Leah could see the sympathy on both their faces and fought to hold back the tears she could feel burning her eyes. She shook her head, unable to say the words out loud.
Kerri grunted. “Exactly as I figured. My dad and Chase left early this morning. He said he was going to end the threat to you once and for all so that you would be safe.”
Leah looked around the kitchen and realized that the only other person missing beside Daniel was Kerri’s husband. Her gut clenched at Kerri’s words. Daniel was out there risking his life to keep her safe and she hadn’t even told him she loved him. She knew she was in love with the man, but she had let all the questions floating in her head get the better of her. Now that he was gone, she wished she could do it all over again. If she had the chance, she would tell him how much he meant to her. Now, Leah could only hope Daniel came back safely and she got the chance.
“You love my dad, don’t you?”
The entire table went quiet at Kerri’s question and focused all of their attention on her. Leah nodded. There was no denying it. She was head-over-heels in love with Daniel and she didn’t care who knew. “Yes, I love him. I thought it was too soon, and I was too stupid to tell him last night. Now he’s gone and I may never get the chance to tell him.”
“Don’t worry. My dad promised he would be back and he always keeps his promise.” Kerri leaned over, patted Leah’s hand, and grinned. “Welcome to the family.”
Leah breathed a sigh of relief that Kerri was giving her blessing to be with Daniel. When conversation around the table resumed, Leah sat back and smiled. Just that easily, she had been welcomed with open arms into Daniel’s family. Now, all she had to do was pray the man returned so that she could tell him exactly how she felt about him. In the meantime, Leah planned on getting to know everyone in her new family.
* * * *
Three days later
Daniel’s left calf was itching and he had to fight the urge to reach down and scratch it. It had been a long time since he had been out in the field and it was showing. Trying to stay perfectly still for the last three days had been hell. Not only that, his mind kept straying from the target to Leah. It was like his body was going through withdrawals. The harder he tried not to think about her, the more he did. His mind and body betrayed him over and over again.
Lying on his stomach, covered in mud and leaves, Daniel was starting to smell himself as he held the binoculars up to his eyes and watched the target. An equally smelly Chase lay next to him, watching the same man through the scope on his sniper rifle. They had been lying in the dense jungle just outside the estate they had finally tracked Diego to for three days waiting for the perfect shot and as much as Daniel wished he was back with Leah, he knew he would wait even longer if it meant eliminating the threat to the woman he loved.
He and Chase were currently rogue, meaning their mission wasn’t sanctioned by any government. They had gone off the books for this one and would be in a lot of trouble if they were caught, but Daniel had a feeling that Uncle Sam would thank him for keeping them from having to get their hands dirty with Diego. The good thing about the mission was that Daniel and Chase were no longer on U.S. soil, which meant no one would ever suspect them. As far as Daniel was concerned, this kill would be considered a turf war, or some new up-and-coming member of the cartel no longer wanting to be the one following orders but giving them. He still didn’t know why Diego’s men had broken into Leah’s home or office, but that didn’t matter anymore. Once Diego was dead, Daniel had a feeling the hit on Leah would end. Of course, he would be there to keep her safe just in case.
As much as Daniel wanted to go public with the info on the corrupt senators Leah had heard the men referring to, he didn’t want Leah’s name involved. Daniel didn’t want her to have to further risk her life by testifying and possibly having to be placed in witness protection. In order to keep that from happening, he had already sent an anonymous package to key members of government that he trusted to do the right thing and bring down the corrupt members. It would have to do because he was done after he took care of one last problem.
Through his binoculars, Daniel perked up at the sight of Diego finally crawling from between his harem of women on the bed. For three days, he and Chase had waited for the man to be alone. Everywhere he went, Diego always had a woman in front of him and one behind. Daniel knew the sick bastard was using them as human shields. It worked because he and Chase refused to take a shot with the women around. As much as Daniel wanted the man dead, he wasn’t taking the risk of hitting one of the women and alerting Diego to their presence. Now, it looked like a late-night run to the bathroom was going to be their chance.
Instead of going to the restroom as expected, Diego grabbed something from the bedside table and headed toward the balcony instead. Daniel knew he had a wicked grin on his face. It seemed the target was going out of his way to give them the best shot. He could feel Chase next to him slowing his breathing. Daniel could see the digital readout on the binoculars he was using and relayed the wind speed and direction quietly to chase. The red tip of the cigarette Diego lit was a beacon shining brightly in the night even though the man stood in the shadows of the balcony, and Daniel knew all he had to do was wait patiently for Chase to take the shot.
Daniel watched through the binoculars as brain matter and blood splattered the wall behind Diego before the man slowly sank to the ground with his still-burning cigarette clenched between his fingers. If he hadn’t been lying next to Chase and felt the recoil of his rifle and heard the small poof of air from the silencer, Daniel would have never even known that Chase had fired the shot. The man was just that good and it was the reason Daniel had brought him along. As much as he wanted to wrap his bare hands around Diego’s neck for what he had done to Leah, Daniel wanted the threat over with just as much and this had been the fastest way.
