“You know nothing of our kind,” Wyrick hissed, his eyes narrowing as his mouth formed a harsh, thin line of disapproval. “You know nothing of magic.”
“But I do know about my kind, and we don’t run from responsibility.” Steve glanced at Ronan, wondering why in the hell he wasn’t stepping up and saying anything. Then he looked to Sloan and realized he was on his own. Well, fuck them, this was not happening. Mira wasn’t going anywhere. “She is safer with me.”
“Mira, you know what is best.” Wyrick didn’t respond to Steve. “You need to be with me.”
Steve watched emotions wash over her face as she stared at him, and then when her eyes lowered to the ground, so did his stomach. Fuck! “You’re safer with me.”
“I have to go.” She didn’t even raise her eyes as she turned away from him to walk out of the room with Kira beside her.
It was as if the world became black with his rage. Steve couldn’t even see he was so pissed. Only the memory of her disappearing out the door with Drew in her arms played in his mind. Finally, he looked up to the ceiling. His fangs lengthened, and yet, he talked himself down before he turned.
“If she leaves, I leave.” He looked directly at Sloan and then around the room at each Warrior. “Fuck every single one of you. I’ve always had your back. Always! And the one time I needed you to step up, you failed me. And if you tell me one more time she will be safer with you, I will kill you.” He pointed at Wyrick.
With that, he walked out and went directly toward Mira’s room. He didn’t knock. He just opened the door to see Mira and Kira packing up everything the mates had gotten for her and Drew. His heart shattered knowing in the next few moments who he cared about most in the world could walk out of this room, and it scared the fuck out of him.
“Please leave,” Steve said to Kira when she looked his way. When she didn’t respond but kept packing, Steve’s voice rose. “I said fucking please, trying to be nice, but if you don’t walk out of this room and give me a minute with Mira, I will pick you up and remove you myself.”
“You think so?” Kira snorted, then stepped back when Steve made a move toward her.
“I know so,” Steve said with a growl, wishing to hell she would just leave so he didn’t have to be such a dick. He hated being a dick.
“Kira, give us a minute,” Mira said, her eyes on Steve.
“Leave her,” Steve said when Kira started to pick up Drew. “Please.”
Kira straightened slowly, then passed Steve, giving him a small smile. Damn, that woman confused the shit out of him. Was she on his side or not? Once the door clicked behind him, he looked from Drew to Mira, who was staring at him.
“Stay.” That one word spoken was the most important word he’d ever said in his life, because her response was either going to make him or break him.
Mira waited for what seemed like an eternity to answer. “If it were just me, I would, but I have to do what’s right for Drew.”
If that wasn’t a slap in the face, Steve didn’t know what was. “Your confidence in me is that low?” Steve tilted his head to look at her. “I would lay down my life for her. I would lay down my life for you. Would that asshole, Wyrick the Magnificent? No, I seriously doubt he would because he’d be too worried about getting his suit dirty or messing up his fucking GQ haircut.”
“I don’t want you to lay down your life for me.” Mira shook her head. “Don’t you understand? The further away I get from you, the safer you will hopefully be. Dammit, Steve, I can’t have another die because of me.”
“I’m not going to die.” Steve spoke with such conviction he almost believed it himself. Deep down he knew he might, but that was the chance he would have to take.
She turned her back, her head dropping as she remained silent. Steve stepped closer.
“Do you really want to leave?” Steve’s voice calmed to just above a whisper, but he knew she heard him. When she didn’t answer, he took hold of her and turned her to face him. “Do you really want to leave, Mira?”
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she stared directly at him. “It doesn’t matter what I want. It never has.”
“Today that changes,” Steve said, his voice stern but still low. “What do you want?”
Her body trembled to his touch, the tears continuing to flow as she mumbled something.
“What?” Steve lowered his head closer to her mouth.
“I want to stay.” Her mumbled tone finally came out in words.
He tilted his head to look at her. “Then stay you will.” His eyes went to her lips and he gently touched her face with his hand, then brought his lips to hers. The kiss was sweet and slow. He straightened, hoping she wouldn’t push away; she didn’t. Instead, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her body pressing against his, and kissed him back.
