“You think I’m going to let a little water take you from me?”
Jared plopped her down on a hard bench in the boat before quickly giving her his back to untie them from the log. As soon as he bent forward, she planted her booted foot on his butt and gave a hard shove. Jared went flying into the water and came up with a roar.
“You looked like you needed a bath.” Sparrow smirked. Squirrel always said she was really good at poking the bear.
But when his big hands bore down on the side of the boat and he leapt inside with an agility that amazed her, she started to rethink her decision. He was on her in the next second, his hand wrapping around her shoulders, forcing her backwards until she was nearly bent over the side. It seemed as if the gentle Jared had snapped and a primal beast had taken his place.
“You’ll regret that.” His voice was rough and harsh, his black eyes obsidian. Rivulets of water ran down his body and dripped onto her.
“Careful, you’ll get my new shirt wet.”
One second she was leaning backwards, the next he had tossed her over his lap and flipped the T-shirt up to expose her panty-clad bottom. “What are you doing?” she shrieked.
His answer was to deliver a smack right on her ass. “I told you not to test me.” Smack!
The blow was loud but not that painful.
“You think I’m scared of a little spanking?” she asked.
Smack! She sucked in a breath and bit her lip. The sting wasn’t so bad.
Smack! “You will listen to me.” Smack! “You will not fight me.” Smack!
The burn spread out across her skin, morphing into a sensation she could not name. The blows were landing a little harder and Sparrow could no longer keep her silence. She cried out, struggling from his grasp, but Jared’s answer was another spank. This one landed directly below her butt cheeks, smacking her most private area. It sent shockwaves of awareness through her body and something else. She was getting aroused.
Shame filled her, hurting her worse than any small amount of pain she’d experienced from his spanking. How could she be aroused by this? How could she be aroused by a man who’d taken her captive? A man who didn’t trust her?
Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as he ripped her up from his lap, forcing her to sit across his legs. His features were still twisted with rage, but when he saw her tears, the hard line of his mouth softened. Before she could react, his lips covered hers and she responded with a wild abandon, craving his touch with an overwhelming yearning.
As Jared possessed her mouth, his hand fell between her legs and she spread them for him, eager for his touch. When he found her wet, he ripped back from her, his breathing harsh. “You’re wet for me.”
His fingers delved inside her panties, circling her most sensitive spot until she bucked into his hand and cried out for more. He drove his fingers into her without mercy, bringing forth moan after moan of pleasure. She felt his lips close over her bare nipple and realized he’d ripped her shirt up to suckle her there. The pleasure converged in the center of her body, building and building. Roaring filled her ears. Her body tensed. So close, so needing…
He stopped and withdrew his fingers, pulling her shirt down and sat her up. “What?”
It was then that the roaring grew louder and she realized the sound hadn’t been coming from inside her own head—it was the helicopter appearing over the mountain.
Jared grabbed her hair, gently tilting her head back until she was forced to look into his eyes. “The next time I won’t stop.”
23
Jared toed the thin red line of insanity. The girl who’d captured him and tried time and again to escape him, who’d maybe hurt Hoyt, had kicked him in the water. She deserved his anger. And he fucking wanted to bury his cock inside her so deep he never came out.
The only thing that gave him comfort was the way she was squirming on that bench, as eager for him as he was for her. But for once, she kept her mouth shut. Jared slammed the boat into reverse, pulling into the river, and sped straight toward the helicopter.
Thoughts, images, ideas of what he would do to her when he got her home consumed him. There was no use denying the primal instinct to take her. He longed to possess her.
Her sweet body responded to his so intensely, her little moans and reactions more erotic than anything he’d ever experienced. Her pussy had clenched around his finger tight and wet… fuck, his cock throbbed. He needed relief, but relief would be a long time coming.
He ran the boat up onto the opposite sandbar, killed the motor, and hopped down, then turned back to lift Sparrow out. The last time he’d left her unattended, she’d nearly escaped.
“You caught her.” Merc’s question was more of a statement as he stood in front of the helo, arms crossed, muscles bulging. Hunter and Cord followed him out.
