Delta_Ricochet

by Cristin Harber

  “He did excellent,” the surgeon said. “We’ll transfer him into a bedroom, and the nurse will review everything you need to know.”

  Another person walked by, patting the doctor on the shoulder, and walked out as though they hadn’t just finished surgery.

  “His medications will be delivered within an hour,” the surgeon continued. “He should do great.”

  This was the moment when she had to tell him that she wasn’t staying, that she had to run to save his life and hers, that playing house seemed like a dream come true, but Adelia wasn’t blessed enough to have one of those lives where fairy tales happened. The surgeon’s lips continued to move but she wanted to cry as nothing he said registered

  “Do you understand?” His brow furrowed.

  She blinked, wiping away another rogue tear before it slipped down her cheek. “I do.” Her voice cracked, terrified to do what was best for him. “I’ll keep an eye out for his meds.” She shook, praying this was the right decision. “He’ll do great.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  The dull ache in Colin’s side was enough to remind him where he was before he opened his eyes. He couldn’t place the job, but he knew without a reminder that he lay on his back, surrounded by medical equipment on the completed side of surgery, coming down from a post-op high.

  Dry mouth made his tongue furry, and his eyeballs had a pulse. But this had to be better than whatever laid him out to start with. Grimacing, he tested his limbs one at a time, failing to recall much past the clouds and the cobwebs.

  A gentle touch caressed his hair. Sweet words whispered to him. Colin wanted warmth. He needed the comfort, and like the fog evaporating, small increments of alertness broke through the haziness until he knew Adelia was nearby, quietly talking and telling him stories.

  “Glad to see you waking,” she urged him further awake.

  He ran his tongue along the roof of his mouth. Vivid memories sputtered into place. Distant beeps of medical equipment chimed. He squinted, pulling from the noise, needing to escape the pain.

  “You’re okay.” Her cool touch slid along his forearm. “Everything is fine now.”

  Colin groaned when he angled onto his side, grinding through the last hold of his waning anesthesia.

  “Try to remain still,” she cooed.

  Who knew how long had gone by since he last opened his eyes, but this time his eyelids stayed opened, and Adelia’s face came into focus.

  “This feels like shit,” he muttered.

  She laughed loudly as though that wasn’t what she expected. “I bet it does, baby.”

  His heart lodged in his throat. “You’re here.”

  “Wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

  “Ha.” If he could make their world a better place, he would. Snap his fingers and wish she didn’t have a reason to stress. “Hey.” He licked his chapped lips and grinned. “Think I’m good as new.”

  “Unreal.” She shook her head. “I’m not a huge fan of the macho tough guy stuff.”

  “What?” He pulled back his elbows, trying to sit, and changed his mind. “It’s just a scratch.”

  “I’d hoped to have someone reasonable to chat with when you woke up.” She side-eyed him. “But I guess not.”

  He cleared his throat, taking a sip of the water she offered. “You’ve had unreasonable people?”

  “Delta’s medical team is intense.”

  He chuckled. “So are military guys.”

  “Maybe everyone is, and I’m just a free spirit,” Adelia added.

  “As compared to who?” Colin scoffed.

  “I don’t know?” Adelia rubbed his shoulder. “A motorcycle gang?”

  Colin cracked up at that and maybe the image of Adelia the free spirit and ignored a brutal bite in his side. He leaned the opposite way to pull her closer.

  “Careful,” she warned. “I have strict instructions.”

  Tape haphazardly clung as he lifted his arm, gritting his teeth and draped it behind her back. “That’s better.”

  Adelia tensed as if she might break him if she moved.

  “Come on. Take a breath.” He rubbed the part of her arm that he could reach, almost enjoying the soreness from the slightest moves. It was like an invisible badge of honor. No one could see that it hurt to comfort her. “Adelia…”

  “I’m fine.”

  Stubborn but not fine. “Baby.”

  Her posture loosened. “You’re not allowed to sound cute when I’m worried.”

