Light (Beautiful Ashes #3)

by Lora Ann

  “Yes.” She studied him with an angled look.

  He pushed up from the wall that’d been holding him up. “Where is she?”

  “I don’t know. She left with some soldier.”

  Either sister could be working with the team, but he knew his woman. She’d been there to see him. He licked his lips remembering her taste. Wherever they were he needed to find them, taking a step forward. The hallway began to spin.

  Shit! He was a huge man and he was about to go down. She hit a button for help as she cried out, “Mr. McNeil! Stay with me.”

  But it was too late, he went down hard. And damn if he didn’t smack his forehead in the process.

  *****

  The Japanese restaurant was renowned with a wait list of three months out. Yet when a public figure requested his favorite table with only a twenty-four-hour notice, the owner bent over backwards to accommodate. Alex and Sofie sat across from the famous couple, sipping their sake. An interview of sorts was taking place. “Our schedules are tight, but I do believe we can clear them. Provided you still want to do a meet and greet.”

  Sofie couldn’t stop herself from comparing the actor, known for his kinky predilections, to her Alex—devoted husband, father, and brother. He was an attractive man. But he didn’t hold a candle to her man: looks, personality, or otherwise. The impressive show he was putting on with his current wife—she couldn’t recall if this was wife four or five—made her realize he was a master at his craft. Pulling herself back to answer him, “We should have no problem clearing ours either.”

  The famous model, Lexi Brooks, smiled. “Perfect. I do think you will be quite pleased with our selection.”

  “I do hope so.” The lie causing Sofie’s stomach to flip. Her internal gymnastics making it difficult to keep her food from revisiting the table. The way Lexi just made living, breathing human beings sound like a fruit and cheese menu was almost more than she could bear.

  Alex clued in to his wife’s discomfiture. He couldn’t blame her. This couple made him want to bring dark justice out to play. But they were on a mission. A mission that meant their comfort zone would be tested beyond all limitations. “I look forward to hearing from you soon,” he said cordially as he stood, assisting Sofie to her feet.

  “What’s your hurry?” Zak asked with a secret grin.

  Oh, hell no! Alex knew where that baited question would lead. “I do apologize. We have a previous engagement we must attend.”

  An exaggerated sigh escaped the actor. “Completely understand.” Zak’s airs were weighing on Alex’s nerves.

  Sofie and Alex made their exit as eloquently as possible, but once outside, she barely made it to a palm tree to dispose of her dinner. He stood holding her hair back. “I’m so sorry, Kjære.”

  She regained control of her stomach. “It has to be done. But we, damn well, do not have to like it.”

  God, he loved her. The truth echoing in her words. They began to walk, hoping they hadn’t drawn any attention to themselves. “Are you going to be okay with all of this?” His concern ramping up. If she did this with any witnesses, their cover was blown. He scanned the area once more before opening her car door.

  She grabbed a hold of his hand. “I could’ve really messed this up for everyone. I’ll work on holding my shit together. But Alex,” stroking his unbearably handsome face, “we can’t take down the devil if we don’t march into hell.” He growled in that sexy-as-sin way of his, but her hand blocked her mouth. “Eww, I need to brush my teeth.”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “Then let’s get you home so I can kiss you properly.”

  Her lashes fluttered. “Is that all you want from me, Mr. Strand?”

  His grin turned all kinds of wicked. “I’ll kiss you first, then I’m fucking you.”

  “And here I thought we would make love.” Her tone coy.

  He held her hand as she got in the passenger seat, kissing her knuckles softly, before closing the door. His door opened and closed while she watched his every move. A rev of the engine was coupled with, “Eventually.”

  Sofie felt her heart go into a staccato. Dear Lord, the man was building anticipation. Her appreciation for what he was doing wasn’t lost on her, either. They were about to enter a world of depravity and degradation with the intent of fighting for what was right and good. But that night, they needed to find their grounding in each other. An anchor.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Her hand came down hard on the table. “Listen to me! That woman is behind so many things! And if you don’t start putting people in the right places, she will destroy him!” Shaking from the weight of her words and exhausted from going over and over this with Mitch, she was at the end of her rope.

