“Do you want the truth?”
He spun around. “Of course I want the truth. I’m always looking in your eyes for it, but I can’t read your mind. I wish I could.”
“I can read yours.”
He’d thrown up every roadblock to keep her away. If the team could see how transparent he was, why couldn’t she? He swallowed deeply. “Lapierre told me he was willing to leave JTF for you, but you wouldn’t let him.”
“That’s true.”
Her hands trembled and she drew them together to try to hide it from him. “Why?”
“It’s complicated.”
It was none of his business, but he knew he was going to ask. Anchoring himself mentally, he said, “But you’ve made love to him, haven’t you? You slept with him. I could see it in his eyes, the way he looked at you.”
Silence. He’d wait it out until she answered, and the answer was going to kill him.
“Once.”
That one little word did more damage to him than an artillery of fire power could. It didn’t matter he was being a hypocrite. He was no angel. Is this what possessiveness felt like, because he wanted to annihilate something. Punching an actual hole through her wall would be juvenile, so he envisioned it instead.
“It was a weak moment on my part. A moment of misdirected need, hot and out of control. He couldn’t stop and neither could I—I needed to feel again, and Greg…”
He raised his hand for her to stop explaining, and thankfully, she did. “Why are you going back to him?”
“I didn’t say I was. I just said I was leaving Coronado.”
He took the few steps to the bed. As he closed in, she leaned away, but there wasn’t far for her to go before they were within a breath of each other. His strength hovered over her delicate body. Domination was not his style, not with a woman, but even in her weakness, she was stronger than any woman he knew, and to keep her that’s what he’d have to do. “Like hell you are.” Her deep brown eyes widened. The submissive answer to his command easy to see, but he also saw the argument forming on her lips.
Never letting her voice it, he kissed her, and kept kissing her until she quieted. His mouth wanted more and his tongue slipped to the mounds of her breasts, following the sensual curves, then back to her lips with a punishing kiss. Love fed his lust, and it shot straight to his shaft. As he nipped at the pulse in her neck, her shallow quick breathes brushed against his cheek. The willpower it took not to rip the towel off her was herculean.
“Thane?”
Brushing her swollen mouth, his gaze mingled deep with hers. He shook his head. “You’re hurting, and until I know what’s causing it, all of it, we’re not going to take another step until you trust me.” She hadn’t touched him up until that point, then everything inside him exploded as her soft hands curled around his back, drawing him closer. It seared through him, but it wasn’t lust or passion, it was so much deeper, and it tightened his heart then expanded it to its limits.
“You don’t want me.”
He choked on his own air. “Not another word, Kayla, because you’re all I want.”
“Going, going, gone,” she whispered.
“Don’t even joke about that.” The sway of her hips against his almost broke his resolve. “Goddamn it woman, stop,” he hissed, but his shaft hardened against her, and he bit into his lip to stop himself from pressing back. A flash of white-hot heat fanned his desire when her fingers slid across his skin, following the contours of his muscles.
He’d gazed into the same expression when he’d first seen her, a still portrait of beauty. Without a single movement, she struck and destroyed every pressure point inside him with her porcelain doll features. Brushing her jaw with his lips, he closed his eyes, reining in his desire, and teased her nose with his. “I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but you and I are going to have normal one day. We’re going to fight for it if we have to, but we’re used to fighting for what we want, aren’t we?”
“Commander…” Her brow buckled and tears swelled, finding a path down her cheeks. “I don’t want to fight any more.” She choked on her words. “You’re right, I don’t have anyone, or anywhere to go. I’m so tired.” She bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. “The Shark is coming after me, and I’m not going to survive, am I?”
“Hey, don’t you see me? I’m right here.” She shook her head and he sensed her sorrow deepening.
“Please, go home. Be with your family.” She pinned her lips together, and brushed at her eyes. “They need you.”
“You need me,” he shot back and her gaze popped to his. “And I need you to get some rest.” She looked so frail and he knew what he had to do.
He tucked them both under the covers. It didn’t take long. With her head resting on his chest, her even breathing told him she’d fallen asleep. A smile crossed his lips. He remembered when he and Cobbs had made it through Hell Week. At the time, it was his greatest achievement. Watching Kayla get some restful sleep, he realized she would be his greatest challenge.
The signs of emotional trauma were easy for him to see now. It was more than being alone. More than Christmas. For the first time since last night, he dwelled on what the cop had divulged. Until now, he wasn’t ready to process it. He needed to know more.
A noise cocked his body to attention, cooling the sublime warmth. It sounded like a door, her patio door. Gently removing himself from bed, he peered down the hallway. Taking silent steps toward her living room, a movement caught his attention in the glass of a picture in her hall. He shot across the living room. A man scrambled over the side of the balcony as he hit the door and flung himself out. Searching the early morning light, he saw no movement. He wouldn’t chase and leave Kayla unguarded. Turning, he paused. On the branches of her tree lay an envelope with a smudged bloody fingerprint on the front.
Picking the envelope up by the edge, he lifted it to the light. There was something inside. Searching her cupboards, he found a sandwich bag and carefully slid it in, and then grabbed his phone.