Jared set Sparrow down on the sand and pushed her in front of him, reaching past her shoulder to grasp Merc’s hand in greeting. “I always catch what I hunt.”
Something clicked in Jared’s head, and he realized Sparrow was only wearing his T-shirt and her panties. At least his shirt came down almost to her knees, essentially covering her. But a surge of jealousy took him unaware and he found himself stepping in front of her, blocking her from the gaze of his teammates. His most trusted friends. He didn’t miss the look that Merc gave him after that telling action.
Jared prepared to defend his actions, but there was no need, Merc changed the subject. “Good thing you’re here. Hoyt took a turn for the worse after we got off the phone. He’s been calling out for you.”
Fear and guilt shot through Jared. He’d been so consumed with Sparrow, he’d let thoughts of Hoyt fall to the wayside. “Tell me.”
Sparrow leaned in close, and Jared glanced over his shoulder to see her pressing into his back. Her gaze was locked on Hunter, who now stood to their right and was looking at Sparrow like he wanted to kill her. It was probably the same way Jared had looked at her. Only for some reason, it wasn’t okay this time. “She’s mine. No one else touches her.”
Hunter held silent for a long moment before moving away. Hunter was Task Force Scorpion’s team leader. He took each soldier’s life personally responsible. He’d saved Jared’s life on more than one occasion, just as Jared had saved his. The members of the unit were as close as blood brothers. Each willing to give up his life for the others.
But Jared wasn’t willing to give up Sparrow.
“Why don’t we discuss this on the helicopter. Cord will take the boat home. But we need to get you to your brother pronto.” Merc gestured to the open door of the small black helicopter.
“Roger.” Jared picked Sparrow up and snapped her into the small padded seat of the helo. Her hands were bound behind her back, and he knew it was uncomfortable, and a small part of him enjoyed her discomfort. He made a mental note to check her wrists when they got safely in the air to make sure the binding wasn’t too tight. He climbed in next to her, staking his territory. Merc followed and sat across from them as Hunter climbed into the pilot seat and cranked up the helicopter.
Cord pulled out in the boat and turned downriver just as the helicopter lifted off the ground. Tension stretched tight in Jared’s insides. “Tell me now. Will he live?” The words cut him up like razor blades.
“I think so. But the doctor is there and she can fill you in when we land. It wasn’t really his physical health I was talking about.” Merc scrubbed a hand over his jaw, glanced first at Sparrow and then back at Jared. Sparrow held his teammate’s gaze with her chin lifted, as defiant as ever.
Jared didn’t miss her small flinch, but she didn’t cower. His own mind was on the verge of breaking, He kept seesawing back and forth with the struggle of whether or not to believe her.
“It’s his mind. He keeps rambling and calling out your name. No one can figure out what he’s talking about, but he’s just…he’s not really lucid right now.”
Jared’s chest tightening until it felt like it would implode. “Does the
doctor…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. Couldn’t even bear the thought of his brother losing it, locked up in some mental institution.
Jared was responsible; he should’ve been there sooner. He shouldn’t have forced Hoyt to come with him in the first place.
“The doctor hopes hearing your voice will at least soothe him, get him through the worst of it.”
The hour-long helicopter ride flew by. Hunter touched down in the field directly next to their headquarters on Hank James’ property. Hank, a war veteran himself, was Hunter and Ranger’s father. He’d allowed Task Force Scorpion to set up a temporary operating base on his property last year. The setup had proved incredibly useful for their covert ops, as Hank had plenty of land with access to the river and the biggest roads.
Jared didn’t know how many acres Hank owned on Broken River Ranch. He had multiple dwellings and structures stretched out across the property. A large tan metal building had been converted into the team’s headquarters. On the complete opposite end of the property, Hunter and his new wife, Evie, had just finished building a house. And now Jared and Hoyt Crowe had been set up in one of Hank’s other ranch houses.
“Tell your old man how grateful I am to him for putting us up like this,” Jared said to Hunter.
