Full of the need to steal this time with her, Marc shifted into the corner and gestured at the empty space along his side. “There’s room here.”
He was also testing this sudden truce, trying to figure out how far she meant to go, how far Kenn would let them go, and Angela allowed it. She was worried, but also sore and very tired. Connecting to Safe Haven from this distance was exhausting. With the extra space that would put her almost flush against Marc’s side, she could stretch out. “Thanks.”
Angela eased into the empty area and lowered herself carefully against his hip without groaning like she wanted to. His heat felt good.
Marc shifted again, making more room, and she sank against his side like she belonged there.
“If Adrian’s okay, what’s the problem?” Marc led the conversation now, trying to distract from their closeness, but also wanting them to come clean with her. If she were going to be one of them, she had to know the truth and the reason they’d kept it from her no longer mattered.
“The truth.” Marc’s tone dared the Mobster to lie.
“We took a call,” Kyle stated, glad to be revealing their deception before she found out from one of their thoughts. “Someone left a bag in Adrian’s tent. There was a pissed-off snake inside. He almost got bit.”
That had Angela sitting back up. “Tell me everything.”
“That’s below her pay grade!” Kenn snapped, but it held little of his previous animosity.
Marc let out a sigh as she pinned Kyle with those steel-chipped baby-blues. It was too late to go back. He could only look to the future, one that he still wanted, no matter which Angie it was or how upset she made him with her choices.
“Tell me. All of it!”
Kenn turned to glare at her, but said nothing else when Kyle answered.
“We were told to keep you out of the loop.”
Her voice was tight. “Because I’d be distracted?”
“Because you would have turned us around.”
Angela shook her head. “I don’t have that much authority…” She stopped, realizing that wasn’t true.
“He wanted this done and for you to handle it. As for the snake, you know as much as we do. No note, no tracks that Zack could pick up.”
“Rick?”
More than just Kyle shook his head. “No. He was in the kids’ area and under heavy guard, still has multiple shadows. There’s no way he wasn’t seen.”
Angela leaning back. Someone else, then. Did they have any other suspects? A snake. The vet came to mind, but there was no grudge there that she knew of. Tonya, maybe, but a snake? They were often dangerous to their handlers. That wouldn’t be her style.
“This might honestly be an accident,” Marc stated, easing his boots off. “We don’t know what happened yet.”
“Zack knows,” Daryl informed them bluntly. “And he’ll run his mouth. We have to get there and calm the lower levels down before the camp picks up on it.”
“It won’t matter if tonight was an accident or another attempt on Adrian’s life,” Kyle said worriedly. “The reactions will be the same.”
Angela was able to pull the images from their minds, and her stomach twisted. Adrian needed them and they were still over a hundred miles away.
“Any threat to the camp, to their sense of security, will cause big problems. If the Eagles play this wrong and the sheep find out, they’ll stampede. Rioting didn’t end with the War.”
Billy’s words were resigned and that was where the group conversation stopped, each of them imagining the Safe Haven under those conditions.
Marc watched her from under lowered lashes as they rolled by the corn, waiting for the pain pill to work and the energy rush to fade. When her head finally began to droop, he quietly adjusted himself and then tugged on her arm.
Angela flinched, snapping awake to see Marc grinning unashamedly.
“You were snoring.”
She flushed and her chin stiffened. “Was not.”
His smile widened. “Were too. Rattled the windows like a fart.”
Angela’s groggy chuckle was interrupted by a yawn and Marc indicated his chest. “I’ve got the bullets if you’ve got the balls.”
Her soft laugh drew attention and Kenn stared through the window as she slid into Brady’s arms and curled close. A deep shiver of hatred flashed, but it couldn’t compare to the need drawing him toward Safe Haven. The Marine turned his head, pretending it was some other couple.
