by Skye Jordan
Austin swore. “Everly.”
She ignored him, her expression fierce, her search for wounds methodical and quick. Her hands pushed beneath his T-shirt. Over the skin of his torso. When she confirmed what he’d already told her, she released a heavy breath, and tension drained from her body in a wave that buckled her. Before Austin could reach out to give her a reassuring touch, Everly gripped the railing and pulled herself to her feet.
“If this is Seaver, you’d better find a way to make goddamned peace with her.” She was breathing hard when she pierced him with a glare. “If it’s not, you’d better move Bella back to the States with her grandmother, where she’ll be safe.” She stabbed a rigid finger toward him. “Because this is not the way to raise a little girl. And don’t give me that happiness shit, because she can’t be happy if she’s dead.”
Six hours later, Austin popped another handful of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, the perfect pain-relief cocktail. There had been local authorities to answer to over the shooting, delaying their departure. Even with pain meds, he still felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his upper body. And his heart was still stinging over Everly’s words.
He glanced toward the back bedroom, where Everly lay on her side, one arm protectively curved over Bella where his daughter had burrowed into her before she’d fallen asleep. Ty and Mark continued the search of public and private databases for links between Seaver and any military, paramilitary, security team, or guns for hire. Cody had flown to the Cayman Islands to demand answers in person from the company they’d used for the original four members of the supplemental security team. And Decker was pacing the aisle, his phone to his ear as he grilled various contacts within the government.
Austin refocused on his own laptop, where details of one of the Seavers’ bank accounts filled the screen. He scrolled through payments and transfers, stopping to skip to the internet to research any entity he didn’t recognize.
Decker ended his phone call to one of his many friends in secret places and dropped into a seat opposite Austin. “No one knows anything. What have you got?”
When Austin shook his head, Decker prompted the others with the same question. And got the same answer from everyone. They had nothing.
“She’s either covering her tracks like a pro,” Ty said, “or she wasn’t involved.”
“It has to be her,” Austin insisted. “No one else has any reason to go to these lengths to get Bella.”
Decker met Austin’s gaze with a scowl. “That guy nailed you with half a dozen rounds. Taking Bella back is one thing. Killing you is something entirely different. And laying down bullets so close to Bella is reckless.”
If it was Seaver, judging by the tenacity and ferocity of the men sent, she was getting desperate.
She can’t be happy if she’s dead.
The ugly weight returned to Austin’s gut.
“No more travel,” he told Decker. “Not until a VP is named for the Democratic ticket. And if she gets the nomination, we’ll have to stay put until the election is over. Keep looking.”
Decker gave a nod, and everyone went back to their searches.
The pilot announced their imminent landing and Austin moved to the bedroom to wake Everly. He stood there a minute, watching them both sleep. The air between them had been turbulent since her angry words earlier. Still, he was so grateful. Without Everly…
His mind took an unexpected turn. A troubling turn.
He leaned down and gave Everly’s shoulder a shake. When she opened her eyes, he said, “We’re landing.”
Then he returned to the front and sat across from Decker. “Tell Cooper to look back over Everly’s asset map and search for any enemies she might have had.”
Decker frowned, and his gaze skipped past Austin to the rear seats where Everly was settling in with a still-sleeping Bella. “You think this is someone trying to get back at her?”
He raked a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. All I know is that Seaver is leading nowhere, and no one made any move toward Bella until Everly came onboard. We need to change our point of view, expand our search.”
Decker agreed, and everyone settled into a tense silence as they approached home.
Austin looked out the window as the afternoon sun illuminated the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. But he didn’t see the dense jungle or the sparkling ocean. His mind was jumbled and tangled in Everly’s angry words.
This is not the way to raise a little girl.
Everly might think Bella was at risk living with Austin, but he’d seen exactly what kind of neglect and abuse she would go through at the hands of the Seavers. He’d watched Dawn go through that hell with his own eyes.
Still, he certainly didn’t want to raise Bella in fear. That was the reason he’d done all he’d done—to limit Bella’s exposure to danger.
Which meant making sure Everly wasn’t the source of that danger.
14
Everly splashed cold water on her face, once, twice, three times. She lifted her head and looked at her image in the mirror of her bathroom.
The feel of tingling in her skin and the sight of water dripping off her chin reminded her that she wanted to swim. Or run. She needed some way to get rid of this pent-up frustration. But Austin was on the pool deck, pacing while he talked on the phone. And if she heard one more “Are you okay?” from him, or caught one more distrustful glance, she was going to poke his eyes out.
The man flip-flopped back and forth like a seesaw. And Everly had never liked seesaws, not even as a kid.
She dried her face and tapped the screen of her phone. Still no messages. She’d played with Bella throughout the evening and put her to bed two hours ago. And no one from the team had contacted her yet. Silence meant something. But she wasn’t sure what. They either hadn’t found any more evidence of Seaver’s connection with the incidents on Turks and Caicos, or they had and were following the leads.
“Waiting sucks so hard,” she told her reflection.