“No problem, man. He’d do it for any of us. I’ve got a Jeep waiting for you. Follow this road until it forks, then hang a right and you’ll be at the house.” Hunter handed Jared the keys.
Jared swallowed, unable to speak. He was so close to seeing his brother again. But what if Hoyt never really came back?
Merc clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Hey man, we’re all here for you. I’ll come with you, make sure you’ve got everything you need.”
“Thanks.” Jared didn’t bother trying to hide the rough edge of emotion in his voice. Instead, he focused on moving forward. Without a word, he pulled Sparrow out of her seat and carried her to the waiting Jeep. Once she was secured in the backseat, Merc climbed into the passenger seat and Jared drove.
The fall air wasn’t quite as chilly down here, but it still had a bite to it. Jared gunned it down the dirt road, dust flying behind him. The trees rushed by in a haze of green and orange. He took the turn Hunter had described and pulled to a stop in front of a white ranch-style house with a long rambling porch across the front.
“Get her for me, okay?” Jared waited on Merc to nod before exiting the Jeep and walking on shaking legs into the house. He couldn’t let Sparrow distract him now, not when he was so close to seeing his brother. He was already so confused by her.
He slammed the front door open and rushed through it, only to come to a grinding halt. It was so silent. Was he too late? His heart sped up as fear licked down his spine. An agonized moan came from the hallway to his right. Jared ran in that direction, stopping abruptly when he came to the first doorway.
Dr. Jane Hartsfield stood with her back to the door. Hoyt lay on his stomach on the bed with his eyes closed, the sheets kicked off, his skin pale and sweaty. An IV and various other electronic devices were hooked up to him.
Fresh white bandages covered most of his body, including the left side of his face. Jared watched as Hoyt twitched in his sleep, his eye darting beneath a closed lid.
Hoyt jerked and screamed out loud, twisting as if in agony. “Jared! Don’t leave me.”
“Hoyt, this is Dr. Hartsfield, and you’re safe here.” The doctor tried to place a hand on Hoyt’s head, but he just bowed up off the mattress. “Hoyt, listen to me. You are safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Not her. Not her, please. Make him stop.” Hoyt’s cries tore something dark loose inside Jared and he had to grab onto the doorframe to keep from falling to his knees. Hoyt jerked and the IV pulled from his arm, spilling Hoyt’s blood.
Jared pulled himself from his stupor and dove for his brother’s arm. Dr. Hartsfield grabbed a bandage. “Hold him still, I’ll have to tape that one shut.” Jared couldn’t manage to speak. His brother was as pale as death, tossing his head back and forth on the pillow.
She bandaged his hand. “You need to talk to him. Let him hear your voice.”
Jared was lost and locked in his own world of regret. “What can I say?”
“I don’t care. Just talk and hold him still.” The doc went about checking all the electronics as Jared stared at his brother, his mouth suddenly dry.
“Hoyt, it’s me, Jared. I’m here.” Hoyt stilled, but as soon as Jared stopped speaking, he started to thrash again. “I’ve got you brother. You’re safe, with me. Don’t worry about anything. I’m going to take care of you, but you’ve got to calm down before you hurt yourself.”
Hoyt seemed to settle, and even though Jared didn’t have a clue what he was saying, he kept on talking.
“That’s good,” the doctor said calmly. “ Can you grab his other hand? I need to replace the IV, and it’s the second time I’ve tapped that arm.” Dr. Hartsfield walked around the bed and started touching Hoyt’s arm, searching for a vein. Jared leaned over and took his brother’s other arm, holding him to the bed.
Hoyt’s breathing was shallow and rapid, and sweat drenched his hair and pillow. “Can’t you give him something for the pain?”
“I have. He shakes it off faster than most. I’ve avoided tying him to the bed, but if he keeps thrashing around like that, I’ll have no choice.” Doc met Jared’s gaze, communicating silently with them. The last thing a soldier rescued from captivity needed was to be bound.
“Okay, I’ll hold him. Can you give him something to calm him?” Jared felt so helpless as she inserted the needle into Hoyt’s other arm.