Marc pulled her up onto his chest and held her, allowing his body to mold to hers. He was lonely and he’d missed her, but more than that, he had to remind her. Theirs was a bond that had lasted through tragic betrayal and even nuclear war. And it would survive her new life, too, he realized. Those few moments they would have between his waves of panic would be enough. Peace suddenly filled that dark space Marc had been nursing for weeks and he tightened his grip on her. Compared to what he had now, this would be more than enough.
Marc slid his hand up her back, pressing her closer. “I’ve missed you!”
Angela felt her heart clench at his urgent whisper. She’d given Marc his son back, though the ripples on it would be slow. Now, maybe she could give him something else he desired. “I’ve missed you too, Brady.”
Her fingers tightened on his arm and Marc pushed harder. “You know I’m crazy about you, right? Even when you’re risking your life.”
His low voice still carried and Angela pressed closer against his chest. She knew what Marc was hoping for, she wanted it too. They were about to find out if this new, controlled Kenn was for real, but more than that, they were about to go public with their feelings. “These weeks have sucked without you.”
The pain in her voice was too genuine to bear and Marc tilted her head up. “Is it over now or do we go back to the lies when we hit camp?”
Angela took a long minute to consider, the fear finally shouting, but she sensed only bitterness and resignation from Kenn. He would learn to live with things. He’d made his choice and it was the right one.
And what of you? the Witch questioned. Would you now try to have both sides of the coin?
It was a long moment for all of them, but it was agony for Marc and a struggle to keep waiting. He had never wanted anything the way he did her. That hadn’t changed. “I can’t promise to always react the way you want, Angie, but I can try harder. And I can wait a little longer, if you’re not ready.”
His willingness to sacrifice was the final swing and she gave him a slow smile. “It’s over now. We can be ourselves.”
Needing to know she meant it, Marc slowly moved closer.
Angela let him capture her lips in a gentle kiss that the others turned away from. She was Brady’s woman now.
Marc drew back, shifting again and Angela settled back onto his hard chest with a sigh of pleasure that had him filling with happiness. “Night, honey. See you in a few hours.”
“Yes, you will,” she sent back, snuggling tightly.
Marc knew she wouldn’t linger once they hit camp. Wanting a few more minutes with her, he set the alarm on his watch and let himself follow her into a light sleep.
When Seth began to hum lowly, the hotel ballad one of Adrian’s favorites, all but a few of them began to doze.
Kenn braced to be full of the old rage every time he looked at their reflection, but after seeing Angela handle herself with the wolves, the fire wasn’t there anymore. The woman he’d seen today was out of his reach, but his place by Adrian was waiting and it was that camp member he let himself worry over.
The blond had suspected someone might try something with so many high levels out of camp and they’d increased the shadows. With any luck, they would return to find the traitor already in custody, or even better, dead. There was a small chance this latest mishap really was an accident, but Kyle didn’t think so, Kenn knew, and that was enough for him. The Mobster’s loyalty to Adrian’s safety rivaled his own.
Seth kept humming until everyone but the driver
was asleep and he met Billy’s eyes in the mirror. “Keep it rolling and don’t be afraid to wake one of us.”
The guard gave a fierce grin. “I’m runnin’ on full right now.”
Seth closed his exhausted lids. “Good. You go straight to him as soon as you get out and stay with him until I relieve you. Even if someone else comes to take over, you stay until I get there.”
The Eagle’s tone was firm despite Seth not being his team leader. “You know it. His six’ll be covered.”
Seth smothered the feelings of desperation and let the soft humming send him into a troubled sleep. Adrian was in danger and he had to be there if anything went down.
4
Shortly before they hit camp, Marc’s wrist alarm woke everyone with a startlingly obnoxious rap song from the past and he swung an arm over to silence it.
Angie hadn’t moved away during the ride, in fact, one of her legs was now wrapped around his, holding him in place and he hit the reset button with a smile. She was his. When they made it to camp, everyone would find out. No more hiding and being careful. Now, they could be what they were - in love.
