“I take it Greenwold isn’t happy his collection service was dismantled.”
“You’d be correct. He’s asked for, and was denied, several meetings with Tom. He also tried going around him to the vice president to ask him to speak to Anderson.”
By the time Garrett had finished his brief my head was pounding. “The VP is a slimy prick. Did he talk to Tom?”
“Oh, yeah. VP Perkins tried several times to get the president to reinstate Angel, but he won’t budge on this. We all know how he feels about spying on his own people. They know they’re fighting a no-win situation. Unless—”
The vice president wasn’t Zane’s favorite person. Power had gone to Perkins’s head and he’d made questionable decisions over the years.
“They get their hands on Erin,” I provided.
“Correct. We have a team in place to bring in Greenwold. You have twenty-four hours until this is all over.” Zane was quiet for a moment before he continued, “Red is going black, zero contact for at least forty-eight hours. Gold Team will be on standby, Declan’s staying behind with them. Once we have Greenwold out of the country, Dec will be in contact.”
I wasn’t surprised Zane had given Declan Gold Team. He’ll make one hell of a team leader. The time he’d spent as a deep-cover agent had taught him a lot. But Dec had something the military, CIA, or the NSA couldn’t teach—good instincts. It sucked losing him as a member of the Red Team, however, he was restless, still beating back demons he didn’t want to share. Maybe this is what he needed to find the salvation he was after.
“Copy that.”
“Wolf’s team has been briefed. They’re ready if there’s a need. Everything straight there?”
Knowing that Wolf and other SEALs in the area had our backs made me a little less apprehensive about my team being out of the country.
“Five by five.”
“You two hold fast there and you’ll be home soon.”
“Roger.”
“Erin?” Zane called out.
“Yeah?”
“Your dad wanted me to tell you he’s proud of you. He also asked me to tell you he’s sorry.”
Erin bowed her head and closed her eyes, but not before a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Tell him I love him and I’m proud of him, too. He taught me to never give in to those who try and make you go against what you believe in. I’m proud my dad has stood by his convictions.”
“Will do. You two stay safe. Out.”
I closed the lid of the laptop and placed my cell phone on the table next to it before I settled back on the couch with Erin, still on my lap. I couldn’t begin to put into words how impressed I was with how she was handling everything. Not to mention, how very wrong I’d been about her, she was not even close to being the spoiled princess I’d thought her to be. She was strong and capable. Her courage and composure were remarkable.
“It’s almost over.” Instead of smiling like I thought she would she frowned, and her eyebrows drew together. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Everything. I don’t know.”
“Break it down. One problem at a time.”
“I’m scared. Really scared. And I’m afraid after this I always will be. Which makes me a total baby because Olivia was actually—”
“Don’t compare yourself to her. An imminent threat can be just as damaging as the act. Does that make sense?” Erin shook her head. “Yes, Olivia was held hostage and some bad shit happened to her. But it happened quickly. She didn’t know it was coming. You knowing someone is out there looking for you, waiting to grab you is almost worse. They’re terrorizing you. There is nowhere you can go to get away from the knowledge. But I promise you, when this is over, you’ll move on.”
“What happens when all of this is over?”
“What do you mean?”
“With us?”
Thank fuck, she asked. I’d been waiting to have this conversation but didn’t want to push her.
“We continue to take things slowly and figure out where we want this to go.”
“I don’t want slow.”
I had to smile at the vehemence of her statement.
“We need slow. I need to know you’re with me every step of the way. And you need time to make sure I’m who you really want. The real me, not the man hired to protect you.”
“I already know you are.”
“Then I need to know that.”
“Why? I’m telling you you are.”