In less than sixty seconds, Daniel had the area clear as if no one had been lying there for three days straight, and Chase had his rifle broken down and packed away. Daniel felt a sense of pride when the alarm that something was wrong still hadn’t sounded by the time they moved out. He had been the one to train not only Chase, but the rest of his team members, and knew that if any one of them were here with him, the outcome would have still been the same. With his last mission for MacGregor Inc. complete, Daniel couldn’t wait to get home and start his new life with the woman he loved.
* * * *
Leah jumped at the loud beep and the sound of an automated voice throughout the house stating that the gate was opening. Daniel hadn’t been kidding when he said this was the safest place she could be. There was more security in the house than she even knew existed. When Kerri ran over to a monitor then squealed before running to the front door, Leah felt her pulse quicken. Kerri’s excitement only meant one thing, Chase was home, and if he was back then that meant Daniel was with him.
For four days she had prayed for Daniel to return to her, and now that he was here, Leah was nervous. Her palms were sweaty and her throat was dry. She wanted nothing more than rush out the same way Kerri had done and greet Daniel, but something held her back. She hoped Daniel being back meant the threat was over, but she was scared that if it was over and Daniel no longer needed to protect her that his feelings for her had changed. What if she was a job for him that happened to get carried away?
After being with the Matthews clan for the past few days as she waited for Daniel to come back, Leah had grown to love all of them. She couldn’t see herself going back to her lonely, quiet existence ever again. She wondered how she ever thought her life was okay before it had been threatened. She knew now that she hadn’t been truly living until she walked into Daniel’s office. Now she didn’t think she could live without the man. If his feelings had changed, she didn’t know what she would do.
Thankfully, Leah was saved from her spiral into a panic attack when Daniel rushed through the door. He looked as if he hadn’t shaved or slept since he had left, but the grin on his face,
when he spotted her and marched toward her, set all her nerves at ease. Leah only had time to wrap her arms around his neck when he lifted her before his lips came crashing down on hers. She closed her eyes in relief and opened to Daniel’s insistent tongue. This was what she needed. For four days she had missed the man like crazy. Knowing that Daniel had missed her and was just as desperate to be with her meant everything.
“I missed you so much.” Leah panted when they came up for air. She needed to get that off her chest. Daniel had left before she was able to tell him how she felt about him. She wasn’t going to let the chance pass her by again. She wasn’t even aware that they had moved until Daniel placed her on the floor and the back of her knees hit the bed.
“I missed you, too, honey. I plan on keeping you in this bed to show you just how much. We have four days to make up for.”
Leah shivered at Daniel’s words. He seemed to know how much it turned her on when he told her exactly what he was going to do with her. She couldn’t wait to get started, but there was something she had to tell him first. She placed a hand on Daniel’s chest and gently pushed. He caught the hint and took a step back, but from the look on his face, Leah could tell it pained him to do so. The fact that he stopped what he was doing, no questions asked, was enough to let Leah know that she was making the right decision.
“I should have told you this the other night, but I froze. When I woke up and you were gone, I felt empty inside, like a part of me was missing. Now that you’re home, I have that part of me back and I never want to lose it again.” Leah took a deep breath before continuing. “I love you, Daniel MacGregor. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, if you’ll have me.”
Daniel grinned. “From the moment you walked into my office and demanded to see me even though you didn’t have an appointment, you were mine. I’ve been given many second chances over my life, but I’ve waited a long time for a second chance at happiness and now that I’ve found you, I don’t plan on giving you up. You have no idea how much I love you.”
Leah couldn’t hold back the tears at Daniel’s words. She may have been younger than him, but she had waited a long time for him to come into her life as well. She had only been existing until she met him. Now, despite all the danger, she was truly living.
No other words were spoken as Daniel placed his palm on the center of her chest and pushed. Leah giggled as she fell back on the bed and bounced a few times before Daniel came down on top of her. She welcomed his weight and smiled up at the man she loved. She could see the love shining in his eyes as his mouth came down on hers and melted into the kiss. Her body felt like it was on fire as she ground herself against Daniel, trying to get closer to him. After four days without his touch, she was desperate to have him inside her.
She pulled back and panted. “Please,” was the only word she could get out, but Daniel seemed to know what she wanted. He lifted off her and she whimpered at the loss of his weight. As Daniel straddled her waist and lifted his shirt over his head, Leah sat up and quickly did the same with her shirt and bra. She lay back down and shivered in anticipation from the wicked look on Daniel’s face.
“The last time we were together in the shower, I saw how responsive your nipples were to my touch and I made a promise to myself that I would take the time to see if I could make you come from just playing with your pretty pink nipples.” Daniel circled one with the tip of his finger and Leah arched her back and moaned. “I always keep my promises.”
Leah’s eyes widened as Daniel’s mouth descended. She didn’t know if she would survive what he had planned, but she could feel her nipples harden at the thought. When Daniel’s warm mouth covered the nipple he had tortured with his finger, Leah couldn’t hold back her shout. His words alone already had her so close to coming that she knew he wasn’t going to have a problem fulfilling his promise. He nipped at her nipple with his teeth as he used his hand to pinch and pull at the other one before switching. The sensations were shooting straight to Leah’s pussy and she wanted to lift her hips and rub her crotch against something, but Daniel straddling her waist made that impossible.