Angela stretched against him, body stiff, and her small groan had eyes flying toward the cargo area. Her first thought was of the possible problems waiting for them and she ignored how good it felt to be in Brady’s arms, concentrating. What was going on in Safe Haven?
Closer to camp now, Angela was able to catch flashes of a fight and other Eagles rushing to break it up. The people blurred by, the herd sounding mostly normal, and her chest eased. Another glimpse of Adrian, standing beside the medical bed of someone she couldn’t identify and she broke the contact.
“Everything okay?”
Angela glanced up impatiently at Kyle’s question. “Seems to be calmer now. How long before we’re there?”
“Twenty minutes or so.”
She didn’t smile. “Good!”
The longing in her tone echoed their own need to be there and when she let her head drop back to Brady’s chest, there was an easy quiet broken only by the sound of someone waking enough for a gear check.
It was always like this on overnight missions, but Marc knew in a few short minutes, these men… These Eagles, he amended, shifting beneath her to get a better grip as Billy hit bump after bump in his haste… these Eagles would be alert and moving and he marveled over it a bit. The ability to doze and snap awake was something he’d learned in the Corps and it came naturally now. It was a survival skill he’d been glad Angie picked up quick, too.
There wasn’t much she didn’t get and it was okay for him to be honest with himself now, Marc realized. For the entire trip to Safe Haven, he’d thought of the Witch inside her as being mostly in control, and therefore, responsible for her actions. He’d attributed her survival in Versailles to the power as well, and hadn’t fully allowed himself to see her as a killer. After the wolves, that was impossible. She was his physical equal and in some areas, better than a match. This was the way she might have turned out had they been able to stay together.
“I think so, too.” Angela eased carefully up his chest so that their heads were close enough to allow for semi-private talking. “And I still want most of what we saw back then, Brady. Except the barefoot and pregnant part.”
Marc nodded at her attempted joke. He had stopped seeing her that way as she challenged the Alpha. “We’ll make new dreams. Together.”
Angela flushed, voice lowering to a nearly indecipherable mutter. “I didn’t say never.” She smiled, eyes darkening. “Somewhere down the road, being a mother again might come up.”
Marc tightened his grip, thinking he’d be ready. “Whatever makes you happy, Angie. I’ve tried hard to give you that, even here.”
“I haven’t made it easy, I know, but…”
“It’s your life to give.”
“Yes.”
There was a note of warning and he let out a resigned sigh. “I’ll handle it as best I can and when it’s too much…”
“You’ll split.”
This sigh was deeper, full of misery and joy. “It would take a lot to get me to do that now.”
“What if I get hurt again and use it for lessons?” She joked, motioning to her arm. Animals bites would be the next lesson and her injury would be the prop.
Knowing he had to be honest, Marc raised up on his forearms. “I’ll be pissed and worried, and you’ll remind me of this moment and I’ll back off. Eventually, it’ll be easier.”
Angela let her bandaged hand move out to gently brush the hair from his roughened cheek. A couple days stubble was still so sexy on him. “For both of us.”
“And what about our son? Am I allowed to openly be his dad?”
Angela didn’t need to read minds to know how important her answer was to these men. “Not yet.”
She felt his happiness dim and Angela leaned closer, hand still on his cheek. “Will you be able to live with all the times I’ll hurt you, Brady? This won’t be easy.”
Vanilla floated over him in a thick wave and Marc steeled his heart against it, needing to make this choice, without any more influence than feeling her against him was already producing. “I think so. I don’t like it, but I understand the camp … Adrian,” he amended with a bitter sneer. “They’re your priority, your duty, but hear me, Angie. Worries about how those sheep will react to the news won’t hold me back for long. That boy is me at that age and I can help him avoid our mistakes and have a happiness we’re missing.”
“I want that too, Marc. As quick as we can clean up our mess, you’ll have your son openly.”
