by Hilary Storm
“So we’re seeing each other?” He backs off just slightly, still pressed up against me, just not as tightly.
“I didn't say that. I'm just laying down the ground work if we’re going to consider it. Even if we’re just friends, I need boundaries and you…. You don't seem to have any of those.”
“You have no idea the restraint I have with you, my sweet Jade. I can deal with your rules, but you need to deal with mine.” My eyes move to his again, and I wait for him to continue. “You can't fucking run. You want normal… Then you have to communicate like normal, and when I want to taste your fucking body, you let me. Because remember, Jade, I want you. I can deal with your rules outside the bedroom, but I make the rules inside. Beyond that, I don’t give two fucks how we set it up. I just want to know you're on the same page as me.”
I don't know if we’re on the same page or not completely, but I nod in agreement, because honestly, my body wouldn't allow any other reply.
His mouth lands on mine, and his arms pull me closer to him, even though that didn't seem possible in the moments before. His kiss is passionate, and I find myself matching his intensity. He feels good and wrong at the same time. Like I'm playing with an explosive that will go off any second. Of course, it could simply be the fact that Harris is nearby and has to be seeing all of this. Shit.
I push Kaleb off of me and breathe deeply, pulling my thoughts together. What am I doing? Do I want this with Kaleb? Yes. Do I want to deal with the pissing contest between the two of them? No.
I look over and see Mallory smiling the biggest damn smile of her life, while Harris is loading the back of his truck with harsh movements. I know he's pissed about this, but he's going to have to get over it.
“Were you going away with Harris?” Kaleb’s face has dropped, and it's obvious he truly wasn't watching us before. If he would've seen all the luggage and us walking out together, our conversation would've been so much worse.
“My friend Mallory and I were going to meet him in Alabama, but he offered to drive us instead. It's just a weekend away that I desperately need. Nothing more, Kaleb.”
“I bet he did.”
“Stop. I'm not dealing with that either. I've told you we are nothing more than friends, I need you to own that.”
“I've seen you with him, Jade. It's hard for me to not want to kill him.” Yeah, well, it’s hard for me to not want to kill you right now. I don’t say that. But I sure as hell feel it. What I do say is what he needs to hear.
“He also went to battle with you and had your back the whole damn time. This will be a deal breaker with me. You two have to get along.”
“Fucking hell, Jade. He would fuck you right now if you offered.”
“He's a guy, of course he would. I'm not talking about this again, so you need to deal with it. I've told you we are nothing more than friends and that's the truth.” I watch him watch Harris. He's glaring at him, and right now, I wish I could go back in time and not meet Kaleb the same way. Being wrapped around Harris probably wasn't the best first impression I could give, but it is what it is. That's how it happened, and it's what probably sparked Kaleb to go after me like he did in the first place.
“I'll deal with it.” The muscle in his jaw moves as he tightens it.
“Yes, you will. Right now.” I wanted to make amends with things in my past, but I need to do it with my present as well. These two guys need to know where I stand, and I can't think of a better time than right now. “Follow me.”
I walk away, leaving him no chance to react, then walk up to Harris and tell him we all need to sort this shit out. “Let's talk inside.” Mallory looks entirely confused, however, she follows us in instead of pumping me full of questions outside. I know she’s biting her damn tongue.
Once we get inside, I let it all out. “Harris, I'm seeing Maverick. Kaleb, I'm not seeing Harris. You two have to stop with the alpha bullshit and let me breathe before I kill you both. Harris, you know I love you, but it was never more than friends even though we almost crossed that line. It would've never been more than a fuck. I want to see what Kaleb and I have beyond the insanely great sex. I deserve this. I want to see where it goes, but I need you two to stop. This isn’t helping any of us. In fact, it’s driving me crazy. It ends now.” Kaleb’s fucking smirk spreads across his lips, while Harris looks as confused as ever.
“Who the fuck is Maverick?” Mallory’s voice pulls me into a smile. How comical this shit must look to her. I’ve never been in a relationship before, and now there are two men in our apartment. This whole scenario is new to her, so I can only imagine what she's thinking.
I point to Kaleb. “He's Maverick.”
“You people and your using last names crap. How can I keep up? Nice to meet you, Maverick, Kaleb… Whatever your name is.” She moves forward to shake his hand. “I'm Mallory, her best friend, who knows absolutely nothing about you or the shit she just spewed, but you better know I will be drilling her very soon.”
“Drill away.” He doesn’t even bother to hide his arrogance. The damn bastard is so confident. The way he stands there with his arms crossed around his massive chest and those tattoos daring me to come and lick them. Ugh.
“And you almost fucked this one? Damn it, Jade. Crush a girl’s heart, why don't you?” Harris looks at Mallory but still hasn't moved from his spot. He's processing all of this, and I can see his wheels turning. He's about to let loose what he's thinking.
“Just like I told him before, if he lays one fucking mark on you, I'll kill him. I know we’re never going to be more than what we already are… But that's the reason I'll never let any man hurt you. It's that code we live by. We protect our team. Jade, you're a part of my team forever, and I would die making sure you're safe.” He ends his words staring right at Kaleb. Kaleb stares back, and I watch the two of them exchange so many things without a single word leaving either of their mouths.
