by Marie Harte
X6TFL.
He hadn’t said anything to the guys. But that letter/number combination felt oddly like it had been meant for him. He hadn’t put it together until something Violet, Noel’s nurse, had said struck him.
X6—the first time he’d met Angel, back when he’d been just twelve, five years her junior, and they’d been paired together on the X6 protocol, to learn destruction and termination sequences, the big D&T. Like Hammer, Angel had been trained to take things—and people—apart.
During their training, they’d made a joke out of some of their instructors and classes. OMGB—Oh My God Boring classes. SA—Suck-Ass students, as in, kiss-asses. PM—Pedophile and Moron, usually in reference to their worst instructors. And the real kicker? TFL—Too Fucking Lame. A code for the classes they’d hated most. Angel had loathed ethics. Hammer hated computer work.
Angel had been fun for a girl. She’d been a few years older than Hammer but sympathetic to his crush, and almost maternal when it came to helping him get through the program.
Then she’d gone on her first assignment without even a goodbye. He hadn’t seen her since, though he’d never forgotten her face. A face no one seemed to recall with any accuracy. Angel blended so well she’d become a legend, and then she’d quit the Business, tired of the structure, or so the brief note she’d sent him had said.
One note in the past eighteen years.
He’d always wondered what had happened to her. Big Joe thought she’d died. Hammer didn’t know. But when he’d learned her name had been found in a locket on an abandoned child, he hadn’t hesitated to travel straightaway to Noel’s place. Noel thought he’d have to bend Hammer’s arm to help out. Hammer would have insisted he stay even if Noel hadn’t asked him to.
A sketch artist had drawn the woman Addy remembered seeing with Little Dee, and she didn’t look like Angel. Which would be a good thing, since they’d found her body in the Sound.
Unless they had the wrong person. And the woman who’d died had nothing to do with the baby.
Could it have been Angel in disguise? Maybe, but the whole situation didn’t read like something Angel would do. Drop off her kid to a stranger? Not confront a problem head-on? The woman he’d known had taken the world by the balls. And when she hadn’t liked what the Business had to offer, she’d quit, said adios, face-to-face, to Big Joe.
Little Dee started babbling and took Hammer’s mind from the past. The kid needed help now. He needed a home. From what Noel and Addy said, they planned to adopt Little Dee if they couldn’t find his parents.
Assuming they were still alive at the end of it all.
Hammer sighed again. He had to figure this out. Noel and Addy had a life to share. And if he wasn’t mistaken, Deacon might have something going with Solene. The sparks between the two were enough to set a wet mop on fire.
He’d learned more about Deacon this last month than he’d known about the guy for years. A funny, complicated, slick actor who had earned the codename Shadow, Deacon Shaw had a core of integrity about him that he would be embarrassed to acknowledge. Like Noel, Deacon never killed for pleasure. He worked to better the world, ridding it of one evil person after another.
Collectively, he, Hammer, and Noel had made the world a better place, destroying drug empires, slavers, and gun runners. Angel used to do the same before she’d decided the whole Business was TFL.
He stared at the code he’d written down, circling it with a red pen. What to do with this information…? He wanted to discuss this with Noel and Deacon, to see if he was reaching, seeing things that weren’t there. But he shared a past with Angel. She’d helped him at a time when no one else had, and he genuinely liked her. So, before he dimed her out or made his suspicions known, he’d verify if she really was Little Dee’s mom.
If only Phantom had given him more to go on when he’d tried to meet with the information broker a few weeks ago. The elusive contractor hadn’t given Hammer much, but Phantom’s presence in this matter made the whole thing more than interesting. Phantom rarely involved himself in anything that didn’t come from the higher ups, higher even than Big Joe.
So why was Phantom sniffing around after intel about the baby? About Angel?