  He was pushing her on purpose. She had a gut instinct on Lisa, one he wasn’t planning to ignore. But she needed resolve. He continued to poke at her raw and exposed wounds. “For the umpteenth time, I can’t waste our valuable men on a hunch. Sorry, Kee, but I have nothing concrete to move on. Besides, my ass will be handed to me if I go out of budget. You need to remember this is a business.”

  She spun around and got right into his personal space. Her tiny finger pointing at his face. “No! That is my man lying in there completely exposed and vulnerable. Your best friend needs your help.”

  Oh, now she’d gone and done it, playing on his loyalty while claiming Tar. What a damn beautiful thing. Except the friend card was a “low blow,” he rumbled.

  “Maybe so,” she took a step back, “but I stand firm on it.” Hands on her hips and determination etched across her forehead, she continued, “Lisa is the most dangerous kind of enemy. She’s playing both sides. I can feel it in my bones.”

  So could he. “But I can’t move on a feeling,” he pointed out.

  She began to pace. “Undercover would be best.”

  Mitch couldn’t stop the grin. She was conveniently ignoring him and moving forward with battle strategy. More respect blossomed for her. She was becoming a formidable warrior. “I don’t recall saying I would send anyone.”

  Ignoring his bullshit about needing permission or money, she pressed on, “You need to make damn sure he’s immune to her wiles.” She snapped. “Hey, are any of the men on this team gay?”

  “Not to my knowledge.”

  “Damnit, that would’ve been perfect.” Back to pacing until she stopped and blurted out, “I have to go back.” She marched toward the door.

  He stepped in front of her. “You’ve already put yourself and this operation at risk.” Time to lay it on the line. “You have a choice to make. Either continue on the mission you started or go back to that hospital to play guard. You. Do NOT. Get both!” The captain had spoken.

  She closed her eyes. Fuck him and his logic. And damn him for taking charge. Her gaze leveled with his. “I need…to know…he’ll be…okay.” The tears were right there ready to spill but she was holding them back.

  “Lock down your emotions while in the field, not here.” He reached forward to hug her.

  Keeley’s hand shot out to stop him, but he was stronger. She beat his back with her fists. “Stop! I don’t want to feel anything but victory.”

  “It’s not wrong to admit your scared.”

  She hit him harder. “Fear is not acceptable.”

  His arms dropped. “Is that what you think we do? That Tar, myself, Leith, hell, every damn man on this team, isn’t scared shitless when we walk right into danger? Reality check, men cry, men feel, and men sacrifice for the greater good, but not without fear. We do it in spite of it.”

  She blinked, once, twice, before the dam broke. Gut-wrenching sobs exploded out of her. The volcano had blown and every emotion she’d held down spewed. Mitch didn’t back away, instead he held her tight. Around a sob she sputtered, “He has to live.” She wiped her face on her sleeve and added, “If that’s without me, so be it. But I have to know he’s really okay.”

  And there it was, sacrificial love. The kind that says, you are worth it all.
“We’ll do everything we can to help him regain his memory, Keeley. But right now, he needs to heal from his injuries.”

  “He needs to be protected from that she-devil-bitch,” she growled.

  Mitch didn’t disagree. “I’ll see what I can do,” he assured.

  Relief pumped through her veins, making her knees weak, as she leaned into the wall of muscle holding her. She knew he was safe, burying her head into his shoulder, as more tears surfaced.

  The door swung open with a, “Hey, what’s all the… Oh!” Shelby gasped.

  Mitch locked his gaze to hers. “It’s not what you think.”

  She wanted to believe him, but seeing Keeley so vulnerable and in his arms was disconcerting. “I’ll leave you two alone,” she muttered and turned to leave. A large hand halted her.

  “You will do no such thing,” he growled.