Twenty minutes later Cobbs tapped on the door. “Here, drop it off at NCIS on your way home. Tell them what I told you. If they want to talk with someone, they talk to me.”
Cobbs took the bag from him. “Where is she?”
“Sleeping.” He didn’t miss the once-over Cobbs gave him standing bare-chested and barefoot.
“Nice to see you finally came to your senses.” Cobbs seamed his lips, but it wasn’t helping to hide the smile.
“I’m going to have one hell of a firefight on my hands when she wakes up. She already tried to throw me out once. Don’t let your oversexed mind go running wild, either. We haven’t consummated a damn thing,” he said gruffly.
“Good thing you’re not a quitter.”
A laugh rocked his shoulders. “Being half mule, she makes the SEAL population look weak. If she won’t let me stay with her, we’re going to have to watch her without her knowing it. I’ll die before letting that son of bitch take her away from me.” He considered telling Cobbs about Kayla’s past, but she’d kept it from all of them but Fox. There was more to this, and until he knew what it was, he would keep her secret.
Cobbs nodded his understanding. “Doesn’t she have to work today?”
“I’m redirecting the center to the East Coast. I’ve already spoken with Segal. They’re doing it now until January first. Red is telling the staff there’s been a meltdown. Techs are working on it. Segal owes me.”
“And you think she’s going to believe that?”
He leaned against the doorframe and sighed. “Not for a second, but she can’t do a damn thing except rant at me, and she does that anyway.”
Pat nodded with a big grin. “It’s gotta be love, since no one else gets away with that.”
“Yeah, don’t I know it.”
Cobbs’ mouth gaped open, then slammed shut. “Holy shit, did I just hear a confession?”
“You’re an asshole,” he said cocking his jaw.
&
nbsp; “No, wait.” He gestured with his hands. “I just want to get this right, because I think the earth just moved.”
What…a…dick. “Fine, I’m fucking crazy in love with the woman. I always have been.”
“Bet you haven’t shared that with her, ya chicken-shit bastard.”
Resting a hand on the door, he said, “This isn’t exactly the right time.”
“Wake up, SEAL. Although we’re all wondering why, pretty sure she feels the same way. Have a good Christmas, Thane.”
He laid a hand on Cobbs’ shoulder. “Best one of my life, old friend.”
Before Cobbs turned to leave, he said, “I’ve got orders from Marg to bring her over on the twenty-sixth. The rest of the team and their families are coming, too.”
“We’ll be there.”
“We’ll.” Cobbs snorted. “This is as good as the second coming.”
He closed the door quietly and padded down the hall. A peaceful sigh escaped Kayla when he slipped between the sheets. Heat spread through him, seeing the towel had unraveled and he traced her beautiful curves with his eyes. All right, so he was a hero, but he sure as hell wasn’t Superman.
His tongue circled the berry of her nipple, and a groan of pleasure escaped him, as it responded to his gentle sweeps, plumping between his lips. With a light touch, he trailed his finger down each rib, over her stomach, and crested her mons. A little moan escaped her and her hips swayed. Temptation flared and inflamed his shaft, releasing a bead of pre-cum. He swept it from his swollen flesh and sensually slipped his finger between her fold, mixing their silk. Drawing circles around her sweetest place, her thighs opened, desiring more.
“Thane.” His name escaped her sleeping lips.
“Shh, rest baby.” Tracing her lips with a wet, gentle touch, he followed, kissing away the moisture. “You are the one precious, beautiful thing in my life, Kayla,” he whispered against her mouth. He curled her in his arms, her breasts pressing warmly against his chest. He stroked her shoulder and laid a kiss on her forehead.
The bloody print on the Shark’s envelope fired all his defenses into action. Come on, you son of a bitch. Holding her tighter, his mind churned with thought. Make your move.
Chapter Twenty-Three
January third Kayla’s world changed, but as with everything in her life, it changed for the better and then spiraled to ten times worse. It had been nine months to the day since she’d first stepped foot in Coronado.
The Commander had pulled strings, and she was still ticked at him. She knew he’d closed the Command center over Christmas and rerouted it to the East Coast because of her. She couldn’t prove it, but it didn’t stop her from accusing him. The cocky bastard just returned a glib look every time.
He’d dragged her behind him through the entire season like Linus drags his blanket. It took an enormous amount of willpower not to collapse in his arms, but like John had said, he’d married the service, but he would never love a woman. He was trained to serve and protect and right now, she was his mission. It was time to move on, but every time she asked him if he was looking into a transfer for her, he refused to entertain it.
During the last eight days, they’d gotten along like gasoline and matches. Together they flared between moments of peace, fun and then quarreled like an old married couple. Finally, it occurred to her he had played her like a well-strung instrument. He knew what buttons to push and he instigated the arguments between them, and he’d done it to drag her out of her darkness every time she tap-danced near it. In that moment, she realized how much she loved him, and even though he’d done it out of duty, she had lost her heart to him for good.
“Kayla Banks,” a voice called from behind her, interrupting her thoughts.
“Yes.” She turned to see a deliveryman escorted by security standing at the entrance to the operations room. He held the most beautiful bouquet of roses mixed with bright yellow and white flowers in a flora of green.