Steve didn’t want this time with her to end. In fact, he was already planning an early retirement from the VC Warriors so he could spend his days doing nothing but kissing this beautiful woman. His plans came to a screeching halt when someone pounded on the door. Mira loosened her hold and unhurriedly pulled away. Her eyes searched his as they stared at each other.
“I want to stay,” she whispered again as she placed a hand against his cheek. “With you.”
The pounding started again with someone calling his name, but all he could really comprehend were her words. It was all that mattered. “I’m happy with your decision.” Steve’s voice sounded weird even to him. He cleared his throat. “But for the record, I really don’t think I could have let you walk away.”
“Steve, I know you’re in there, dammit!” Adam pounded again. “Open the fucking door.”
“You better open the door.” Mira leaned up and kissed him again.
“I’ve got a better idea.” Steve gently cupped her face, kissing her hard before pulling away. “Let’s go out that window and say fuck everyone. Just me, you, and Drew Boo.”
“I’ll find you!” Adam shouted through the door. “I can hear you, asshole.”
Steve rolled his eyes then reluctantly turned from Mira to open the door. “What?”
“Sloan wants to see you.” Adam gave Steve a knowing grin. “Did I interrupt something?”
“Actually, yes, you did.” Steve frowned at him.
“Good! How does it feel, fucker?” Adam punched him in the stomach, then looked over Steve’s lowered head at Mira. “He’ll be right back.”
Steve straightened, rubbing his stomach. “Fuck Sloan.”
“Fuck Sloan?” Adam’s eyes opened wide. “Do you really want me to go back to his office and tell him that you won’t be joining us?”
“Yeah,” Steve said, wondering what the fuck was wrong with him. Never would he say fuck Sloan. Well, he said it to himself a couple of times, maybe even out loud when no one was in a one-mile radius of him to overhear, yet now he was saying fuck Sloan to the one person who would probably go back and tell Sloan he said fuck Sloan. Yeah, he was having a mental breakdown.
“Ah, okay.” Adam eyed him as he backed away slightly. “And the message is ‘fuck Sloan?’”
“Yeah,” Steve’s mouth said, but his brain shouted, What the fuck are you doing, dumbass?
“Damn, dude, who the fuck are you?” Adam laughed with a shake of his head. “Okay, whatever you say. It’s your funeral.”
Suddenly all the talk about curses and him dying came into light. Was this how he was going to die, him being a dumbass and telling Sloan to basically fuck off? He stared at the empty doorway for a minute before he closed the door. Turning toward Mira, he saw her watching him closely.
“You need to go see what he wants, Steve,” Mira said with a small grin. “I really don’t think you want Adam telling Sloan, your boss, what you just said.”
“Shit!” Steve ran over and kissed her again. “Lock the door. I’ll be right back.”
Mira’s laughter rang out as he ran out the door. He waited until he heard her click the lock. With lightning speed, he raced down th
e hallway, turned the corner, and saw Adam leaning against the wall wearing a large smirk.
“I knew you’d puss out.” Adam laughed then clapped Steve around the shoulder as they headed down the hall together. “I’m proud of you, bro. Stepping up and shit. Yeah, I’m damn proud. And I’m here right beside you all the way. Whatever you need I’m here, man.”
“Thanks.” Steve gave him a huge grin. “You really weren’t going to tell Sloan what I said, were you?”
Adam glanced over at him. “Fuck yeah I was.”
Steve frowned, trying to pull away from him. “Well, how in the hell is that being right beside me, bro, and being there for whatever I need, man?”
Adam burst out laughing. “No matter what happens in this fucked up world, Steve ‘The Invisible Warrior’ Badass, we are brothers and nothing will ever change that.”
“That’s right, Adam ‘Pain in my Ass’ Puss Face,” Steve replied, giving him an elbow in the ribs. “Unless you tell Sloan the shit I say about him. Then it’s war, motherfucker, and I play dirty.”