  Keeley was on her knees now, arms folded over her stomach as the wailing continued. Shelby pulled out of his grasp. “Don’t tell me what I will or will not do,” she said with authority. Then gentled her voice, “Let it all out, Keeley,” wrapping the fay-like woman into her arms. “You are so strong,” she continued. “And this, right here, will renew your strength.”

  Mitch glanced down at the two women. One he wanted to haul up and show her just who was boss, the other, he wanted to wrap up and care for like an older sibling would do for the younger one. The latter won as he stroked a brotherly hand over the top of her head. “She’s right. We find our strength when we’re on our knees.”

  More tears poured down, she’d heard that so many times before, but now, it was making perfect sense. She let Shelby and Mitch comfort her. Words were lost as she let it all out.

  The fear.

  The anger.

  The need to do more for Tar.

  She finally hit the point of exhaustion and lay down right where she was.

  Shelby glanced up at Mitch, who sat vigilantly behind Keeley. “She’s asleep.”

  He whispered, “I noticed. She needs it after being up all night with Tar.”

  “What?” she gasped trying to keep her voice soft.

  “That’s what you walked in on. I pushed her. Hard. I had to know that her determination and aggression were met with resolve.”

  “God, Mitch, you went too far. This poor girl has been through enough. And what the hell do you mean by ‘resolve’?”

  “First off,” he stood, “I happen to know just how far to push any soldier. Second,” he has ticking them off on his fingers, “don’t you dare underestimate her will. And third…if you don’t know just how far you’re willing to go for someone, you’ll set yourself up to fail. You must know that this is a person you will die for. No questions asked. No matter what comes your way.”

  “People do the same thing for causes too,” she added, rolling to her side to stand.

  “They do, yes.” He offered his hand to assist her but she batted it away.

  “I know how to get up on my own.”

  “Pride comes before a fall,” he warned.

  “You plan on pushing me? And pride, really, me? That left the night my family was taken from me.”

  He waited a beat before ignoring her protests and hauling her up. “Self-deprecation is the flip side of the same coin.”

  “How do you fig—”

  His mouth was on hers. This woman was bringing out things in him he couldn’t name. What he did know, every moment he spent with Shelby, the need to break her and show her grew stronger. Show her that she was beautiful, kind, worthy of a man’s love and devotion. Break those fucking chains she’d allowed guilt, shame, and self-loathing to bind her in. His kiss grew hungrier. She needed to be freed. He moved her against the wall and took what he so desperately sought. Her moans urging him on. God, with each taste of her he wanted more. His tongue determined to know every part of her mouth, as if locking the information into some sort of storage bank.

  She’d loved her late husband, even though things were not going well when he died. That added to her guilt. And pushing Mitch away before she destroyed him, too, was warring with what he was taking. Giving. Hell, she didn’t know anything more than she was a hot mess. Her groan of protest was loud as he left her mouth to explore.

  A smile appeared at her sexy sounds. He glided his lips along her jaw line and up to the shell of her ear. His mouth traveled down her neck where he set up camp and tasted. “So sweet,” he murmured. Back and forth the tip of his tongue traveled the milky white column.

  She was losing herself to the feel of him. God, this man was undoing her with just kisses and licks. Her mind going south, wondering if he’d give that much attention to detail down there. Her privates begged to know. She fisted her hands in his fitted T-shirt and pulled him closer. The fabric tearing as her fingers continued to rip it apart. She needed to see him. But Lord have mercy, she also needed him to continue. To take her right there against that wall. “Please,” she begged.

  His chuckle was dark and full of wicked promises. Against her ear, he whispered, “You want this,” rubbing his cock up against her heat. “Oh, you do.” Fuck she was so hot. The fire licked him through the barrier of clothes. “Are you wet for me, Shelby?”

  Her breath ragged. “Yes.”

  “Good,” he growled, now at her mouth where he began to devour.

  God. Fuck. She was going to come like this. His air pushed into hers until all she felt…tasted…smelled was Mitch. Her fingers tracing his perfect abs until she reached the waistband of his jeans. His cock a sword of heat as he pressed it against her. More, she needed more and lifted her leg. She gasped at the change in position.

