Promise to Defend

by Diana Gardin

  Hmmm. Hanging out with a new crowd, Grace? What did you get yourself into?

  Most of the pictures are in the setting of someplace seedy-looking. There are a few in bars or clubs, but not the kind that I’d ever take Olive to. And there are a few that look like they’re in people’s houses, and from the looks of Grace’s face in them she’s not living a happy life. I feel sorry for the woman, even though I’ve never met her. I don’t know what could have taken her away from her sister, who obviously loved her, and into the arms of these people in the newer pictures.

  And then I think about Elle. I later heard that during my last deployment she’d made some new friends. And not the good kind of friends, either. From asking around afterward I learned enough to know that she’d gotten herself into something that she hadn’t known how to dig her way out of, and that she hadn’t trusted me enough to tell me. Just thinking about it puts a lump the size of a boulder in my throat.

  I should have been the kind of man she’d come to about that. Maybe if I hadn’t been halfway across the world at the time…maybe if I’d been more present. Maybe…

  I glance up when the door to the hospital room opens. Shaking my head groggily, I look around and realize I must have fallen asleep, my head resting on Olive’s stomach. The steady rise and fall of her breathing was better than a damn nature sounds machine.

  My eyes jerk to the door when I hear a gasp. Turning, my heart drops. Checking my phone, I see that it’s just after 6:00 a.m.

  Jeremy and Rayne must have taken a red-eye.

  Rayne, rushing over to the bed, leans down beside me, inspecting Olive like she just needs to see for herself if her sister is okay.

  “How is she?” she asks, her voice urgent and full of worry.

  Pushing back and standing, I gesture toward the chair. “She’s going to be okay, Rayne. Her clavicle is bruised from the impact of…the truck hitting the guardrail…but she was lucky.”

  She turns to me, eyes welling. “It wasn’t just luck, Ronin. She had you.” Rayne turns back to her sister, and I turn to face my best friend.

  He stares me down, then inclines his head toward the hallway. After the door is closed behind us, Jeremy leans against the wall, facing me. He lifts one eyebrow, before scanning me.

  “You okay?”

  I nod, shaking my head absently. “I’m fine. It’s Olive I’m worried about.”

  Jeremy’s eyes narrow, and he folds his arms across his chest. “Start talking.”

  With Jeremy Teague, I have no secrets. It’s just the way we roll. We’ve been best friends since we met in Ranger school, and when we were assigned to the same team, we became brothers. Even if I now wanted to keep what was going on with Elle’s homicide investigation from him, I couldn’t. It’s just not how we’re made.

  By the time I’m done with my story, ending with how Olive and I ended up in the ICU, he was pacing, his hands raking through his long hair.

  “Fucking hell,” he mutters. “I’ve been gone for a week, and all this has gone down?”

  I spread my arms wide. “I don’t know what to say, man. I did what you asked. I’ve been watching over her. It just turns out that what she had going on is deeper than you thought it was.”

  He snorts. “No shit. If I’d known…we never would have left. Rayne was a fucking basket case all the way here. I just tried to keep it together, keep her calm, for Deck’s sake.”

  I look up, glancing around us, because I suddenly realize that his son isn’t here. “Where is Decker?”

  Jeremy’s eyes light up the way they always do when his son is mentioned. He didn’t get to spend the first eight years of the kid’s life with him, but he’s definitely all in as a dad now. And really proud of it.

  “Called Berkeley and Dare from the airport. We dropped Decker off at their house on our way here.”

  Nodding, that out of the way, I return the subject back to the matter at hand. “She could have died, Brains.”

  Even I can hear the stark note of desperation in my voice. I’m crawling out of my skin; the only thing I want to do is hunt Mick Oakes down and make him bleed for what he had done to Olive. Even if he wasn’t driving one of those SUVs, I know without a doubt that he was behind it. No matter what Olive believes.

  Jeremy stops moving, facing me slowly. He searches my face, and then his jaw tightens. “No fucking way.”