  “Relax with me.” He nuzzled against her silky hair. “Listen. We’re okay.”

  She straightened again. “You almost weren’t.”

  He squeezed her shoulder. “Almost. I’ve almost a thousand times in my life, but almost doesn’t stop me.”

  “It should.”

  “Nah,” he disagreed in her ear. “It makes me stronger.”

  Her head dropped with a harsh, disbelieving laugh. “God, me too, and it isn’t safe or sane.”

  “Ease up on yourself.”

  She rolled her forehead against him. “You don’t believe in fate, do you?”

  He leaned back, humming. Did he believe in fate? That there was an unavoidable future he couldn’t back away from. No. He believed in logic and free will. Strategy and choices. “No.”

  “If our wedding puzzle pieces didn’t fit together, then life might never have pushed us together again?” She shook her head. “I cannot believe she did it again.”

  Colin played over Adelia’s words twice, and that wasn’t the anesthesia talking. “What?”

  She laughed. “Seven’s always says that she saves my butt, and somehow she’s going to take credit for me not getting shot.”

  Colin laughed but still flinched again in pain. “Oh, don’t be funny.”

  “Wasn’t trying to!”

  She rolled to face him, and Colin lost himself in a daze of half-wakefulness as her hair teased his skin and her brown sugar eyes melted in amusement.

  “What?” Her fingertips explored his cheek.

  The coarse hairs along his jaw stood. His skin cooled where her touch had been, and awareness roll down his neck.

  “What’s the look?” she asked.

  “Nothing.” Easier to say that than explain how he was suddenly lust-drunk.

  Adelia angled back, scrutinizing. “You just had surgery.”

  “I didn’t say anything. What do you think I’m going to do? Rip your clothes off?”

  “Too bad.” Her fingers trailed his arm. “Just kidding, but soon enough.”

  His gaze followed the ripple of goosebumps she made. “When you act like that, maybe a little pain doesn’t matter.”

  “Okay, tough guy.”

  “Careful, babe,” he teased. “Stroking my ego will do nothing but cause my stitches to tear.”

  “You don’t have stitches,” she corrected him, her hands slowing to a stop. “You have glue.”

  “Damn you make me happy.”

  “Even when you’ve been shot.” The twinkle in her eyes made him feel light in bed. Or, horny, which was impossible not to be while in bed with her, even if he wasn’t coming out of a stupor. But beside the ever-present ability she had to arouse him, he liked how her sass when it wasn’t camouflaged to cover her armor—which was noticeably absent.

  “I’m glad you’re here with me.”

  “I know.” She cuddled close again. “Don’t waste your energy explaining.”

  She worried more about others more than any person he’d ever met. “You’re too good for your own good.”

  “That’s why we’re in this predicament, remember?”

  The armor was down, without a double, and he couldn’t have been more clear-headed than that moment. Colin wasn’t just glad she was there but needed her by his side too. It wasn’t a decision, just a clarity his priorities.

  She murmured and snuggled close, letting her lips drift sweetly to his neck, and Colin’s eyes slid shut. Content in his realization, he relaxed until she fell aslee
p with him stroking her hair.

  He blinked—and again, realizing he had fallen asleep but woke this time more alert, next to a freshly showered Adelia. “I’ve been out for a while, huh?”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  She helped him take his medicine and awkward kick out of bed, so he could hit the head, and wash himself off. What should have taken thirty seconds felt like hours of hard labor, and he returned to the bedroom to find her patiently waiting with a plate of food.

  They ate in a window nook, overlooking a surreal backyard that was fit for a family with kids and a dog, and then he took her hand, they explored the house. With every step and stretch, his muscles worked out their kinks, and the food did its job, fueling his body and nourishing what had been depleted.

  Colin didn’t know if one day had gone by or if it had been ten, but he did know he wanted to sleep again, and turning to Adelia, her eyes reached for his. She didn’t complain but their heaviness called for sleep even as he watched her try to fight it. “Tired?”