  He eased back enough to speak against her lips. “Break apart for me, princess.” His hips flicking forward until she cried out. He swallowed them, each and every precious moan she gave afterwards, also. His heart was daring to explode in his chest. She was perfect, fucking perfect.

  Her panted, “Let me take care of this,” was met by her hand pushing down his pants.

  He grabbed it and yanked back up. “Not yet.” There was promise laced in those two little words.

  “But…” She’d never known a man to do such a thing, only bringing her pleasure without his own. Shit, that was straight out of a novel, not reality.

  “I need you to know,” he whispered along the corner of her mouth, “that this right here, means you belong to me. And I belong to you.” He sealed their fate with a reverent kiss.

  A vow.

  A commitment.

  Keeley stayed still, silently cheering. Someone deserved happiness. She’d tasted it and knew how precious it was. Maybe, the purpose for all the bad stuff was to value those bright moments of sheer delight even more. Or perhaps, they were simply a gift. A flicker of hope to carry you on when darkness was all around, proving that even the faintest of light could give anyone the courage to keep going. Keep trying. Keep walking, though where you step is unknown. Faith—that in the end, it was worth the cost.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Cole sat in the corner watching his mother. She was crying but he didn’t dare go to her.

  Her eyes roved over him making sure he wasn’t hurt. A battle was taking place inside her. She knew this was where he needed to be for her plans to come to fruition. But the mother in her was distraught. How could she do this to her precious son?

  “Yeah, well, he saw what you did. Not just on that night you drugged Tar and tried to fuck him, but also when you tried to erase his memory completely,” the demon reminded.

  She argued mentally, I needed him a blank slate so I could win his heart again.

  “No, sweetheart, it’s not his heart you want.” Dark chuckling filled her ears. “You want to control him, a puppet. Until you tire of him and move on,” he assured.

  I’m a monster. Shouldn’t surprise me I’m talking to one, she shrilled.

  His hand now on her throat. “You need me.”

  Warm breath tickled her face. She was about to lip lock with the beautiful ma
n when Cole cried out, “You leave her alone!”

  The fallen angel turned to see his nemesis standing right beside the boy. “He sees us.” He cocked his head to the side. The child was not the first, though he was rather intelligent for his tender years.

  “You’re standing right there.” Cole’s finger pointed.

  He squeezed Lisa’s neck, causing her to gasp for air. “She sees and hears me, too. But that’s only because I let her.”

  Cole’s eyes were huge as he stood to defend his mother. “Stop!”

  The demon released her, letting her catch a big gulp of air. “My friend here,” nodding toward the angel standing slightly forward of Cole, “knows he’s not to show himself deliberately unless delivering a message. How are those rules working for you, Kian?”

  The angel stood perfectly still, but Cole recognized his battle stance. He glanced back to his mom. “Tell him to leave.”

  “I can’t do that, baby.”

  He angled a look at her, trying to work those words out in his head like a math problem. “Yes, Mommy, you have the power.”

  The fallen one burst into a hearty laugh. “She doesn’t want me to go, son.”

  Cole’s anger reached boil and he charged. Ramming so hard into his mother, they both fell. She screamed, “Get off me! GET OFF!”

  The door flew open as staff members yanked Cole away from his mother. Angry red handprints were on her neck and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. A nurse walked in and dove into her pocket for a syringe. Cole went wide-eyed as he begged, “Please, save me. Please!”

  The angel shut his eyes briefly, his orders clear to stand down. He locked his gaze with the child under his protection as they inserted the vile sedative into his tiny body. “Be strong, Cole.” The boy fell into a deep sleep knowing that what was happening to him would bring out the truth.

  Lisa shook not from what her actions just did to her son, but from the excitement pumping through her veins. If Cole was drugged, he’d tell her exactly what he knew. Those answers would show her the next moves to make. They also determined if she’d have her son locked away forever in a mental institution or released. Either way, she won.