  Raising my hands to my head, I pace away from him. When I turn back around, I look him in the eye. “It’s not what you think.”

  Jeremy stalks toward me. All the good nature, all the brotherly worry on his face erased, he stops inches from me. The anger in his eyes is blatant.

  “You slept with her?” He’s almost vibrating from head to toe, his eyes blazing with fury. “I asked you to keep an eye on her, and you took that to mean ‘have at my sister-in-law’?”

  Raising my hands, I hold my ground. My voice is low and hard when I answer. “It’s not like that. I have feelings for her.”

  Jeremy’s eyes go wide, and he takes a step back. He says nothing as the seconds tick by, evaluating me. I know he’s reading me for the truth, and that eventually, he’ll figure out that I wouldn’t lie to him.

  Especially not about this.

  Finally, he sighs. “I love you, brother…you know that. But I’m being really goddamn serious right now. You can’t jerk her around. She’s my fucking family. You’ve been spending time with her for less than a week.”

  I close my eyes briefly, and when I speak again, it’s from my heart. “You think I don’t know that? I know how important she is to Rayne, and to you. But now, she’s damn important to me, too.”

  He just watches me, and then he sighs. “Fucking hell. Tell me what you need from me, Swagger.”

  And I know that, at least for now, that’s his stamp of approval. As long as I don’t fuck shit up before it’s all over.

  “I will. For now, I just want to be there for her, take her home when she’s released.”

  Jeremy’s tone is hopeful. “To my place? That’s where Rayne will want her.”

  Now it’s my turn for a scathing glare. “Sure, if you want us both. I’m not letting her out of my sight. Otherwise, I’m bringing her back to my place.”

  One corner of Jeremy’s mouth kicks up in a grin. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

  I lift one shoulder in a shrug. “Never been like this before. At least, not in a very long time.”

  Walking up to me, Jeremy rests a hand on my shoulder. “Looks good on you.”

  And I’m not going to admit it to him, but I can honestly say that it feels good, too.

  24

  Ronin

  When we walk into my condo, Olive lowers herself slowly onto the couch and laughs. “I seriously thought Rayne was going to tie me up to get me to stay at their house.”

  I toss the keys for the rental car onto the kitchen island and turn to face her. Jeremy and Rayne had taken us home from the hospital this morning, and Olive had stayed with Rayne while Jeremy drove me to get a rental. When I arrived at the Teague house to grab Olive, Rayne had put up a good fight.

  Ultimately, I left the decision up to Olive. I know that staying with Jeremy and Rayne, with Brains there to protect her, would keep her just as safe as if she’d been staying with me. And that’s all I want…is for her to be safe.

  Well, fuck. No, that’s not all I want. I want her to be safe, and I want her with me. Now more than ever. The thought of leaving her there and coming back to my condo alone made me feel sick and cold.

  Looking at her now, all cozy on my couch like she belongs here, sends a warm sensation floating through my chest and hot, sizzling want straight to my dick.

  Fucking hell, I want her.

  “Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna forgive me for this for a long time.” Chuckling quietly, I move forward and sit on the coffee table in front of her. “What can I get you? Are you hurting? Do you want the pain meds they gave you?”

  She’s thoughtful for a s
econd, and I can tell she’s evaluating her pain level. Then she smiles, and I’m struck hard by how much I’ve come to want that smile in my life every day. We might not agree on everything and we may push each other’s buttons. But when she smiles? It lights up all the dark corners of my world.

  “I don’t think I need them. I mean, there’s definitely an ache, but it’s manageable.” Her eyes glitter with some kind of mischief I can’t wait to get into with her. “Why don’t you come a little closer?”

  Rearing back, playful smirk in place, I hold my hands out in front of me. “Hold on there, Red. You want to get handsy with me right now? You just got out of the hospital. Jesus.” Acting like I’m nothing but offended, I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. All the while I’m loving it as her eyes flash with annoyance.

  “You wish. I was only trying to save your ass from sitting on the hard coffee table. But, whatever. You can stay there, it doesn’t make a difference to me.” She turns her head slightly to the side, like she’s finished with the conversation.

