His hands went to my tender breasts. He found my nipples through my shirt, slowly circling them and making the throbbing in my pussy intensify. I’d had enough, I needed him now.
I reached down to pull my shirt off when my hand grazed my belly, reminding me my body was not what it used to be. I was hugely pregnant. What if Shane thought I looked gross or he was totally turned off by the change in my appearance? I had stretch marks forming on my hips, and I could barely shave my own legs now, let alone my lady bits. Damn, when was the last time I did that?
“What are you thinking about?” Shane asked, breaking the kiss.
“Nothing,” I lied.
“Don’t lie to me. You went from trying to climb inside of me to stiff as a board. Did I do something wrong, hurt the baby?” Shane pulled back.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. The baby is fine.” I buried my face in his neck and inhaled, loving his unique scent. “This is so embarrassing.”
“You never have to be embarrassed with me, sweetheart.”
“I’m pregnant,” I announced.
“Yes, I can see that you are,” Shane chuckled, his handsome face breaking out in a wide heart-stopping smile. He looked so happy, and I only felt worse for depriving him the knowledge of his son.
“I…um…look different,” I stated the obvious.
“You do. And it’s fucking hot.”
“What? I’m huge, and I have stretch marks,” I screeched. Was he crazy?
Shane rolled up on his elbow forcing me flat on my back. He silently looked down at me, and with wandering eyes, he scanned my entire body. Before I had time to protest Shane was on his knees and straddling my hips. My big belly front and center. His hands went to the hem of my shirt, and he pulled it up and off, leaving me in my bra.
“You are the sexiest woman I have ever seen. This right here,” he placed both hands on my belly and began rubbing with a tenderness I’d never known, “makes me want to pound my chest like a caveman. Knowing that my son is growing inside of you makes me want to simultaneously wrap you up in cotton so nothing can hurt you and fuck the hell out of you.”
I remained silent as his hands wandered down to the bottom of my belly to my hips, and he gently traced the new marks there.
“And these are proof of our love. Every new stripe you earn while our child is growing will be worth it. These will remind us that we can overcome anything. They are not any old scars, sweetheart, they are the marks of a woman. My woman who has carried, nurtured, and kept my son safe. Every damn part of you is sexy.”
Damn, I loved this man. I felt every word he said deep in my heart.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“Enough to come home with me and marry me?” Shane asked.
“Yes.”
“I want a big family, Lily. I want to fill our house up with as many kids as we can. I want to make the home that we never had,” Shane told me.
“Okay.” I didn’t trust my voice to say any more than that.
“I’m going to make love to you now.” This time Shane didn’t wait for my reply before he pulled my shorts and panties down my legs and tossed them away. “Roll on your side, I want you from behind so I can hold you close.”
I took off my bra and did what he asked. Shane stood and pulled his shirt over his head and when he bent to pull his boots off something on his back caught my attention.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“What’s what?” he asked as his boot thudded on the wood floor, and he looked up at me still bent.
“On your back. Did you get another tattoo?”
Shane’s face blushed pink, only piquing my interest more. I don’t think I’d ever seen Shane blush.
“Yes,” he answered and stood to his full height, undoing his belt and allowing his pants to fall around his ankles.
He was so damn hot my mouth watered. All thoughts of tattoos, and stretch marks, and big bellies flew from my head. The only thought left was that I wanted him inside of me, and now.
He turned to check that my bedroom door was locked, giving me a clear, unobstructed view of his tight ass. My eyes walked further up, and I froze.
“Oh my God,” I choked out.
“After you left, I missed you so much. I was reckless and dangerous to my team. I was completely lost without you. I needed something. I had to have a piece of us. That’s when I got it. I no longer had your charm, but now a permanent reminder of you and our shared past,” he explained.
The tattoo was spectacular, but the artwork wasn’t the most beautiful thing about it. It was the meaning behind it. It was almost an exact replica of my Tree of Life pendant.
“It’s perfect. I can’t believe you remembered what it looked like.”
“The moment I placed that necklace around your neck and the pendant fell in between your tits is forever burned into my memory. You looked so pretty that day on the boardwalk. I almost broke down and professed my love for you. Damn, I wish I would’ve done it. I swear, that day I was ready to ask you to run away with me.”
“We were teenagers,” I reminded him.
“I knew then that you were the girl I wanted to spend my life with. I’m so fucking sorry I wasted so much time. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough. I promise you, Lily, that not a moment will go by I won’t make sure you know how much I love you. I swear I will make you happy.”
“You already do. All of that is in the past, remember? No more looking back. We have a future to plan and a present to live.”
Shane crawled into bed and pulled me close. The heat of his bare chest on my back made me squirm with excitement.
“I love feeling that ass grind against my cock, but I need you to hold still,” he scolded.
“Holy shit. Shane!” I groaned as he pushed his full length inside of me.
“So. Damn. Good,” he paused in between each word, “to be home.” I wiggled my ass some more trying to get him to go faster. “Stay still, Lily,” he warned. “This is gonna be slow and sweet. I want to make love to my girl.”
