THE WATCHERS: 6 Military Romance Bundle

by Kristina Weaver

  Really? Come on. Has he seen that thing? I’d rather touch a spitting cobra with my bare hands than touch him without a condom. Just nasty.

  “Why stay with me so long then?” I hiss, grinding my teeth to stave off my temper.

  Right now, I’ll get myself shot if I lose control. But I swear I feel so enraged for being duped by this less-than-stellar example of manhood that I could easily just beat him to a pulp and not hesitate at killing him. And to think! I just left the home of a man that may not be all that big on love, but at least he likes me and he’s hot in the sack!

  “I assumed you’d have money since your family is so well off.”

  “My parents! Not me. Jesus, Jon, how many times do I have to say the same thing over and over again? My family doesn’t believe in grown people living off their parents and neither do I. I make my own way; I always have. The only thing my parents gave me after college was a deposit on that shitty apartment I lived in right after graduation.”

  “Because you never ask!”

  “Why the hell should I? I make enough money to support myself, and apparently my useless boyfriend! Dammit,” I seethe, feeling that temper rise again.

  “I’m not useless. You’re just so freaking cold. I don’t know how you expected me to love you at all. Christ, sleeping with you was like doing a dead trout.”

  Taunting him right now is not a good idea, but to be honest, I don’t even care anymore. I’m either getting a bullet, or going home with some fat slob who probably doesn’t know what mouthwash is.

  “I’m so glad you finally showed me your true colors anyway. I should probably thank you for being such a moron. You want to know something really great, Jon? I discovered I’m not frigid, or even disinterested in sex. I was just with the wrong man. You know those blowjobs you were always pushing for in college? I finally gave one! And it was fucking phenomenal. And I swallowed!” I yell, laughing so hard it takes me a minute to realize that he’s gone red with fury.

  “Yeah, me, Kinsley Jacobs, the girl you didn’t even have the decency to offer foreplay to, you freak. I sucked a dick, and I loved it, and you know what else? I let him go down on me! And it was…explosive.”

  “You fucking—”

  “Now, now, Jon, don’t be mad. I mean, I’m just a pawn, right? Some chick you kept around since college because you thought you were going to cash in? I don’t even care. All I want is for you to disappear so that I can go home to my guy and tell him I love him while he’s giving me the best orgasms of my life.”

  That really sets him off, and I watch in terror as he brings the gun up and points it right at me.

  “You gonna shoot me? What would Groen say? Oh, and in case you’re thinking you can get away with this, I left a message on Lex’s machine and told him I’m meeting you…so, go ahead, pull that trigger, asshole. I’m sure I’ll still be laughing when Lex rips that jellified spine right out of your back,” I purr, tensing to dive if the idiot should decide to shoot.

  “You-you told him?”

  “Uh-huh. Do I look stupid to you, moron? You hit me the last time we talked, and not a week later my house was broken into and destroyed. I almost killed myself getting away. I may have been blind to your faults, Jon, but I’m no dummy. Just think though, if you shoot, you’ll be dead before those thugs can get their hands on you. Although, you may want to risk it because, well…you know my brother.”

  I’m expecting him to break down, maybe cry a little and start panicking. What I don’t expect is for Jon to go crazy and start waving that gun at me as if it’s a toy.

  “I may as well just shoot you now!”

  I freeze, going stiff as a statue when his finger seems to tense on the trigger, and I fully expect to hear that gun go off before a bullet slams into me.

  I hear it, but nothing happens. I look up at Jon and see the shock on his face right before he topples over, the side of his head a gaping hole that makes me want to retch.

  I half expect to be dreaming, but I know I’m not when I look up and see a man standing in the doorway, his eyes boring into me steadily as I stand and gape, frozen on the spot.

  “Well, I definitely deserve an award for getting rid of that asshole. Damn, Kinsley, you were engaged and on the verge of marrying that?” he asks, his voice a raspy huff of amusement.

  Er. Uh.

  “Um.”

  What the hell?

  I’m freaking shocked to the core and forever scarred by the sight of Jon’s very dead body, and this guy is making jokes right now?

  “Who are you?” I whisper, fighting tears as the possibilities hit me.

  This man could be here to take me to Groen, I mean, Neil. And what with the sure way he’s holding that gun, and the very unsettling expression on his face, I just know I won’t live through it if I fight him.

  He’s tall with brown hair and eyes the color of caramel. His face holds some scarring along the left side that looks old but no less painful for whatever did that extensive amount of damage. And he’s scary as hell. At least that’s what I think until he smiles and makes my jaw drop. Holy Moses in Egypt, this man is…magnificent.

  “I’m your guardian angel, babe.”

  “Wha— you? You’ve been helping us? Why?” I breathe, my heart settling back into my chest.

  I don’t know this man. I have no reason to trust him at all, and yet I do, I think, as he grins at me and shrugs.

  “Someone had to. Besides, I like you Kinsley Jacobs. You have spirit. Plus, that man of yours is chasing his own tail trying to deny what he feels for you. You gonna put him out of his misery and just stay with him?”

  What? No…yes…

  “He doesn’t love me.”

  “Don’t be a fool, Kinsley. You know in your heart of hearts that King has always loved you. It’s obvious to everyone who knows him that the man has always had a thing for you.”