And why, when Hammer thought of the baby and Angel—an intriguing woman he’d once had affection for—did Violet Leon keep popping up in his mind’s eye? Noel’s nurse had come and gone too quickly to be of much notice. Yet the woman had packed a real punch. Sexy, lethal, and so much more than she seemed. Despite her clean background check and Big Joe’s insistence, he just knew she did more than slap bandages on guys and take temperatures.
In some ways she reminded him of Angel. Except Angel hadn’t laughed with the abandonment Vi did. And Angel had never been so gentle with anyone, not like Vi had been when holding Little Dee. Yet he could see Angel as being maternal. The way she’d been with him showed she had that in her.
“You know, dude, this is all giving me a major headache,” he told the baby. “All I want is a beer, some football, and a woman to warm me up. What’s so wrong with that?”
The baby blew bubbles and laughed. “Dee, Dee, Dee.”
Hammer grinned. “If Uncle Deacon could see you now.” He turned back to the screen and continued his search, things Noel would be sure to ask him about later. But Hammer didn’t have anything else to go off of. If he assumed the code was meant for him, which he could no longer ignore, he needed Noel’s resources to learn as much as he could before going off alone to investigate.
With Noel and Addy around to care for Little Dee later, and Deacon with Solene, that freed up Hammer to checking on a few things. And the sooner the better.
Deacon and Solene spent the day making phone calls and writing down notes. Solene insisted Deacon take a long nap to make up for his half-sleep the previous night.
After his nap, he went outside to set a few traps and double-check their security for possible breach points. Solene organized their notes, wondering why she kept coming back to the same names.
Everything problematic with their current situation had evolved from an operation the guys did in Sinaloa, Mexico. Little Dee, they assumed, also came about from Sinaloa. Except none of them were the father. Yet for some reason a mystery woman had given Noel her child. Had she slept with Noel, or did she just want him to have the baby? And if so, why? Noel wasn’t dad of the year in any respect. He was an assassin. God, his codename was Ice.
But he’d never hurt a child. Never go against his conscience. So maybe the baby’s mother had known that and wanted someone good to take care of her child while she…what? Oy, Deacon is right. There’s just not enough information.
Going back to the Mexico theory, though, it would seem the Diablo Blanco Cartel was to blame in some fashion. From what she could see, Jonas Hood had been a Business contractor, and a successful one at that. But somewhere along the way he’d lost his moral compass. Instead of putting down drug runners to stop the drug trade, he’d decided to help the Diablo Blanco cartel rise to power. From what she’d read, Jonas didn’t just dabble in cocaine, he also liked women. A lot. A slaver, then?
She shivered, feeling so far out of her depth. The ugly reality Deacon and his friends dealt with had touched her, and it made her realize how lucky she’d been for so long, not having to deal with such darkness.
But now that she’d seen it, she couldn’t look away. Solene didn’t run from problems. She tackled them, fixed them, and moved on. And this problem involved her best friend and a baby. No sense in wishing she wasn’t involved, because she was.
A glance at Jonas Hood showed a handsome blond with cold eyes. He had a build like Deacon, all muscle and strength. He specialized in information gathering, also like Deacon. She didn’t have much else on him except that he’d worked a few jobs with Noel and Hammer, as well as another man also on their list—Romero Burleigh. The guy still alive and residing in India.
She planned to ask Deacon for his files on Burleigh when a yawn caught her by su
rprise.
“Okay, away from the computer, you.”
She started, not having heard Deacon return.
He placed his hands on her tight shoulders and squeezed. Instead of relaxing, her tension rose. The heat from his palms felt wonderful, but that same heat traveled to other parts of her body and made her want.
“Man, are you tight.” Deacon leaned down to whisper, “All over, ain’t ya, sweetheart? Just hot and tight and wet.”
She bolted to her feet and out from under him. “Deacon, really.”
“Well, hell. I thought we were sharing here. Being honest with each other.”
“Since when?”