I waited until she finished nervously shifting on my lap, and her eyes settled on mine. I’d learned a lot about Erin, most was a contradiction from what I’d thought in the beginning. I knew she was headstrong and smart. Independent and funny. All great qualities for a woman to have. But there was one thing that stood out the most. When the shit hit the fan, and we were in a life or death situation, she didn’t cower and hide. Even though she was frightened, she stood next to me, ready to help. Erin was strong and brave and had my back. She was willing to do what it took to save our lives including shooting out tires if necessary. Couple that with everything else, I knew she was the woman I wanted in my life in a very permanent way.
“Because, I’m falling in love with you. And before I’m ass over tea kettle, I have to know you’re with me.”
“I’m with you,” she whispered. “As a matter of fact, I’m a few steps ahead of you. But I’ll wait until you catch up.”
Sitting on the couch in Abe’s cabin in the middle of an op wasn’t the place I ever thought I’d admit to her I was falling in love. And it certainly wasn’t the place I thought I’d utter those words to a woman for the first time—ever. But it was where we were, and the woman sitting in front of me was, indeed, the first woman I’d ever said the word love to. There was no more denying that’s what I was feeling.
Some of her hair had fallen out of the clip she’d used. Reaching behind her, I released the rest of her hair, letting it cascade past her shoulders and down her back. I threw the plastic fastener onto the table and fisted a handful of her silky strands, pulling her lips to meet mine. Erin’s hips rocked over my hard-on and after the last few nights it wouldn’t take much to make me shoot off in my jeans. The friction was damn near painful as I tried to control the fast-building pressure.
“Erin.”
“I want to touch you.” She didn’t wait for my answer. Her hands were at the bottom of my shirt, yanking at it. I sat up, allowing her the freedom to pull it over my head. “Damn.”
Her hips stopped rubbing against me, but her hands roamed my chest and abs, giving me a small reprieve.
“Have I ever told you how sexy your chest is?”
I was no stranger to compliments on my body. Men and women alike had commented while I was at the gym. But hearing her say she liked what I looked like made my stomach tighten, and my heart constrict.
“Thanks, sunshine. Glad you approve.”
“I’d approve more if you’d let me take off your pants.”
Now, that made my cock twitch.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“What if I keep mine on?”
“Are you trying to bargain with me?” The corners of her lips tipped up, and I returned her smile. “God, you’re beautiful.”
“I’m not only beautiful but an excellent negotiator,” she teased.
“Is that so?”
“It is. I think it’s my turn. You’ve had the pleasure of having me at your mercy, and I’ve yet to get into your pants. Seems a little unfair.”
“My mercy, huh? Is that what you call me having you screaming in ecstasy?”
“It is.”
“I would hate for you to think I’m being unfair.”
“Well, that’s what I’m thinking right now. And the only way to rectify the unfairness is if you let me take your pants off.”
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at her playful banter. There had been no other time in my life where humor had been a part of foreplay. But with Erin, her wit
was just as much of a turn-on as her body. For the first time, I knew what it was to be attracted to a woman’s mind. She was the whole package.
“One condition,” I told her.
“What’s that?”
“That you understand just because I’ve given you multiple, fantastic, out of this world orgasms, doesn’t mean I expect anything in return.” I was trying to make light of the situation. But I wanted to be clear I wasn’t joking. “I told you, having you in my arms is more than enough for me.”
“Out of this world, huh?” She continued to smile. “Fantastic, you say?” she asked as her hands reached for the button of my jeans. “Why don’t we see what adjectives you can come up with after I’m done with you.”
She drew the zipper down, and my cock threatened to tear through the cotton of my boxer briefs. Her finger touched the wet spot on the fabric where pre-come had already seeped from my cock, climbed off my lap, and stood next to the couch.
“Take ’em off.”
Shit. This was really happening. I lifted my ass, and when my jeans and boxers were halfway down my legs she took over and impatiently ripped them the rest of the way off. I had no time to worry about my cock bobbing free when she stepped between my knees and lowered herself to the floor. I was going to protest, not wanting her kneeling on the hard wood when her hand wrapped around my cock and squeezed. The objection died now that I had bigger things to worry about, like how I was going to stop myself from coming in three seconds.