And he did. It was slow and deliciously torturous. He brought us both off and started all over again. By the time he was done, I was a boneless, sated, happy woman.
“Are you ready for banana ice cream yet?” he asked when we were finished and cleaned up.
“What?” I laughed.
“Adam told me it was your favorite. Would you like some?” he explained.
Ice cream had been the last thing on my mind the last few hours, but now that he brought it up it did sound good.
“Yes, please,” I said.
“I’ll get you a bowl.” Shane knifed out of bed, uncaring that he was naked. Why would he? His body was magnificent. A renaissance artist couldn’t have sculpted a better physique.
“Just bring the whole pint,” I called out when he opened the bedroom door.
I stared at my ceiling listening to his laughter as he walked down the hall. The sound filled my soul. Shane was back. In the span of a few hours, my life had once again changed drastically. Only this time I wasn’t going to run. I wasn’t going to let untruths and misguided choices screw me out of happiness. I was taking it and holding on with both hands. Shane was right; he was my happily ever after.
That night Shane and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning just like old times. We talked about everything and nothing. I didn’t care what words were actually spoken as long as I was wrapped in his arms.
“The sun is almost up. Let’s go out to the shore,” Shane suggested.
“I’d love that.”
He helped me get dressed, making sure I bundled up so I’d stay warm. We grabbed a blanket off the porch and headed down to the water. When we sat, he threaded his fingers through mine and brought them up to his mouth, kissing each digit.
“Thank you,” he said breaking the silence.
“For?” I asked.
“For the second chance. For my son. For making me so happy. For agreeing to be my wife. The list is long
. I think it’ll take the rest of my life to tell you everything I am thankful for.”
“Lucky for you we have a lifetime.”
Sitting on the shore, we made plans for our future. The future we’d almost lost. A future that was sure to be as bright and beautiful as the morning sunrise before us.
The reds gave way to orange, and the orange changed into brilliant yellow. As the sun made its way over the horizon, Shane held me close whispering how much he loved me and the baby.
All too soon I heard male voices behind us.
“‘Bout time you two came out of the love shack,” Jasper yelled.
I couldn’t help but laugh at him.
“Idiot,” Shane mumbled under his breath.
“You two ready to get on the road?” Clark asked.
Shane and I answered at the same time.
“Yes.”
“No.”
“No?” Shane asked.
“I need to talk to Adam and Anthony. And I have to say goodbye to Miss Milly. Plus, I have to pack my stuff.”
“No need.” I heard and turned to look at Adam as he joined us on the shoreline. “Take what you need, and stop to say goodbye to Gran on your way out of town. She’ll be pleased as pie you’re leaving. Anthony and I will bring the rest of your stuff when we come down next week,” he explained.
“Come down? You’ll visit in Georgia?” I asked.
“You aren’t getting rid of us so easily. Besides, now that you have your man back and the travel ban to Georgia has been lifted, we were hoping you’d do the design work on the new remodel. We’ll drop your stuff and the plans off to you.”
“Yes,” I answered and threw my arms around Adam. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much your friendship means to me,” I whispered.
“We love you, Lily. I’m so happy for you,” he whispered back.
“All of what Adam said,” Anthony started. “And Mr. Eye Candy over there is a Go Fish cheater. I am demanding a rematch,” Anthony continued, pointing at Jasper.
“Mr. Eye Candy? That is fucking unbelievably funny. I think Jasper has a new call sign,” Shane laughed beside me.
“I don’t fucking cheat, I just have a good memory. Ya’ll are a bunch of sore losers. And, hey, I can’t help how supremely sexy I am.” Jasper winked.
“Supremely sexy? Who are you? Zoolander, the male model?” Levi asked.
“Jealous much?” Jasper shot back.
My smile was so wide, my cheeks started to hurt. I couldn’t remember a time when I was so happy and my future was so bright.
“Idiot,” Shane grumbled still smiling. He might like to call Jasper an idiot and pretend he was annoyed, but he didn’t fool me. He loved these guys.
“Come on, Bluesteel. Help Lily pack. We have a mission brief in six hours,” Clark barked as he started back toward the house.
Shit. A mission, that meant Shane was leaving.
“I don’t have to go. I can put in for leave.” Shane stopped in front of me.
“Yes, you do. You have a job to do, and I have a house to get ready for the baby,” I replied.
“I’ll be safe. I promise I’ll come home to you,” he whispered.
“And I promise I will be there waiting.”
The End
To read the extended epilogue please download your free copy here.
NIGHTSTALKER
https://books2read.com/u/4DAMYO
Prologue
Nightstalker
Zane
Fuck! I let out an exaggerated sigh when I saw the caller information on my phone. I glanced at the old-fashioned grandfather clock that sat in the corner of my office noting it was well past stopping time. Closing the lid to my laptop I walked over to the floor to ceiling windows in my office admiring the Naval Academy at night. The Yard was lit up and looked like a city unto itself, the Chapel Dome standing tall and proud above the rest of the buildings. The still ringing phone in my hand pulled me from my reverie.