“Ah, so I give you a kickass name, yet I get Puss Face,” Adam hissed before grabbing him in a headlock. They wrestled their way down the hallway.
“You forgot your middle name, Pain in the Ass.” Steve pinched the inside of Adam’s leg, making him squeal and let go. It didn’t matter who it was. You pinched a little skin on the inside of anybody’s leg, they’d let go and squeal like a little girl.
Before they stepped into Sloan’s office, Adam stopped him. “I don’t care what it takes, no curse is going to take you.”
“Appreciate that,” Steve said, all fun and games over. “Just swear to me that if anything does happen to me, Mira and Drew will be taken care of.”
“Swear,” Adam responded without hesitation.
“And please don’t let me die like a pussy, but a Warrior.” Steve searched Adam’s eyes, the understanding between them palpable. Adam didn’t respond other than giving him a nod. “Now let’s get this shit over with.”
Adam looked away then a grin spread across his face as they walked into Sloan’s office. Steve knew he was up to something. “Sloan, Steve said ‘fuck Sloan’ when I told him he was wanted in your office, but I talked some sense into him.”
Steve felt like a deer in the headlights. All he could do was freeze and stare at the headlights, aka Sloan, trying to decide whether to stay or flee. When everyone started laughing, Adam the loudest, Steve glared at him. “Really?” Steve threw his hands up in the air. “What the fuck was all that brother talk on the way in here? ‘No matter what happens in this world, man, we are bros.’ And now you throw me under the bus?”
The laughter continued, even Wyrick joined in. Jesus, was his looming death that fucking funny? He looked at Sloan, who stared at him with a cocked eyebrow.
“Shit. Okay, I’m here. I said fuck Sloan,” Steve admitted, dropping his arms in defeat. “Let the ass kicking/chewing begin.”
“You were right.” Sloan sat behind his desk.
“But I….” Steve automatically went to defend himself but stopped. “Huh?”
“You were right, and that’s the last time I’m going to say those fucking words so listen closely.” Sloan growled, but without anger. “You’ve always had our backs and now we have yours. We’re all in this together and will protect Mira, Drew, and Kira as our own.”
Emotion swallowed Steve, but he refused to cry and yet, he really fucking wanted to. Damn, this shit was emotional and he was an emotional guy. Something he definitely had to work on. He was a Warrior for shit’s sake. You didn’t see Damon boo-fucking-hooing all over the place. Clearing his throat and hardening his feelings, he nodded. “Thank you.”
Sloan nodded without emotion, since he wasn’t an emotional guy, and that was it. No high fives, no hugs around the room, just grunts of understandings and a couple of “fuck yeahs.” “Now I want every one of you at training tomorrow to keep Jared and Duncan from killing any of the trainees.”
“There won’t be any killing,” Duncan said with narrowed eyes.
“Yeah, speak for yourself, Dunk.” Sid laughed, watching Jared’s face. “Jared’s on the edge, and if one of them says the wrong thing, it’s going down. Isn’t that right, lover boy?”
“Sid, shut the fuck up before you’re the first one killed,” Jared sneered, then cracked his neck back and forth.
“Meet back here later for assignments. We have a lot of shit to cover, and everyone is going to be working. No time off,” Sloan ordered, ignoring Jared and Sid. He looked at Steve, gave him a nod, and then dismissed him.
And they were back to business as usual.
Chapter 22
Steve headed back to Mira’s room anxious to see her and Drew. He knocked once before opening the door. Kira sat on the bed, her face pinched with anger.
“This isn’t a good idea,” she said, looking past Steve. “We should be going with Wyrick.”
“No, you shouldn’t,” Ronan said, making Steve jump.
“Shit, dude, where the hell did you come from?” Steve glanced over his shoulder at Ronan, who filled the doorway.
“I followed you from Sloan’s office.” Ronan cocked his eyebrow at him as if telling him to get his head out of his ass.
Steve let it go then turned to Kira. “You can go, but Mira and Drew are staying here.”
Kira glared at Mira, who rocked Drew back and forth in her arms. “I’m not leaving my sister.”