She returned to the bedroom in her sleeping shorts and tank. Beyond the sheer curtains, she saw Austin wander past again, wearing a T-shirt and gym shorts, looking much the way he had when she’d stripped him the night before. The thought shot a ripple of awareness through her entire body.
She turned out the bedroom light and moved to a window, where she slowly, soundlessly, opened it a couple of inches to listen.
“I’m so glad the training turned out well,” Austin said. Obviously talking to Connelly again. “I appreciate your understanding. Yes. I’ll download all the data tonight and get back to you tomorrow or the next day to schedule a debrief with you.”
After Austin wandered back the other way, she closed her window. But Decker stepped out onto the patio, so Everly moved to the opposite side of the room, closer to the house, and opened a window there.
Austin disconnected with Connelly and dropped into a deck chair, rubbing a hand over his face. “Please tell me you found something.”
Decker made his way to another chair and sat on the edge. “Sorry, boss, still nothing.”
Austin flung a hand out to the side. “What the fuck? They had to believe they’d get something out of taking Bella to go to those lengths.” He lowered his voice, and Everly closed her eyes so she could focus on hearing his words. “You backtracked over Everly’s information? She was in some shitty places. Maybe someone assumed she had money because she was American.”
“No one claims to have had a problem with her. She hasn’t gotten funds from anywhere but her employers. She doesn’t have money stashed anywhere. And Bella’s not even her kid. I can’t see how Everly could be the cause.”
Even though she knew she wasn’t the cause, a knot in her stomach still released with Decker’s conclusion. She hated the thought of anyone believing she could use or hurt a child.
“And still nothing on Seaver?”
“No unusual or large payments out of her bank account or her husband’s. Ty is tapping into her husband’s busine
sses.”
The men went quiet for a couple of long minutes.
Finally, Austin said, “Put two more guys on duty, round the clock.”
“Done,” Decker said before getting up and going back inside.
Austin stood again but just crossed his arms and stared at the pool.
Everly closed the window and picked up the television remote. She turned on the TV and flipped to a random news channel to have a distraction, but muted the sound so she could hear what was happening in the house. Then she flipped on the bedside lamp and pulled out her sketchbook. She turned to her latest image, a sketch from the memory of Austin and Bella at the party before everything went to shit.
She added a little color to Bella’s dress and Austin’s suit jacket. Everly thought about their lives after she left. After Austin had been cleared, and he and Bella went on without her. Wondered if he’d find a nanny to adequately keep Bella safe. Thought of him meeting a woman he could love. Bringing her into his home, into Bella’s life.
Everly closed her eyes on a hard exhale. They didn’t belong to her. And she would have to leave soon. She’d dreaded this assignment when she’d gotten it. Now she dreaded walking away.
She pulled her pencil back and swore when she saw she’d pushed too hard and added too much color. “Dammit.”
She worked the eraser across the paper, pulling away some color and leaving a nice faded effect. But she still felt a little sick to her stomach.
A barely audible knock sounded on her door. She looked up, wondering if she’d heard it or imagined it. The door opened a foot, and Austin peered around the edge.
“Sorry,” he said, hushed. “I saw the light. Can we talk a minute?”
Her heart jumped. Her stomach ached. She tried not to show her eagerness. She should cultivate some distance now. It was the perfect time. But knowing that didn’t keep her from wanting to feel his arms around her again. To taste the passion of his kiss.
“Sure.” She collected her pencils and set them on the floor. She started to close the book, but he crossed the room and reached for it.
“Mind if I look?” He waited, hand outstretched.
When she shrugged, he took the book and turned to take a seat next to her on the bed. His gaze roamed the sketch, and the spark of awe in his expression secretly thrilled her.
He might have been enthralled in the sketch, but Everly couldn’t ignore the sudden ache to reconnect with him. To feel all he’d made her feel the night before—beautiful, sexy, extraordinary, smart. Cherished. Everly had never felt more adored or desired than she had in Austin’s arms.
“This was last night,” he said.
“Yeah.”
He looked at her “Did you take a picture?”
“No.” She smiled a little. “It’s just a memory.” To get him out of the room before she threw herself at him, she asked, “What’s up?”
He heaved a sigh and closed the book. His smile faded, and concern etched his features, making him look so tired. “We can’t find the source of the attacks.” His tone was deeply troubled. Far more revealing than he’d been with Decker. He shook his head. “And you’re right. This is no way for a little girl to live.”
She bit the inside of her lip. She’d said those words in anger and fear. Yes, they’d been true. Yes, she’d meant them. But she could see now how much they’d burdened him as well.
He tilted the book in his hands back and forth with nervous energy. “I honestly don’t know what to do. At this point, for Bella’s sake, I would contact her grandmother to make peace if I thought it would work. There’s so much water under the bridge. And I don’t trust her. Not to take care of Bella, not to keep her father away from Bella. And given what she’s done in the past, put Bella at risk by sending these teams, I don’t believe she has Bella’s best interest at heart.”
He rested an elbow on his thigh and dropped his face into his hand. “This is the only place I can keep constant watch on her. The only place where I have control over what happens. And now I’m not even confident I can keep her safe here anymore.”