Entering my ten-digit security code I swiped the screen to take the call. Before my phone was even to my ear I could hear the caller’s impatient voice.
“It’s time,” the voice over the phone sounded tired and far away.
“Fuck me. Now?” I closed my eyes praying for patience.
“Zane, man, I have waited long enough. I am done.”
“I know you have, I am afraid I will lose her once she knows the truth.”
“It’s time,” he repeated.
“Brace brother, she is not the same woman she was.” I have tried to warn him hundreds of times.
“Fuck you. You don’t think I know who she is?” He shot back, his temper rising.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you are one nut short of a pair.” I smiled at the thought.
“Copy that, see you soon.”
The line went dead, and I pocketed my phone as I continued to stare out the window. I was going to enjoy what was left of my peace. A shit storm was about to invade my perfectly ordered world. Now I had one more call to make before I could call it a night. Checking the clock again, I entered my ten-digit security code and dialed the secured number I knew from memory. The clicking sound before the call connected alerted me that the call was indeed encrypted.
“Password of the day?” a gruff sounding man asked.
“Zulu, Charlie, Foxtrot, Niner,” I replied.
“Certified. Hold for connection,” the monotone voice put my call through.
“Zane, How are you this evening? Working late I see.” I could hear the chuckle in his voice.
“Yes, Sir. I have an update for you Mr. President; he is on his way stateside,” I advised the President.
“Took that son of a bitch long enough! I am surprised he waited this long. Thanks for the update. And Zane, one more thing - how many times do I have to tell you to call me Tom when we are having a conversation amongst friends?” The President sounded almost giddy. I, for one, did not understand what there was to be happy about.
“Yes, Tom. Sorry to have bothered you so late. I will keep you apprised of the situation.” Even saying the name “Tom” while talking to the, President of the United States had me looking over my shoulder waiting for a court martial.
“We’ll be in touch.” I could hear his peal of laughter as the line went dead.
Chapter 1
Nightstalker
Jasmin
Whizzz, snap! That was the last sound the poor asshole lying on the nasty assed, stained carpet in front of me heard, as my 147 grain subsonic bullet lodged in his brain. Before his blood even had a chance to pool around his head I had already unscrewed the suppressor off my Sig Sauer P226, affectionately known as Penelope, and carefully holstered her. Yes, I named my weapons, and she was beautiful. Right down to her custom grip, designed to fit my small hands, and her dark earth finish. Penelope was the love of my life.
I know. You don’t have to say it. For a twenty-eight-year-old woman, that is pretty fucking sad.
I looked around the room at my team, noting the half empty bottles of beer and endless bags of takeout strewn about. The unfortunate bastard’s body had barely hit the floor, and they were already at work gathering the electronic devices that blanketed every available surface of his makeshift work station. I watched as they meticulously placed each laptop, external hard drives, and computer towers into shock resistant transport cases. Any piece of electronic equipment that could store information would be coming with us today. This included the 1990’s era CD player.
Christ, this asshole was a slob. His apartment smelled like he hadn’t cleaned a toilet in a year. The strong odor of urine permeated the small living room. There was a month’s worth of energy drinks and coffee to-go cups littering every available dirty surface. The trash can was overflowing with God knows what.
“Jesus, anyone else need a biohazard mask?” Jaxon noted the vile smell of the room as he pushed aside a to-go cup full of cigarette butts. You wouldn’t think a little piss and cigarette smoke smell
would bother a former USAF Special Forces Pararescueman.
“For someone who sold information for ten grand a pop, he sure lived in a hellhole,” Eric added, looking at the stained, 1960’s era plaid couch.
“Fuck, man, he must have invested all of his money into machines. Garrett is going to go ape shit over this equipment. I hope Z has found another specialist to help him analyze all of this. He is already three cases deep,” Drew replied as he gently placed a tower into a case, the two inch foam giving way under the weight of the heavy machine.
“Yeah, this guy hasn’t been laid in years. He has two air conditioner units on full blast in his bedroom and a dirty mattress just lying on the floor. It looks like a server room met hoarders in there. I need another case for all the drives in that room alone.” Leo waved a hand in front of his face as he walked back into the main room, presumably to get the piss smell to dissipate.
I stood over the dead guy and watched the blood ooze out of the bullet wound, down the bridge of his nose, and over his cheek. Finally it joined a growing puddle of thick red liquid on the filthy, stained carpet next to his ear.
It was a damn clean shot. One and done.
“Yo, Jasmin you thinkin’ about helping here, or you gonna just keep staring at the stiff?” Colin spoke from across the room where he was gathering up flash drives.
“Just admiring my shot placement, Cap. I swear I get better every time.” I flashed my best, “I’m the shit” smile and looked over Louis Clark, better known as Deepweb336 to the slimy underbelly of the deep web one last time, “Perfectly placed, right between the eyes. The bastard ought to thank me.” I made over to help the guys finish up.
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