“Easy, baby,” I begged.
She removed her hand and I was both grateful and dejected I’d lost her touch.
“Oh, no you don’t.” I tried to stop her before she pulled her shirt over her head. “Your clothes stay on.” But it was too late, her bra came off next.
“I’ll keep my pants on.”
This was not a good idea. I wanted to go slowly. I didn’t want to make love to her in the middle of an op while emotions were running high. Even if I knew how I felt about her, I wanted her to be sure. And, at this point, it wouldn’t take much for me to be the one begging for her to let me fuck her. All it took was her small hand wrapping back around my cock and slowly gliding up and down to make me forget. I forgot everything: the op, all the reasons I wanted to wait, why I hadn’t let her touch me. Everything flew out of my mind as I focused on the feel of her.
“Is this okay?”
“Yes,” I croaked out.
Her hand sped up, and she paused on the tip to gather more of the liquid now freely leaking. My head fell back, and I was in a trance, with each stroke she brought me closer to the edge.
“So good, Erin. Faster.”
Her pace quickened, and my balls drew up. I’d known this was going to be the world’s fastest hand job but I hadn’t known it was going to be this quick.
“I’m there. Don’t stop.”
Her tongue swiped the head of my cock, and my eyes flew open in time to see her pull the tip into her mouth and suck while her hand worked my shaft.
“Holy fuck. I’m gonna come. Pull off now if you don’t want me to blow in your mouth.”
I cautioned her once, but there was no time for a second warning before the heat rose, and jets of come exploded from my cock into her warm, waiting mouth.
“Erin!” I shouted as the last of my orgasm waned.
Jesus Christ, I could barely hold my head up, it felt like every ounce of energy I’d had shot out of my cock, leaving me exhausted.
Erin pulled off and settled back on her knees and looked up at me with her big, brown eyes shining.
“Out of this world?” she asked, still slowing stroking my softening erection.
“Yes.”
“Fantastic?”
“Fuck, yes.”
“Wanna ’nother one?”
The playful smile of her face was a thing of beauty. A smile I wanted to see every day. A smile I wanted to be responsible for putting there for the rest of her life.
“I think it’s your turn.”
“I think you should teach me all about this sixty-nine position I’ve heard about.”
My dick jerked and instantly started to harden again at the thought of eating her out while she sucked me off.
“Let’s go.”
But neither of us made the effort to move. Our eyes stayed locked in the stare, the look conveying more emotion than words could. Yes, I was falling fast and hard for Erin. I was in for a world of heartache if, after we got home, she decided she didn’t feel the same way. I’d been lying to myself earlier when I’d told her I was falling in love. There was no more falling—I was already there.
Chapter 13
I was exhausted and thoroughly satisfied. I’d lost count of how many orgasms we’d given each other yesterday and well into the night. I hadn’t thought it was possible, and every time I told Colin I couldn’t, he proved me wrong, wringing another one out of my spent body. He was . . . actually, there were no words for what he was. Magnificent didn’t begin to cover it. The man was skilled, that was for sure, but there was something else, too. I could feel the reverence in his touch. He still refused to have sex and I gave up begging him to. There would be no changing his mind, which went a long way in confirming he was the man I thought him to be. Honorable and true to his word.
“Anything from Zane?” I asked when Colin came into the kitchen.
“No. I don’t expect anything from him for the next two days. Declan confirmed they have Greenwold.”
“Where will they take him?”
“An undisclosed OCONUS location.”
“What does that mean?”
I held up a coffee cup, and he nodded.
“Outside continental United States.”
I poured his coffee and thought about how different things were. He’d yet to withhold any information from me since that first talk. I was sure there were some things he was sugar coating and I was okay with that. I didn’t want the terrifying details, all I needed was to be told what was going on around me. And he’d more than shown me he trusted me with the information.
“What will happen to him?”