“Since we bonded at your place, and I don’t just mean sex. You know, when my mouth was on you and my fingers were—”
“I remember exactly what you were doing, thank you.” Was it hot in here or what? “Look, Deacon, we’re obviously attracted to each other.” Be an adult, responsible yet smart. You can do it. “But aren’t you supposed to be all professional and refrain from sex on the job? That’s distracting, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “Really distracting. But necessary.”
“For?”
“For me to clear my head. Right now, it’s filled with how good it’s gonna be when we’re finally together.” He groaned and looked down at himself. “I can’t help it. I’m always hard around you.” He gave her an understanding nod. “Oh, I know you’re still afraid of me.”
“Huh?”
“That’s the risk you’re going to have to take. But it’s okay. I was kidding before about you falling in love with me. You’ve already fallen. Just admit it.”
She sputtered. “Are—you—what… Deacon, you’re nuts.”
“And hard and really wanting inside you.”
“So romantic.”
“I’m honest. Sure, I can seduce women. I have, truth be told. But there’s nothing to gain from fucking you except an orgasm, if you think about it.”
As if she could think about anything else.
“I’m already distracted. If I sleep with you, I complicate the situation we’re in. I end up pissing you off at some point because we’ll grow closer, and sometimes I can be an asshole.”
She raised a brow. “Sometimes?” Amazing how accurately he painted this picture, because she totally followed along.
“I’ll say something stupid and make you second-guess me. Then you won’t listen to me when it’s about your safety, and something will go wrong. Trust me, it’ll happen.”
“Then why the big push to sleep with me?”
He groaned. “Because I can’t help myself. Even knowing it’ll probably all go to hell, I want you. I can’t think about much else without your smarmy face showing up.”
Her heart pounded. “Wait. Smarmy?”
“Look, I want you. You want me. Why is this wrong? Aside from the obvious, I mean.”
Why indeed? Solene hadn’t had sex in months. Deacon turned her on without trying. She wanted him, but she had no intention of losing her heart to the man. Solene had a head on her shoulders. No matter how much he might aggravate her in the future, she wouldn’t ignore him at the cost of her safety. At least, she hoped she wouldn’t.
Rationalizing away all the bad things that could happen, she asked herself the million-dollar question.
Why not have sex and end her frustration?
“I don’t have any birth control, Deacon. I doubt you do either, unless you grabbed some on our escape from my house.”
He gave her a shuttered glance. “I forgot to stock up on the go-bag. Sex was the last thing on my mind when they were shooting at me.”
“Good to know.”
His lips curled. “But I’m totally clean.” He sobered. “And I think I told you I’m shooting blanks.”
“That takes care of you.” Her pulse rate jacked way up. “Maybe I have an STD and am in my fertile cycle.”
“Are you?”
She didn’t want to lie, and with nothing else to do… Great. So now I’m justifying having sex because I’m bored? “No, I’m clean. I’m not at the right time to make a baby. I don’t think. Though that’s not a consideration, I guess.”
He crossed to her. “So how about it? I promise not to fall for you. You obviously don’t care about me at all.”
“Hey.”
“So, you do care?”
“Well, um, you’re a good person. I don’t know you well enough to love you.” Just saying that felt silly…and like a lie.
His gaze was awfully intense. “Right. No deep feelings on the table, just a mutual admiration and a healthy case of lust. I promise I’ll make it good for you,” he said, his voice thick. Then he smiled. “Besides, we need a break from all this research. We’ve earned it.”
“I don’t know…”
* * *
Deacon had no idea how he’d lowered himself to scheming like some pent-up, desperate jackoff. Or why he’d been so incredibly honest with her about things she had no reason knowing about. His codename? The guys’? The fact that he was likely sterile? He’d never had to admit that; he just used protection. Yet he wanted her to know.
I’m such an asshole.
He stared into her honey-brown eyes, lost. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.” Anything.