  The hell you are, Red.

  “Oh, yeah? You just want me to walk away?”

  She doesn’t answer, which just ramps up the competitive nature of what’s about to go down.

  Pushing up off the table, I cage her in with arms on either side of her against the back of the couch. I lean forward, stopping just inches from her perfect face. Still turned away, she doesn’t acknowledge me at all.

  The pull and drag, the give-and-take when it comes to this woman. It’s so fucking exciting, and I never even knew it was something I wanted.

  “So,” I murmur, inches from her ear. “You’d be indifferent if I did this?”

  I only have to lean for my lips to touch her neck, and I use my tongue to taste her. I feel her shiver underneath my lips, and my hands land on top of her thighs.

  “Totally indifferent,” she answers. But the high tone her voice has taken says otherwise, and I smile against her neck.

  “And this?” Sliding my hands up, I meet the bare skin of her stomach and push upward. When my hands find the lacy material of her bra, I deftly slip the cups down and caress her with my thumbs.

  That’s my girl. You might be acting like you don’t care, but your body tells another story.

  Involuntarily, she arches into my hands, and I grip the fullness of her in my palms. Her skin is warm and smooth; she feels so fucking good I could eat her. In fact…

  When I glance up at her, the stubborn expression has melted off her face, and her eyes are dark and burning with need, staring down at me.

  Lifting a brow, I continue palming her breasts. “So, still not making a difference to you whether I’m here or not?”

  She doesn’t answer, but her eyes flash and she sucks her bottom lip between her teeth. With a smile, I lower my head below her lifted shirt and pull one tight little nipple into my mouth. I suck hard.

  She moans, her hips pushing against me, and I use my teeth to nibble at her heated skin. That only excited her; I can tell by the way her fingers drift up to my hair and start tugging on the top strands.

  “Ronin,” she gasps.

  Between nibbles, licks, and kisses, I grind out the words, “Say it. Say you want this, Red.”

  I can almost hear her internal struggle. She’s weighing the choices: concede to me or continue her stubborn rebellion? I already know the answer though, before she even speaks.

  Olive wants me just as much as I need her, and I’m going to try my damnedest to make sure it stays that way.

  “Hell,” she gasps. “Yes, Ronin. I want you, now.”

  “Then let’s take this off.” Working carefully so as not to aggravate her injured shoulder, we work together to remove her shirt. Reaching around her so she doesn’t have to do it and hurt herself, I make quick work of removing the navy-blue bra.

  Something I’ve learned about Olive? The woman doesn’t skimp on underwear. She’s even sexier underneath her clothes than she is when she’s all dressed up. And knowing that only makes me imagine what she’s got on underneath when she’s fully dressed.

  Pulling back slightly, I grip the edges of the soft, gray leggings she’s wearing and pull them down the long length of her legs. Pausing only to remove the purple furry boots she has on, I peel them off of her completely and sit back on the coffee table to admire the beauty before me.

  Son of a bitch. How had I gone this long knowing her without insisting on a taste of her? She’s fucking perfect, in every way. The navy-blue underwear, tiny things with just a scrap of lace in front and a G-string in back are the next to go, even though I make a mental note to ask her to put them back on for me later. Once they’re tossed aside, I lower myself to my knees in front of her.

  When I look up to meet her gaze, she stares down at me with an expression in her eyes I can’t read. There’s lust; absolutely. There’s also warmth.

  But what else?

  Then it hits me. There’s self-doubt there, in her eyes. She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “Hey,” I murmur. “What’s this? What’s going through that pretty little head?”

  Her glance darts away before it flicks back to mine. “My body…I’ve put it through a lot, you know? It’s not perfect.” She runs tentative fingers down the side of her torso. I let my gaze follow, to the faint marks that scar her soft skin.

  “Stretch marks,” she whispers. “From gaining and losing weight.”