Not satisfied, but unable to fight what she was offering, he shifted suddenly, making her fall against him. He was full of a new anger, this one bitter and he made her prove it all by rolling them against the seat and claiming her lips.
Caught off guard and still full of the wolf battle, Angela moaned lowly at the feel of him, letting her worries go. They were together now. The rest would fall in line like it was meant to.
Billy snapped on the radio without covering his satisfied smile. That conversation had just sealed her place with these men. It was a close copy of the one each of them had anytime they found a relationship they were serious about. If the other person couldn’t accept the structure, they wouldn’t see them again, and after getting to know her for the last month, Billy was sure she would have done the same. Adrian would be pleased.
5
Before the beaten-up blazer was in park, Kenn was out the door. Zack nodded toward the training tent and the Marine quickly moved that way. He would see that Adrian was okay before he did anything else.
Angela let Marc help her out, grunting at her cramping legs. She gave him a small smile. “I’ll be busy for a while. Catch you in the Mess later?”
“Yes. Will you have John look at that arm before you hit the rack?”
She grinned. “Yep.”
Marc ran his thumb along her cheek, thinking he had expected to be considering which direction to go when they hit camp, not trying to find the best way to tell his son that he and Angie were now a legal couple. “Thank you.”
Moving closer, Angela gave him what he needed first, suspecting this was one of the few times she would be able to.
Marc lit up when she leaned toward him, and he swept her against his chest for a quick, passionate kiss that had those around them staring in surprised longing. It was official now and word started spreading immediately.
Angela drew back slowly, fighting the urge to hurry as Kyle and the rest of the team got their things from the cargo area. “I’ll see you later, Brady.”
Marc pressed another fast kiss to her lips and turned away, not wanting her to see how jealous he already was. “Yes, you will.”
Angela moved to Kyle’s side and Marc headed for camp to check on their son. After that, he would find his team and get his report about what had been going on here while they were away.
It was rare for any complete team to be gone. One member almost a
lways stayed behind so that they would know what had happened during their absence. When the mission team hit the lights of Safe Haven, the leaders went to get their updates.
Neil and Jeremy were the exceptions to this normal returning home pattern. They both thought the other would check in and it was a surprise for them to split up at the parking area and then meet again in front of Samantha’s tent.
Neil stared at his right-hand man for a long moment and Jeremy looked back evenly. After listening to Marc and Angie, their own needs had risen up to fill them with the urge to make a claim. Finally accepting that there was real competition for Sam, brought those happy flashes to an ugly halt.
“Neil.”
“Jeremy.”
Inside the tent, Sam froze.
“It seems we’re about to have a problem.”
Jeremy clenched his fists, tone only half joking. “Our first fight, how cute.”
Neil wasn’t about to keep playing these games. “I want her.”
“Publicly?” Jeremy questioned with a curl to his lips.
“Yes.”
“And what about Becky?”
Neil didn’t flinch. “That’s over. She knows.”
Jeremy looked at his team leader with pain-filled eyes. “So, that’s it. You’ve made your choice.”
The Trooper grimaced. “They made it for me tonight, the same as they did you. How could anyone listen to that and not hurt to be whole again?”
“Loneliness is not love,” the Eagle accused, already sure it didn’t matter anyway. They didn’t get to pick, she did.
“What about your little trysts with Cynthia?” Neil aimed, fired. “You spent last night in her tent. And, you think what you’re doing is better!”
Jeremy flushed. “That’s none of your business!”
“But, it is Sam’s,” Neil responded sharply. “You think she’ll put up with that?”
“No, I won’t.”
They both turned to see Samantha step from her tent, face an alarming shade of red.
“And I won’t put up with this either.” She moved angrily into the shadows, walking by the lower level men guarding the tent area. “When you two get done deciding who my new owner is, come by the vet area and let me know. I’ll be waiting.” Her voice lowered. “With my gun.”
Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Page 48