on a Hawk in twenty minutes. But I want you to think about the fact that I don’t give a fuck about anyone’s stupid rules.”
She froze and looked at him over her shoulder.
“I didn’t care about following the rules before the invasion, and I sure as hell don’t now.” He used her shirt to reel her in closer.
She struggled for a second and Ash reached around, gripped her jaw, and tilted it up to him. As soon as his lips touched hers, she went still. Then she opened her mouth and a moan vibrated deep in her throat.
So damn sweet. Ash plunged his tongue into her mouth, drinking in the taste of her. She spun, her hands sinking into his shirt and kissed him back. She pressed up against him, making hungry little noises in her throat.
Damn, he needed more time. Which he didn’t have. He’d never suspected that Marin was hiding a wild side under her checked shirts and curls.
He deepened the kiss, making it long, wet, and hard, before he lifted his head. “Shit, Marin, I’m hard as a rock. That kiss just about blew my head off.”
Marin stumbled back, lifting a hand to touch her kiss-swollen lips. “That…I…” she paused, dragging in a breath. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
“Bullshit. It happened and is going to happen again.”
She straightened, that stubborn look coming back into her face. “Ash, I like fitting things in the right place. I like rules—”
“And I like to break them.” He stepped closer, until only an inch separated them, and lowered his head until he felt the flutter of her warm breath on his cheek. Fuck, he wanted to kiss her again. “I have to go, but when I get back, I’m coming to find you, Princess.”
Chapter Five
Marin stood at the back of the Command Center, trying not to fidget.
Around her, the quiet hubbub of activity barely registered. Her gaze was glued to the camera feed on the screen on the wall. It was from a helmet cam, and showed the inside of a Hawk. The quadcopter was speeding toward alien territory.
She was still in shock about Ash’s revelation. Her brain still wasn’t willing to accept the information, and shied away from the thought of him being SuperSoldier3. She twisted her hands together.
Ash Connors was SuperSoldier3. Her SuperSoldier3.
And he’d kissed her. And boy, the man could kiss.
Her gaze fell on Indy, who was seated behind a comp and looked completely composed. The tattooed woman was drinking coffee from a huge mug. How could she be so relaxed, knowing her friends were headed into danger? The general stood quietly to the side, his hands clasped behind his back. Noah was leaning against a table, eating an apple.
&n
bsp; God, Marin’s nerves were making her feel sick. That, along with knowing she’d had online nookie with Ash Connors.
Don’t forget the hard, hungry kiss that left you damp, needy, and tingly.
Great. All she needed was her inner hussy reminding her of every little, sexy detail.
On the Hawk, the berserkers were talking and joking. They were heading into alien territory, but didn’t show a shred of fear. Marin didn’t know how they did it.
Her gaze found Ash and flutters started up in her belly. Her gaze traced the line of his strong jaw. Why did he have to be so handsome?
“Nearly at the touchdown point,” came a deep male voice. She knew it was Finn Erickson, the Hawk pilot.
Marin’s nerves were stretched tight. Ash was SuperSoldier3. Jeez. She squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach churning. She still couldn’t quite believe it. Maybe if she ignored it, it just wouldn’t be true. A girl could dream.
“Oh, those berserkers.”
A woman’s low murmur made Marin look over. Two Command Center technicians were talking to each other nearby.
“Big, bad, and tattooed,” the other woman said with a sigh.
“I’ve been trying to get Ash Connors into my bed for weeks.”
“I hear he loves going down on women. He can go all night.”
Marin stared hard at the screen, her cheeks and her ears burning. She did not want to think of Ash with other women. Or what he did with those other women. On the screen, she watched the Hawk start to descend. She edged closer to Indy. The woman was leaning forward now, monitoring drone feed of the area.
The quadcopter halted a few meters above the ground. Tane pulled the side door open and in the Hawk, the berserkers flicked on their illusion armor. The illusion systems were designed to camouflage by blurring them on visual, distorting sounds, and jamming sensors. One by one, the soldiers all flickered out of existence.
“How do you keep track of them?” Marin asked, curious.
Indy didn’t look up. “Like this.” She touched something on her comp. On the screen, a ghostly outline of each berserker appeared. “I have a special filter that lets me see them.”