“Yes, I will as soon as I get the IV in.” She taped the needle to his skin then plugged the tube into the free end. When the clear liquid from the IV bag started to flow, Dr. Hartsfield pulled a syringe out of her pocket. “This is a sedative. I can give him a dose every four hours. We are just going on three right now. I’ll give him this one dose early, but he can’t take much more. If he doesn’t start to calm, I’ll have to admit him to the hospital.”
Jared swallowed and nodded. A hospital meant involving the police. Which would entail handing Sparrow over to them. “I’ll stay with him. Get him to calm down.”
When she looked at him, there was pity in her gaze, and Jared hated it. “I hope so. He’s been through a lot of trauma, both physical and mental. I’ve done what I can for his injuries, now it’s up to him on the rest.”
“Will he wake up?”
“There is nothing stopping him from waking once the sedative wears off. But Jared, there’s no guarantee your brother will be the same man he was before.”
Raw acid burned Jared’s throat and made his eyes water. All Jared had ever wanted was to protect his younger brother. That’s why Hoyt smiled more than Jared. That’s why he laughed more. That’s why he was able to sleep at night when Jared’s rest was wracked by nightmares. Hoyt had been so young when they escaped Crowe Mountain; Jared had thought the memories of their captivity long erased from his mind. And he’d done his best to keep it that way.
Now that decision had been taken out of his hands.
*
Sparrow stood just inside the door, watching Hoyt struggle, with Merc holding her arm. From the doctor’s haggard expression, she could tell Hoyt had been doing that for a while now. Anguish ate at her. Jimbo’s handiwork had left deep wounds, wounds from which Hoyt might never recover.
Sparrow swore right then and there that she would kill Jimbo. He’d tormented enough people to deserve death. When she heard the warning the doctor delivered to Jared, a knot of dread unfurled in her belly. Jared already blamed her for this. There would be no escaping the blame if Hoyt was never in the right mind to explain.
Jared led the doctor from the room, brushing past Sparrow with a look of rage. She backed up a step and bumped into the solid wall that was Merc. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he anchored her where she stood. “You go nowhere without him.”
Jared returned a s
econd later without the doctor and grabbed Sparrow’s arm in a bruising grip. “Where did you set up the room?”
Merc gestured to the second door past Hoyt’s. It had large heavy-looking locks. Merc inserted a key and opened the door. “We thought you’d want to keep her close. Your bedroom is connected through a shared door.”
The room was much larger than her own, and besides the sturdy four-poster wooden bed, there was a dresser and two nightstands. Another shut door stood on the right side of the room. Merc followed her gaze and said, “That door goes to Jared’s bedroom.”
Jared’s grip tightened painfully on her shoulders as he propelled her forward. “Thanks for setting this up.”
“Anything I can do to help. I’ll stick around for a while and make sure everything is okay.”
“No need. I’ve got this.” Only Jared wasn’t looking at Merc when he spoke. His ice-cold gaze had locked on to her.
“You sure it’s a good idea to be alone with her right now? I’m more than happy to stay.”
Jared finally broke his stare and looked at Merc, who was leaning casually in the doorway. Oh, how she hoped he would stay.
“I’ve got this. I’ll check in later.”
Sighing, Merc pushed away from the door and handed Jared the key. “Roger.”
After he left, Sparrow became aware of just how alone they were. And just how dependent her life was on the man standing before her. A man who once again looked like he wanted to strangle her.
Dammit, she wasn’t some simpering female. She didn’t do this thing, and she’d be damned if she cowered under his misdirected anger. “I didn’t do anything to your brother. You know it. Deep inside you know it.”
“My brother says you did. Who do you think I believe?” Jared’s voice cracked with emotion.
“Your brother was out of his mind with fever. He didn’t know who I was.”
“Shut up! My brother is half dead, but he’s still asking me to keep him away from her. Her. Who is that if not you?” Jared advanced on Sparrow and she retreated until her knees bumped into the footboard.
Reckless River: Men of Mercy, Book 3 Page 18