“Do you two need to beat the shit out of each other and battle this out, or should you just whip your dicks out and measure? Better yet, we can have you stand side by side and see who can piss the farthest. I’ll let Jade judge the piss, and I can always judge the size. I mean, boys, we can work this out.” Mallory stands next to them both, looking up and instantly softening both of their demeanors. They look down at her and smile. I laugh out loud at her craziness, and then she continues. “What you need to do is invite him to Alabama. Give Jade the chance to see where this is going for her, while you get the benefit of watching him close on your own terms.” She points and touches Harris’ arm with the tip of her finger. “Damn, that's hard. Okay… Stay focused, Mal. And you, Mr. Maverick. You need to remember it will be me first you have to deal with if she's so much as crying over you, then I'll let this big gorilla over here at you if there's anything left.” Both men turn to look at me as she continues to talk. Their faces are amused, and her tiny frame walking in front of them both, taking charge, is a sight I needed to see. This is damn hysterical.
“I'd poke your arm too, but I don't think I can handle that again. A woman can only take so much sexy as all hell men in her apartment, especially when they look like the two of you, and trust me, I mean that in a very good way. Now, let’s all play nice, get our asses in that truck, and burn up the road. Okay, boys? This girl is using her vacation days on a road trip with her best friend. We were supposed to be Thelma and Louise—without jumping off the cliff at the end, of course. Now we have so much testosterone, I'm not sure we’ll even get to where we’re going.” She walks toward the door, hoping they'll follow, but they don't right away.
“Maverick. You're more than welcome to go with us to my ranch in Alabama for the weekend. I have plenty of room at the ranch house.” Harris follows Mallory out the door, and I don't miss his smile when she passes in front of him.
Kaleb and I are left alone in the house. I want to know what he's thinking, but won't ask. Instead I say, “So what do you say? Feel like going to Alabama?”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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KALEB
Hell, yes, I want to go to Alabama with her. I want nothing more than to spend time with her away from all of the stress we’re dealing with, but I have a job. The orders came in this morning, and it's something that needs to be done now. It won't take more than a day, but I have to handle it myself. In all honestly, I should've done it before I ever drove to see her, but I had reached my limit of not knowing how she was doing.
“I'd love to meet you there. I can be there tomorrow.” Her smile falters just slightly, but she attempts to hide it. I like that she wants me to come with her, and it just sends a fire inside me to get there even sooner. She's so fucking beautiful. I thought that in the pictures, which were no comparison to her in the desert and now seeing her in civilian clothes with her hair down, which makes me just want to wrap my hands into that hair. She's wearing more makeup than usual, which I could go either way with. She has a natural beauty that doesn't need enhanced as far as I'm concerned.
“Okay. I'll send you the exact address and you can come later.” I move in on her as she starts to talk. She's mine. She just made it official, and I want to take her into my arms and celebrate the best way we know how, but that'll have to wait. Her slight smile has me hopeful that this trip will be the breakthrough we both need. And Christ, she looks so much better than the last time I saw her. Her color is back. Her spark that drives me crazy, even her attitude is different. Everything about her strikes me straight to my chest.
“I'll be there as soon as I finish up some loose ends… And then I'm all yours.” Pulling her closely against my body reminds me of how perfectly we fit together.
“I'll be waiting!” She seems relaxed and at peace in this moment. I can't help but notice her arms around my waist, sliding lower until her hands are full of my ass cheeks. She gives them a squeeze, then kisses me on the lips before she pulls away. “I'd better get out there.” Her beautiful eyes light up when she speaks.
“I have to go anyway. I'll see you soon.” I lay my forehead against hers for a mere second, then kiss that same spot.
We both walk outside, and I watch her get into the truck before I get into my driver’s seat. She's so different here at home now that she’s had a few days to herself. I had no idea how much I'd love that.
They pull away, and I'm not a block down the road before she sends me a text with the address of his ranch. I feel the adrenaline begin to surface with the thought of what this weekend could bring for us. It should be a great time, and I'm hoping that firecracker Mallory keeps Harris busy.
Seeing her tell him in person is really the best gift she could've given me. I wanted him to know that what I told him on the airplane wasn't me just being delusional. She said it with her own mouth now, so he will respect that. He is a man of honor and respect; even though we haven't seen eye-to-eye on Jade, I get where he's coming from.
I'm glad she has someone like that to watch over her, even though he won't need to do that any longer.
I drive the few hours thinking about her. Once I pull in at the office, I see Kase’s truck is here, so I know I'm late to our meeting. He's already turned everything on by the time I'm through the doors. Our technology is highly secured and top of the line. It has to be for what we use it for. “What's the status?” I ask, then grab a chair, flipping it around to straddle it. My hands rest on the top.
“Intel shows Al-Quaren is moving through Mexico. We’re going to have to be ready to move.”
“Goddamn Mexico. I hate going in there to find someone. Why can't these assholes stay where their native land is?”
“I know. We have informants there though, so he’ll settle in, and we’ll go in and pull his ass out of his hole.”