He’d made some pretty valid points, to his way of thinking. One, they needed to take a break from research or they’d go batty. Two, they clearly wanted each other. He’d seen her heated glances during the day, had felt her gaze on him like hands all over his body. Three, he’d already fallen for her, though he’d accused her of having done the same.
Well, fuck. There it was, out in the open, if only in his brain. He cared for Solene Hansen. Just his type, gorgeous and snarky and genuine. He’d never met a woman like her, and no matter how much he tried to downplay his feelings, he felt more for her than he’d ever felt for anyone in his life.
“You’ll do anything, hmm?”
How is it I’m the seducer, the golden boy when it comes to romancing the ladies? Because this blond civilian is owning me without even trying.
“Or maybe you’ll do anything,” he said gruffly, trying to regain his command of the situation. He stepped closer, forcing her back until she hit the wall. Without asking, he moved to her shirt and reached for the hem.
She didn’t stop him.
He pulled it up and off and stared at her lace bra. “You look good in lingerie.” Understatement of the century.
“So it was you stealing my underwear,” she teased, no doubt realizing the power she held over him.
He cupped her breasts, and she gasped.
“I want to kiss you. Here.” He sounded as if he’d eaten gravel, but he couldn’t help it. He fucking needed her.
She let out a moan. “Then do it.”
Deacon tried to act as if he had his act together and wasn’t hanging on by a thread. “You know what? I think this time I’ll be the one who takes charge. That okay with you?”
“Sure, sure.” She cleared her throat. “We can, um, have sex. Together.”
He kissed her while reaching around her to unfasten her bra. The taste of her went straight to his head. Rock hard and aching, wanting to be with her, he let himself bask in desire, because she’d given her consent.
Pulling the bra down and away, he stood back to take in the sight of her. Talk about hot. Solene had amazing breasts—high, full, with pretty pink nipples standing firm. “Together, hmm?” he murmured and took a nipple between his lips.
He sucked and licked, then nibbled his way across her chest to do the same to the other. She squirmed in his hold, clutching at his arms, his shoulders, then his head when he continued so draw on her taut nub.
So fucking fine. He loved the fact she was half-naked while he remained dressed. He pulled back and pinched her, watching her rosy cheeks and dilated pupils while he toyed with her breasts.
“Take off your clothes,” he ordered.
She might as well have been stripping for
tips, she was that good. Solene took her time removing her pants and panties. She had a trim waist, toned belly—God knew she didn’t starve herself, so she obviously worked out to stay in shape—and long legs he planned on wrapping around his head while he sucked her sweet pussy.
Except Solene wasn’t content to let him be in charge for long.
She walked toward him and ran her hands under his shirt, stroking his already sensitive abs and chest, toying with his nipples the way he’d done to hers. She remembered what he liked, all right.
Solene drew his shirt off, then his jeans, lowering to kneel at his feet while she took off his pants and underwear, putting her face at cock-level.
“You gonna blow me, baby?” he asked, ready to fuck without stopping until they both came.
“Maybe a little,” she said in a whisper over his slit.
He refrained from grabbing her, barely, and watched as her tongue flickered out to catch the fluid at his tip.
“Oh fuck. Yeah,” he groaned, watching as her tongue flickered faster, licking then taking him between her lips. She added a hand to cup his balls, rubbing the tight sac as she drew him deeper.
Knowing he’d come without her if she continued, he withdrew from her mouth and yanked her to her feet. Then he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom.
“You’re strong.”
“And you’re evil,” he snapped.
She blinked. “What?”
“You’re making me lose control. I was centered, ready. And then, bam. You look at me a certain way. You touch me. You fucking suck me. And I’m a hairsbreadth from coming.”
She smiled. “Yeah? Well I’m close to going off too.”
“Not without me this time.” He tossed her on the bed and followed her down, moving squarely between her legs.
“Deacon, wait—”
He moaned as he licked, captivated by her essence. He loved going down on a woman, but with Solene it was a true treat. Better than her blowing him, because those sexy sounds she made drove him wild.