The sight of such a strong man weakened by the depth of his love for his daughter shattered Everly’s barriers. She moved close and pressed her hand to his back, then slid it higher, to squeeze the back of his neck.
“I know how much you love her,” she said. “I’m sorry I was so harsh this morning.”
He huffed a laugh. “You have every right. You’ve probably been in just as much danger here as you were in Mogadishu.”
She smiled and scored her fingernails over his scalp, something she’d learned he liked the night before. He sighed and clasped a hand on her bare thigh. The heat radiated up her leg and deep into her body.
“I just meant you need to put an end to this threat,” Everly said. “Neither of you can live the life you want with this hanging over your head.”
“I know.” He shook his head. “I just…fuck, I don’t know what to do.” He turned his head and looked directly at her, his soul open and vulnerable. “I can’t lose her. I, seriously, cannot lose her.”
Everly couldn’t stand to see him so wrought over the possibility. She leaned in to hug him and ended up kissing him instead. When she pulled back, Austin caught her face in his free hand and pulled her in for another kiss. And another. And another.
She forced herself to pull back and pressed her forehead to his to catch her breath and realign her thoughts. With a soft laugh, she repeated his words from the night before. “Just this once, remember?”
“No.” A little smile lifted his lips. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He wrapped one arm low on her waist and rolled toward her, easily moving her up on the bed. And just as naturally pressing his hips between her thighs. Her heart squeezed, and desire pumped through her veins.
Austin rested on his forearms and stroked her face with his knuckles. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you properly for taking such good care of Bella.”
Damn, he felt good. All hard and warm. Open and sweet. “That’s my job.”
“Beating off bad guys and running from gunfire aren’t in your job description.” He met her gaze directly, and a soft look drifted through his eyes, one that made Everly both panicky and thrilled. “You’ve been amazing. More than I could have ever hoped for.”
He lowered his head and kissed her again. Everly welcomed the distraction. She heard a whole different meaning in those last comments. Meaning she didn’t have the luxury of investigating. And that broke her heart a little.
Austin hummed with desire and pushed his hands into her hair. Cradling her head, he took the kiss deeper. His tongue stroked hers, warm and strong. He was patient, as if he relished every moment with her and wasn’t rushed to get to the hardcore stuff. That sensation of being truly desired, inside and out, snuck in again. Most men she slept with thought she was sexy in a badass way. But Austin didn’t know how badass she truly was, so his desire affected her in ways she’d never imagined. Ways that pried her heart open and made her want things she’d never wanted before.
But those were things she couldn’t have. The moment he found out about her, he’d either hate her or…
No, there was no or. He’d simply hate her.
Her heart broke a little more.
To stem the surge of disappointment and loss, even though she hadn’t lost him yet, Everly wrapped her arms around his neck, curled the fabric of his T-shirt into her hands, and pulled it over his head. She tossed it aside as he kissed her again. But something caught her eye, and she turned her head. Then pushed him back by the shoulders and took her first full sweep of his body since the shooting. “Holy. Shit.”
He smirked and looked down. “Pretty, right?”
Her gaze scoured the wicked halos of bruises marring his chest and abdomen. Purple, green, brown, angry red, it was a kaleidoscope of horror. She’d seen them before—on her teammates and herself when they’d escaped death. And remembering just how close Austin had come to deat
h today—within inches, if the bruise locations were any indication—whipped up a new wave of emotion.
“Jesus Christ, Austin.” She scooted back and touched a particularly raw-looking bruise right over his heart. “How are you even moving?”
“I have a high dose of meds in me.” He grinned. “So you’d better take advantage of me while you can.”
He kissed her again, hungrier now. Everly felt raw and vulnerable in a way she didn’t understand. Needed to feel him inside her with a passion that made the night before seem like embers to an inferno.
Austin must have tasted her desire. He groaned into her mouth, then broke the kiss to reach over and flip off the bedside lamp. “We need to get you some real window shades.” His knees flanked her hips, and he eased back to grab the hem of her tank. He pulled her top off and raked her naked upper body with a look so hungry, her body heat spiked. “Definitely need window shades.”
He planted his hands on the bed at her shoulders and bent to press a kiss to the center of her chest. Everly shivered and combed her fingers through his hair to cover the physical show of vulnerability. “You scared the shit out of me today.”
He opened his eyes and looked up at her. The blue light of the television flashed over his handsome face. “Then we’re even, because when I couldn’t move and those bullets were just feet from you and Bella—” He made a dark sound in his throat and shook his head, then let his lips fall back to her body. “I really just want to get lost in you.”
Good idea. She was ready to get lost as well. Ready to put this horrible day behind her. And even more ready to get this sexy man inside her.
He kissed a direct line down her belly, hooked his fingers in her shorts and panties, and dragged them both down her legs. His mouth was on her sex before the clothes even hit the ground. The pressure and heat shot pleasure straight up her spine, and she arched against the bed. Then he added his tongue, and she about came out of her skin.