  Dipping my head, I brush my lips gently across the marring. Before lifting my eyes to hers. “You think stretch marks turn me off? Fuck, woman. Everything about you is drop-dead gorgeous in my eyes. Imperfections? Only make you more real, more beautiful. You believe me?”

  The stiff posture she had when she talked about her body relaxes and her eyes go all soft and sexy. “Yes.”

  Just like before, I start with a finger. This time, I start at the instep of her pretty little foot and drag it up her calf, the inside of her knee, and along her thigh. She twitches and shivers with the trail I make, her muscles flexing against me as I use the other hand to hold her steady.

  When I reach the juncture between her thighs, I let my finger trail against the center of her curls.

  And my eyes drift shut.

  Wet. So fucking wet for me.

  “Jesus, Red.” My voice comes out in a low rumble. “You don’t know what it does to me when I feel you like this. It just makes me want a taste.”

  Her cheeks flush a deep red, but her eyes grow hotter with the flame that’s always burning between us. Her hands knead my shoulders, like she’s telling me to hurry up.

  “Be patient, sweetheart. I’m gonna taste you. But I want you to taste you first.”

  Her pupils dilate, her eyes flaring wide as I plunge my index finger deep inside her. Fascinated, I stare as I pull it slowly out again and circle it around her tight little clit, already swelling up with pleasure.

  God…why is this so fucking sexy, like I’ve never done it before? Everything is fresh, new, and so goddamn hot.

  Lifting my hand to her lips, I insert my finger into her mouth. She closes her plump lips around it and sucks, her eyes closing on a moan.

  “See? You taste so fucking good.”

  Reaching down, I adjust myself, because watching Olive suck on my finger is almost too much for me to handle. My cock is throbbing painfully in my pants, begging me to get inside her.

  Dipping my head, I lick her. Fuck…she tastes better than the last time.

  I’m pretty sure that Olive will never be out of my system. She’s going to be a permanent fixture there, and I’m surprised with how okay with that I am.

  Moving my hands to hold her hips, I eat her until her muscles are trembling, until her hands are pulling at my hair frantically, until she’s moaning my name over and over again. And then I stop.

  Impatiently tugging me, her eyes fly open and she stares at me. Giving her a devilish smirk, I step back from her and strip down, leaving my clothes in a heap right beside hers, stari
ng her down like she’s the last meal I’ll ever eat. Eventually, I’m going to bend her over this couch and pound into her from the back. But not today, after she’s just been released from the hospital.

  Today, I’m going to let her take control.

  Sitting down beside her, I grip her waist and lift her gently onto my lap. Immediately, her soft, warm heat rubs against my throbbing dick, and my hips jerk in response. “Fuck. Don’t come yet, Red. Need to be inside you first.”

  She nods, her eyes glazed over with lust as she rocks over me again. She rests her hands on my shoulders as I lift her hips. I slide inside, just the tip, and total ecstasy washes over me with such intensity that I almost lose my shit.

  Then, I still. “Dammit. Condom.”

  She shakes her head, wiggling as I hold her, trying to sink all the way down on me.

  “Wait, baby. I have to go get a condom.”

  Her eyes focus on mine, and a small smile lifts her lips. “No, you don’t. Not unless you want to. I’m clean, and I’ve been on the pill since college.”

  Swallowing thickly, I’m frozen. Do I want to? Fuck, yes, I want to. But it’s not about that. It’s the fact that I’ve never been bare inside any woman other than my dead wife.

  Olive sees my hesitation, and the disappointment in her eyes is clear. Her hurt cuts me deep, something I never want to cause her.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  “It’s not you,” I start, grabbing her hand so she can’t run too far. “I just never—”

  Shaking her head, she smiles at me. It’s a little sad, but there’s no anger in her eyes. “Go grab one. I’ll wait right here.”

  Staring at her, I’m instantly sorry that I hesitated at all. If I’m sleeping with Olive, then she’s the only woman I’m sleeping with. And if she’s the only one—and I have all these crazy-as-fuck feelings for her—why wouldn’t I choose to be bare inside her?