“These guys think they're men hiding in a shithole to avoid their death. What happened to facing it like a man? No, they send out their babies to do that.” I pause, thinking about Jade and her face as she pulled the trigger. I knew the minute she pulled the trigger it would haunt her, and I will forever owe her for that shot.
“I do know there are four men with him. They’re all dressing alike, so it's hard to tell which one is Al-Quaren. We’re going to have to check his markings to confirm.”
“What time is this conference?” I'm getting impatient, knowing getting him is going to be a struggle. He's been on our radar for years and right now, I’m down two men who are working in Iraq on another project.
“They will be dialing in shortly.” The computer begins to ring, and we wait while The President of the United States starts to talk to us both. His face comes across the screen. The deep circles under his eyes let me know this isn’t coming lightly. Christ. I could never run a country. Every president in office has always had my respect. The day-to-day struggles they all deal with would put most of us in a mental hospital. I listen intently as he starts to speak. His words come out strong and very demanding.
“Thank you for meeting with me on this. I'm calling in your help, because I know your history of success in taking out international terrorists. I want this guy captured and brought in for questioning. He has vital information about national security we need to get our hands on. I'll use the most effective ways to interrogate him to get that information, but first I need to find him. That's where you two come in.” We both watch, knowing we’ll be going in. Our men are the best of the best, and I have no problem organizing another team like the last one to smoke him out.
“He's working with a Mexican cartel and will be tough to pull out of there. Tell me what you need, and I'll get you the resources.” He turns to talk to someone on his right, then quickly back to us.
“This time I can't offer you any soldiers. This needs to be done completely with your men.”
“Sir, I’d like you to reconsider. I need a sniper and a point man to fill my team. I’d like to request two of the soldiers that just completed the mission I was on last week. They are brilliant in their positions and would be exactly what I need to get in and out successfully.”
“Resources I can do. Who are the two you have specifically in mind?”
“Captain Elliott and Captain Harris of the US Army.”
“I’ll grant you two soldiers for this mission, but they’ll need to agree to go AWOL before I can approve this. I want zero connections with the US Army in the event your mission is compromised. I'll have half of your funds moved soon, so they're there for you to fulfil the job. Once it's finished, the rest of the money will be transferred.” All of this is the normal agreement I have to make when I get a call. This is just the first that came directly from The President.
“When do you want us to go in?” Kase asks.
“One week. He's been staying at his locations for about two weeks before he moves. He's just changed locations, so we’ll get you down there once we get his location verified, then send your team in before he moves out.” I sit still and watch The President give us orders, knowing this is a huge mission for us. I also know it’s a very dangerous one and one I’ll be very ready to have behind me. I’m not completely familiar with the area of Mexico that he’s been in, and I’m going to have to do thorough research before I leave for this.
I know I’ll only have a few days with Jade before I have to leave for the compound in Missouri. The team will have to meet me there for briefing before we leave out.
“My team will be in touch before the mission. Do me proud, Maverick. I need this guy alive, and I need you to deliver him to me without an audience. Go in there without any markings and get out quick.” He’s saying everything I already know. It’s why we’re the elite group of men who get called for the most dangerous jobs in the world. The military uses us when they want to stay hidden and stay off the radar. An invasion like this could cause a huge war we aren’t ready to fight. I know as well as he does if we get caught out there, we’re on our own. The US military won’t come rescue us, and we would be thrown under the bus before The President would take any heat on his own ass for this mission. It’s how it works. Keep him looking
as clean as possible while we do the dirty work and take all the risks. It’s what I’m great at. It’s what my men strive for, and we will be successful in this mission or die trying.
“Most definitely, Mr. President. We’ll be in touch.” Kase shuts down the technology the second we’re disconnected from the live feed. We both look at each other and start planning our mission. It’s hard to know everything we’ll need, but one thing is certain. We need cover while we’re there.
“I’ll work on getting us into Mexico safe and find us a place to go. This will be tricky with all of us, but I’m thinking we’ll all fly in separately. I’ll check out contacts to see what I can make happen and feed you the information as it comes in.” He’s great at this shit. I have full faith in him.
“I have a trip I need to make for the next couple of days. I’ll work through the night on anything I need to do. We’ll use the burn phones to talk while I’m gone.”
“Sounds good. Where you headed?”
“Alabama. I’ll go to the compound from there.” I stand to grab everything I’ll need. Kase helps me load my Jeep without asking any more questions about where or why I’m taking off to Alabama.
Thank Christ. I’m not prepared to go into details with him yet. Once I’m settled behind my wheel, I’m off before I have a chance to grasp what I’ve just agreed to. I’m taking Jade to Mexico on one of the most dangerous missions I’ve ever considered. I know she can handle herself, but can I handle myself if anything happens to her?
I move quickly through my house to get enough clothes for the next few weeks. Leaving the door locked and a few lights on, I shut the door and begin another journey to yet another mission, but first I need to spend time with Jade.
The drive to the ranch is long, but it gives me time to think. I'm glad I got out of there quicker than I thought and get to spend more time with her out of our element. We both need this, and I can't wait to see what it does for us.