Colin accepted his cup and leaned against the counter. He was so freaking sexy I almost spilled the hot liquid down the front of my shirt. Lesson learned, never stare at Colin while trying to sip morning coffee.
“They’ll place him in rendition. Zane and the team will try and extract as much intel as they can. Once the team feels they have everything they need, Greenwold will be left there and the guys will come home.”
“How long will he stay there?”
“Indefinitely.”
“Forever?”
“Yep.”
Colin hadn’t skipped a beat. His features hadn’t changed, and he drank his coffee as if we were talking about the weather and not a man who was going to be locked away for the rest of his life.
“He has a wife and kids.”
“He does.”
“He’ll never see them again.”
“He won’t.”
“Colin!”
“What?”
“We’re talking about a man’s life. His wife and kids will never see him again. Don’t you feel . . . I don’t know . . . something?”
Colin set his cup down on the counter, took mine out of my hand and placed it next to his. He picked me up as if I weighed nothing, plopped me on the granite countertop, and stepped between my legs.
“The only thing I feel is relief.”
“Relief?”
“Something you need to understand about me, Erin. I’m not a nice man. Not when it comes to the safety and well-being of those I love. I give zero fucks what happens to him. If it were up to me, he’d have a bullet in his forehead and no one would have to worry about feeding him for the rest of his miserable life. And if he cared about his wife and children, he would’ve thought twice about what he was planning. He knew what the repercussions were for plotting against the FDOUS. He still stalked you, terrified you, tried to kidnap you, and when that didn’t wor
k his cronies tried to kill you. So, sunshine, the only thing I wish was different is that it was me standing in front of him right now extracting information. Instead, my team gets the pleasure. Do not forget, Greenwold is a traitor.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
And I didn’t. I should’ve been afraid of the look on Colin’s face and the fact he admitted he could easily kill a man. But I wasn’t, I felt oddly safe.
“Nothing to say. But you’re going to have to make a choice. This is my life. This is who I am and what I do. The government contracts me to take out the worst of the worst. The terrorists, traffickers, scumbags, and the horrible men and women our country doesn’t want the good citizens to know about. This is me, Erin, a contract killer. You need to decide if that’s something you can live with. I can’t change who I am and what I’ve done.”
“I don’t want you to change.”
“It’s easy to say that standing here with me in front of you. It will be something else entirely when I’m called out of your bed in the middle of the night and sent off to places unknown. There will be a lot I’ll never be able to tell you. I may be gone a day, or a week, or a month. You’ll never know the where, the who, or the why, but you can be sure when I return, I’ll do so with blood on my hands.”
“Your job is important. You protect people. I know you can’t tell me the specifics of what you do. I’ve learned a lot in my seven years living in the White House. I understand operational security. And I would never ask you to compromise a mission. But you have to understand, I’m stronger than you think. For the record; you don’t come home with blood on your hands. You come home a hero—”
“Don’t make me out to be something I’m not.”
I moved my hands from his shoulders up to his face and rested them on his cheeks, taking a moment to choose my next words carefully. “I know you don’t think of yourself as a hero. Less than one percent of the US population has served in the military. Of that, less than thirty percent has seen combat. That makes you part of a very special group of men and women who have put themselves in harm’s way for this country. Breaking that down further, I’d guess that of those thirty percent, only a handful purposefully and gladly would continue to do so, simply because they are needed. There is no glory in your job. No awards or accolades. It’s thankless and dangerous, and you do it because someone has to. You answer a call not many are brave enough to. That is a hero. I won’t lie to you, it scares me. I saw a very minute part of what you do in the car last week. I was so terrified when we were being shot at, I couldn’t think straight, but not you. You handled it like it was no big deal, an easy day for you. So, I get it. There will be secrets between us. Time will separate us, and danger will be a part of our lives. But if, at the end of the day, that means I get you, I’m okay with it. All of it.”
Rescuing Erin (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Red Team Book 5) Page 9