“Ms. Banks, these are for you.” She stood up, shocked, afraid to touch them in case they disappeared.
“Ma’am?”
She darted a look at the deliveryman and then nodded. He laid them in her arms like a child, and she simply stared down at them. They were so beautiful. “Is there a note?” she asked.
“Yes ma’am, right there,” he said, pointing to a thin plastic stick hidden in the bouquet.
“Thank you.” A helo called her with a position report and she took the call, then reached for the note. Opening it she read, They pale in comparison to you. But it wasn’t signed.
“What the heck is that?” Gord asked, returning from his break.
She hugged them close to her chest. “Flowers, doofus,” she murmured.
“Yeah, I can see that, Kayla, but from who?”
“I don’t know. Can you listen out for me? I want to find something to put them in.”
“Looks like you’ve got an admirer,” he said, rolling his chair under his rear end. “Maybe one of those SEALs who keep hanging around here has a bad case of puppy love.”
“I doubt that.” She couldn’t take her eyes off the flowers as she wandered down the hall. She didn’t even look into his office like she normally did, still in awe.
“Kayla, you had a delivery, I see,” Captain Redding called out as she passed by. “Found yourself a boyfriend, have you? Don’t let him take you away from us.”
“No sir, I think they delivered them here by mistake. I’m just going to put them in some water in case they come back for them.” She looked toward the Commander’s desk as he slowly leaned his broad frame back in his chair.
He gave her a small smile. “Beautiful,” he said, interrogating her with his eyes like he always did.
An overflow of emotions grabbed her. “I’m sure it’s a mistake,” she said. “I better put these in water before they wilt.”
A couple hours later, a second deliveryman appeared carrying a box. “I’m looking for Kayla Banks,” he said, reading his portable clipboard.
“I’m Kayla.” She grinned, seeing the guy holding a beautifully wrapped gift box about five inches square.
“This is for you.” He placed it on her console and held out the pen for her electronic signature.
“Have a good afternoon, ma’am.”
“You’re kidding me,” Gord scoffed, “more presents? I didn’t forget your birthday, did I?”
“No, I stopped having birthdays about ten years ago, smartass.” She turned the box on the console and pulled the foil ribbon apart. The beautiful satin-brown wrapping paper fell away to reveal an envelope sitting on top of a cardboard box. Someone was definitely sending a message, and it wasn’t even Valentine’s Day. She picked up the white envelope and turned it over. No name and again she wondered if someone had made a mistake. Cracking the lid of the box, she folded the tissue paper away with one finger to reveal the contents.
“Oh, my God. Call security, Gord, call them now.” She swung around. “Stop that delivery guy.” Bile burned the back of her throat, threatening to erupt.
* * * *
Kayla’s strained call made both their heads spring up, but he was out of his chair and around the corner before Red could even get out from his desk. He nearly ripped the door off its hinges. “Kayla what’s wrong?” Thane yelled.
“Get me a piece of foolscap, Gord,” she said harshly.
Gord leaped out of the chair and ran across the room to her console. “What?”
“A clean sheet of paper. Lay it here.”
Thane reached her side, and watched her open the envelope carefully over the paper. “Kayla what the hell is the matter? Why did you call for security?” They were already rushing in the room with their hands on their weapons. “Stop,” he ordered, and the two men came to a halt. Kayla tapped the card on the white sheet and a long dark hair fell onto it.
“Okay,” she breathed.
He saw the box and pushed the tissue paper aside. “Jesus, come here, sweetheart.” He snatched her into his arms.
/>
“Commander,” she whispered looking up at him. “Don’t blow it away.”
Both of them gazed at the long hair, instead of the severed finger laying in a bloody pool soaking into the fine tissue paper.
“What’s going on?” Red asked, coming to stand beside them.
“Red, call the NCIS unit, and the base police. Get Lieutenant Manchester, he’s in charge of the Blood Shark investigation, over here now.”
Red stared into the box and then jerked his attention toward her with understanding. “Kayla, it’s going to be all right,” he reassured her before heading to his office.
Someone called the base on the radio and she picked up the mic. “Gord, take the call,” he ordered. He turned her in his arms. “Remember what I promised you Kayla, I won’t let him get near you.” Searching her eyes, he looked for a sign this would throw her into an episode, she’d had two more over Christmas. They’d come up fast and without warning, but it didn’t take long to figure out it happened when she was left alone with her own thoughts, so he’d goaded her every time he saw her falling into reflection.
Seeing she remained clear and focused, he curled her against him, and knew it was where he wanted her to stay. Next to him, right next to him, and this time there would be no argument.
The Blood Shark had taken a hiatus after he’d chased her down at the docks, probably thinking she was being watched, and she had been. Before he left on deployment, Thane had made sure of that. The letter the Shark left in her Christmas tree, he’d managed to hide from her. He and Manchester had conversed over the phone, but Manchester didn’t divulge what had been inside. The Shark’s hunger was back in play, and he was coming for Kayla, which meant he’d just put a bullet between his own eyes. The Shark had just called him out.
Code Name: Ghost Page 29