  “Maybe a little,” she admitted.

  Her eyes fluttered.

  “Have you ever gone to sleep and not worried?”

  Adelia grinned softly to answer that she wouldn’t answer and headed toward the hall. “Want anything before bed?”

  How had he missed that the tough, sexy biker chick was nothing but a giver at heart? Everything she did, every reaction she had, stemmed from a brutal upbringing and a questionable savior in Mayhem. The more he saw, the deeper he fell for her, despite the stubborn streaks and protective distance he didn’t understand. It took one hell of a strong woman to take the hell she’d been handed and simply survive.

  “You coming?” she called, poking her head over the banister.

  “Yeah, babe.” Through thick and thin, he had a feeling he’d follow her over and over again. May God give him the strength to survive whatever came next.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Adelia’s sleepy dreams were pleasantly interrupted by Colin’s warm arms, and she nestled closer, hoping that he’d be there to meet her when she drifted back to sleep.

  But she couldn’t fall again, and restless, the only thing that had her concentration was his breath against her ear. Their legs had tangled while they’d slept, and she briefly worried about how his side was, wanting to push him onto his back, then selfishly, she stopped, enjoying the heavy weight of his legs wrapped with hers.

  She noticed her own breaths, each seemingly intentional, as though she had to remember to breathe, and Adelia wished she could ignore that powerful way he enveloped her body. His hand had found itself resting on her bare stomach, under her shirt while they’d slumbered, and maybe that was why her dreams were so pleasant.

  “You smile in your sleep.” His lips nipped against her ear lobe.

  “You’re awake?” She shivered, then inhaled deeply. “I had a good dream.”

  “What about?”

  “It might’ve had something to do with being the little spoon.” Her pulse jumped at the unexpectedly soft drift of his rough fingers over her stomach. “You’re moving around a lot.”

  “It’s hard not to.” His hand slid toward the top of her pants.

  She bit her bottom lip, wishing that meant he’d touch her and knowing he was just stroking her stomach. Her selfishness was nearly out of control when he teased her, but she couldn’t listen to reason, especially not when he made her heart thunder anytime he came within striking distance of spots that were most sensitive.

  He played with the top of her pants, and if she could’ve pinned her hips to the bed in order to stay still, she would have. Acting like a statue was so damn hard. She needed to be responsible, and he was supposed to rest and recuperate, and if she spontaneously exploded from a bit up need, that was on her.

  The tips of his fingers teased at the opening of her pants. Her eyes squeezed shut as a brutal flush of arousal curled up her spine. “Colin… What are you doing?”

  His sexy laugh rumbled low against her ear, and even if he hadn’t been skillfully unfastening the top button of her jeans, she would’ve felt the spike of every goose bump and shiver cascade across her body at the low baritone of his amusement. “Should I narrate?”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Her voice trembled with a need that he had to have heard loud and clear.

  “I’m sliding my hand down your pants,” he narrated anyway. “Want to know why?”

  “Ah…” Adelia could answer for him as the confident strokes of his exploring fingertips moved under her panties. “I could guess.”

  “If you guessed, that would save me energy.” He wasted no time, cupping against her mound and pressing his fingers against her damp skin.

  She sucked a deep breath in, still completely wanting this and positive that his surgeon and nurse would say no!

  Her eyelashes fluttered at the delicious dance he teased her with, stroking and rubbing, teasing and thumbing her clitoris, carefully delving back to her slick fold. “The nurse said doctor’s orders... were…” He stole her breath with his fingers. “Take it easy.”

  “I heard…” He dropped kisses along her neck. “Spread your legs wider for me, beautiful.”

  Nearly shaking in anticipation, Adelia inched her thighs apart. Colin’s warm breath became hotter against the shell of her ear. Her thudding heartbeats galloped faster as two thick, long fingers pushed into her body.

  Her jaw fell open, and she arched off the bed with Colin’s approving murmur buzzing close.