“Then I guess you’re staying,” Steve said to Kira, then walked over and peered down at Drew. “You need stuff for Drew and yourself?”
“Yes, I do.” Mira frowned. “Do you mind?”
“No, not at all. I should have asked sooner,” Steve replied, glancing around. “Just make a list and me and Ronan will get whatever you need.”
“We will?” Ronan grumbled from behind him.
Kira pulled out a notebook from her bag. “What do you need, Mira?” It took just a few moments for Kira and Mira to create a list. Once done, Kira stood. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Give me the list.” Ronan held out his hand. “We’ll take care of it.”
Kira slammed her hand on her hip. “I can go to the store.”
“No,” both Steve and Ronan said at the same time as Ronan grabbed the list out of Kira’s hand.
Steve wondered if Ronan was going to kick his ass later for volunteering him. He walked over when Ronan snatched the list out of her hand. He glanced down at it thinking it all looked normal. “Maxi pads?” Steve frowned, knowing Ronan was definitely going to kick his ass.
“Yes, she just had a baby and is bleeding. Is that a problem?” Kira smirked as she watched them both closely. “And make sure they have wings.”
“Wings?” Steve’s head shot up. “What the fuck do they do, fly in her underwear?”
Mira slapped her hand over her mouth and laughed. Kira actually grinned as a chuckle slipped out. “Forget it.” Kira shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “I’m going too. Seriously, what can happen with two strong Warriors at my side?”
“A lot.” Steve snorted, taking the list from Ronan and putting it in his pocket. “If you’re recognized, then they’ll know you’re under our protection.”
“I’d say they already know that,” Kira shot back.
“Yeah, they probably do,” Mira agreed.
“And that’s why you are staying here,” Ronan added, his tone final.
“But I’m going stir crazy.” Kira sighed. “Plus, no one needs to know who I am.”
Steve was about to ask what the hell that meant, but he didn’t need to. Kira took both hands, fingertip to fingertip at the top of her head, then slowly dropped them across her face, changing her look completely. Standing before them was not Kira, but some blonde, blue-eyed stranger.
“What in the holy shit just happened?” Steve looked wide-eyed from Kira to Mira, who grinned at her sister.
“So how do I look?” Kira twirled with a laugh. “See, no one will know
me.”
“How about those with magic like you?” Ronan didn’t look impressed Steve noticed and tried to wipe the awe-struck expression off his own face.
“Can you do that?” Steve whispered to Mira, who nodded with a laugh. “Damn, but don’t. I like you just like you are.”
“If they have strong magic, then they would know, but—”
Steve had turned his attention back to Ronan, who was frowning at Kira. Damn, Ronan was in a pissy-ass mood.
“Then no.” Ronan cut her off. “So change back. Come on, Steve.”
Steve hurried over and gave Mira a kiss before turning to leave, then he stopped. “Wait a minute.”
“Dammit, Steve. I don’t have all fucking night.” Ronan growled as he stopped outside the door.
“So I have a power and can become invisible. When the car was being shot at, I covered her but was still invisible, or so I thought. She could see me.” Steve looked at Kira for the answer.
“You covered her body with yours while people were shooting at the car?” Kira asked, her eyes widening in surprise. “I didn’t know that. Thank you.”
Steve only nodded, not caring about the thank-you. He wanted to know if his damn power was gone. He hadn’t really had a chance to think about it again until just now when Kira had magically changed her looks.
“Go invisible,” Kira said, still in her new blonde, blue-eyed disguise.
Steve nodded and then did his thing. “Okay, can you see me?”
“Yes.” Kira nodded then looked toward Mira. “Can you see him?”
“Yep,” Mira replied, heading toward the bed to put Drew down.
“What about you, Ronan?” Steve’s hope slipped. Dammit, he was going to be pissed if he’d lost his power. What the hell!
“Nope.” Ronan’s one word penetrated Steve’s doubts.
“No, you can’t see me?” Steve let out a whoop when Ronan shook his head. “Yes!”
Invisible Warrior (The Protectors Series) Book #11 Page 14