“Oh, God, Daniel. I’m so close. Please.” Leah could hear herself babbling, but she couldn’t help herself. She was so close she could scream. She didn’t know what she needed, but she hoped Daniel would give her whatever it was to make her come. She didn’t have to wait long when Daniel leaned down and scraped his rough beard across her swollen nipples. The prickle of pain was just enough to send her over the edge and she threw her head back and screamed as her orgasm tore through her, making her toes curl.
When Leah finally opened her eyes, she found Daniel staring down at her, grinning. “Welcome back,” he said as he moved off her and stood to remove his pants.
Leah could only grunt and lay there. Daniel had a right to the smug look he currently had on his face, but she would never admit that out loud. When he stood there completely naked with his hard cock sticking straight out, Leah couldn’t resist the urge to lean over and take the head into her mouth. She grinned around his cock when she heard him shout and his hips thrust forward. She ran her tongue across the small slit at the tip and tasted the salty sweetness of his pre-cum. Opening, Leah leaned forward until she had most of his cock in her mouth before she clamped her lips shut and sucked as she pulled back. Daniel moaned a second before she felt his hand against her jaw, pulling her away from him.
“No more, honey. As much as I enjoyed that, it’s been too long. I won’t last.”
As much as Leah wanted to torture Daniel the same as he had done to her, she had to agree with him. The days they were apart had felt like forever. She would only be torturing herself by holding out any longer. Leah lay back against the bed as Daniel covered her once more. She felt his finger circle her clit before traveling down to her opening. He thrust his finger inside and Leah moaned.
“God, you’re so wet and tight. I won’t last long, but I promise to make it up to you.”
Leah whimpered when Daniel removed his finger and could feel her cunt clenching at the loss. Despite her recent orgasm, she was already close to another and wanted Daniel inside her just as much as he wanted to be there. She didn’t have to wait long as Daniel lined the head of his cock up and pushed inside her with one thrust. Leah wrapped her legs around Daniel’s waist and arched her back at the full sensation of having his cock deep inside her as Daniel pounded into her over and over again. She threw her head back, moaned, gripped his back with her nails, and held on tight. She wanted and needed everything Daniel was giving her.
“I’m so close. I want you to come with me.”
That was an order Leah would happily follow, especially when she felt Daniel’s hand snake between them and move down until his fingers circle her clit. When Daniel slightly pinched her clit between his fingers just as he nipped her neck with his teeth, the pain was enough for Leah to scream as she spasmed around Daniel’s cock buried deep inside her. She could feel the heat of his cum as Daniel went over the edge with her and spurted deep inside her.
Leah held on as Daniel rolled until he rested on his back with her on his chest. She could feel his chest moving rapidly up and down as he panted and knew she did the same as she closed her eyes. There was a lot they needed to discuss, like what happened while Daniel was gone and the fact that she had fallen in love with Pine Valley and wanted to stay there, but for now, Leah was content to be in the arms of the man she loved. Everything else could wait until after their nap.
Epilogue
Ali walked down the street and headed to the small apartment she had found above a tiny bakery. The sights and sounds that had once fascinated and amused her no longer seemed to hold the same appeal now. She was in Paris. Just saying that out loud would thrill any normal person, but not Ali, at least not anymore. She had been here for three years going to culinary school and working at the bakery part time, but lately all it seemed Ali could think about was home. Was it possible to be homesick after three years? Ali missed her f
amily. She even missed the two men that wanted nothing to do with her.
Angel and Gavin were the reason she went away in the first place. Hearing that she was too young and inexperienced from the two men she had fallen in love with was devastating to her. Impulsively, she had run away, claiming she wanted to “see the world” when all she was really doing was running from a broken heart. Now, she was on the other side of the world and all she wanted to do was go home.
Ali entered the bakery and waved to the elderly owner and his wife before climbing the stairs to her apartment. Even the smell of freshly baked bread did nothing to excite her. Tossing her bag down, Ali went over to her desk and booted up her laptop. She pulled up her e-mail account and smiled when she saw an e-mail from Cane waiting for her. Ali didn’t think she would have lasted as long as she had if it wasn’t for the constant e-mails and pictures she received from Cane, Jessica, and Kerri. They kept her updated with what was going on at home.
Ali read the e-mail from Cane and grinned when she explained how Kerri’s dad had finally asked Leah to marry him. It looked like she would be going to another wedding in the near future. She loved Daniel like a father and was happy for him, but she could feel herself sinking further into depression. It seemed everyone in her family had met someone and fallen in love. It was hard to know that she was the only one left without someone in her life. Ali thought of Angel and Gavin for what seemed like the millionth time. She was in love with both men, which, in her family, having multiple partners wasn’t a problem. The problem was, they didn’t love her back.
At first, Ali thought she could make them love her, but she realized she was being the young, naive girl they both thought she was. Then she realized that was never going to change, so Ali left. She fled to Paris with the intention of “growing up,” but over the years, Ali’s love for the two guys never went away.
Second Chances [Pine Valley 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10