  “Just like that.” He plunged his fingers into her again, and the deep roll of his voice vibrated down her neck, straight to the tips of her breasts.

  Colin swiped his tongue swiped across her ear lobe as she arched, moaning for more, and he eased his fingers, telling her sweet things about her tight pussy.

  He thrust his fingers again, starting a pattern that promised her she could fly higher than the moon.

  She opened her eyes, not realizing she’d tossed her head to the side, and came face-to-face with him. Her mouth took his, kissing him harder than she should, and their tongues tangled, hungrily and possessively. Need and desire made the kisses addictive, and she was too close to the edge of control. “Wait—Limited activity. Nothing strenuous. I’m not strong enough to behave.”

  “Good thing I have—”

  “Will power?” Adelia panted. Right now, she wasn’t sure Colin really had that in him. There was only so much torture a man could take.

  “You.” He drove his fingers into her most sensitive spots, holding her gaze, adjusting his angle until she was on the verge of tears and clawed the sheets.

  She was so close—and she wanted to kill him. “God.” Adelia thrashed. Her hips writhed in time with Colin’s fingers, hovering on the edge of a climax that almost hurt. Her hands went into her hair.

  He carefully pitched toward her, drilling his hand between her legs. “Look at me.”

  Adelia did, and his blue eyes were a sea of her emotion like a mirror of everything she was scared of and hadn’t thought about in years but trapped away to protect her. He could do that. Even shot and bandaged, Colin could protect her, keep her, want to make her feel good. He needed her as much as she needed him, and realizing that, she fell apart.

  “Yes.” His primal groan fed needy feminine light inside her.

  Her chin bobbed like she was answering a call to the wild, giving way to emotion she couldn’t dare touch. All of her shined bright. Every part of her screamed for him, for more, for everything she could give him as her legs went numb and her pussy quivered. Wave after wave of a climax rolled over her, and his exhausted words told she did well, that she was beautiful—that she was his.

  If only she had enough energy to push her lips together, because all she needed to say was that she loved him.

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Tea leaves flavored the air and Gloria seethed. Her expensive heels clacked on the marble floor as she clenched her teeth. Pacing between Richard and one of his gu
ys, Deacon, did no good, and she didn’t know what to do, because Richard never failed.

  Finally, she stabbed her heel into the tile as she stopped in front of Richard. He was the better choice as the other man didn’t seem to care what she thought, irritating her further. Gloria jabbed her finger into Richard’s chest. “Find the little twit.”

  He raised his hands. “That’s it: a little twit. She’s nothing.”

  “She’s not nothing.” Gloria pointed her thumb at Deacon. “This guy, your guy, says so.”

  “And this guy knows what you need to know.” Deacon confidently stroked his goatee.

  “Mr. Lanes, what do you think we should do about this young lady?”

  “Before or after I talk with her,” he asked.

  “Your contract is contingent on learning what she knows,” Richard added.

  Deacon pivoted on his heel forty-five degrees. “You think I don’t know what I agreed to?”

  Gloria cleared her voice. “I’ve taken my time to learn more about you, Mr. Lanes, and I admire your loyalty to the highest bidder—”

  “Actually, I’m loyal to myself,” Deacon corrected her.

  “All that being equal, does she disappear? Set up her biker friends?”

  “When did you get this involved in the details?” Richard asked.

  “Probably since you proved yourself a shitty shot.” Deacon crossed his arms. “But what do I know?”

  “Enough,” Gloria snapped. Richard never gave her problems, and this was turning into a bigger dick contest. She’d never questioned his judgement before, but now… maybe he was too close to her?

  “I want to know who gave up my name and number before you take care of her.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are we clear?”

  “Crystal.”

  “Who the fuck says that?” Deacon grumbled.

  Gloria waved them away, and Richard would have to know how furious she was once they were alone. But for now, she’d keep up appearances in case they needed to use this black-ops concierge person again. “Oh, one more thing,” she tacked on. “Why don’t you two play nice and work together for once?”