  I want to argue, but can’t really. Not because I believe it, because I don’t. I’m human. I need to hear the words from King to believe them, and anyway, what difference would it make? He may love me, but he’s never going to fully be mine, and for me, that isn’t acceptable.

  “You think so? And yet when I said the words today, he didn’t even acknowledge them. And then there’s the fact that he won’t ever want marriage. Is that all I should want, angel? A man who loves me but doesn’t trust me enough to marry me?” I ask.

  His head tilts, and I see his lips twitch before he sighs and seems to roll his eyes, though those piercing orbs don’t move from me with their unblinking stare.

  “You may be right. Then again, Kins, why should marriage be the measure of his love for you? Wouldn’t it also stand to rights that if you loved him, really loved him, you’d trust him not to need a silly little piece of paper to prove that you belong together?” he asks, smiling slightly. “We all know he’s a stubborn asshole. What about you, Kins? Are you going to let something so stupid stop you from living the life you need to live?”

  I don’t know, I think, my mind so full and overwrought, still so horrified and in shock that I can’t think straight.

  “Look, it’s your life, but from what I’ve seen, it sucks. No offense. I have to go because I can guarantee that the cavalry will arrive in the next two minutes. Do me a favor? Don’t mention me. Tell them you dove for the table and heard a shot. They’ll know it was me, but I’d rather not have them searching for me just yet if you don’t mind.”

  “Er, uh, but…why? Who are you?”

  “Nobody.”

  He turns and walks away, leaving me gaping as the sound of tires squeal in the driveway and feet pound through the house.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Kinsley

  The last four days have been the worst of my life, hands down. No lies. No dramatic exaggerations. They just sucked. A lot. Of course, that angel of mine was right, the cavalry did arrive. Yes, it was my brother and King, followed by a snarling Jericho who only cracked a smile when he noticed Jon lying on the floor, his brai
n the consistency of jam.

  Me, I was still in shock, and frankly so freaked out I can’t remember half of what happened before the cops showed up and started questioning me. I only came out of it when Mama and Daddy ran in, their love and support exactly what I needed at that moment as opposed to Lex and King, who yelled at me constantly after falling on me in a fit of terror and fear.

  I’m okay. I mean, as okay as I can be with the way things ended with me and King. Yes, I walked. I had to because the truth is that, even loving him, I’m not in a place to throw myself into a relationship just yet.

  My life is a mess. I’m a mess, emotionally and physically too after everything that’s happened. I need time, space and maybe just a chance for once to stop and look at what I’ve done and who I’ve become.

  So here I am, still cleaning up the house after having everything hauled out and trashed. I’m blessedly alone for the first time in forever. No Jon nagging at me or ignoring me. No Lex bossing me around. No Mama and Daddy coddling me and checking my every move with disapproval.

  Most importantly, no King, because I’m not ready to deal right now. You know something that threw me when he ran in? He hugged me and kissed me and acted as if he would die if I were hurt. And yet not one love word.

  Damn stubborn ass! He loves me. I know he does. At least he’d better because I will mess him up really good if he doesn’t. Yet no words. Not one besides his anger when I refused to go home with him. Or Lex. Or my parents.

  No, I have a mess here, and you know what, I’m cleaning it up. By myself, without help.

  “Yoohoooo! You in here, you sexy bitch?”

  I grin when I hear Lenny’s voice and dump the dustpan into the garbage can as the three women come barreling in, all smiles, as Storm and Blaze trail them, grinning as they look around.

  “Wow, Kins, you work fast, sweetheart.”

  “Thanks, Storm. Uh, I’m all out of couches and soft drinks. Sorry guys.”

  “No worries, little lady. Why don’t you girls go on into the kitchen and have some of that ice cream Lenny made me buy by the gallon, and Blaze and I will finish up here.”

  I grin and give him a chin nod before waving the girls into the cleaned-up kitchen. I don’t even flinch when I walk right over the spot where Jon’s corpse was sprawled over the tiles. I just fall into my seat and look around while the girls grab bowls and spoons.

  “So. This is bullshit, and you know it.”

  “Why Lenny, no small talk first?”

  “Bitch, listen up, yeah, I am so sick and tired of going to King’s apartment and banging on the door, only to have to hear him curse and turn up Taylor fucking Swift to ward us all off. What the hell, Kins? That man is all messed up without you, and you know, that’s just…”

  “Bullcrap. I call bullcrap on this whole situation. Jericho told me what you said to him at the police station, and damn girl, that was cold,” Cleo interjected.

  “Cold?” I hiss, narrowing my eyes. “He just spent an hour yelling at me for being a moron, and then he gave me some half-assed declaration of affection before telling me I was moving in with him over the bar until he could build us a house. The man is an ass for even thinking I was in a good enough place to be hassled like that. And Jesus, what is with you guys? It’s not as if we were together for years. We had a few days together, and really, like, one fling. That’s not even considered a dating scenario.”

  They roll their eyes at me, and I practically have to attack Cleo for the bowl of ice cream she’s still withholding.

  “Please. You and King have been like star-crossed lovers for years, and you know it. Tell me you don’t love that man, and I’ll leave you the hell alone, you moron.”

  “Hey! Dammit, Lenny. That wasn’t nice. I’m not a moron, and darn it, I do love him. I just don’t want to move in with him because he’s got some misguided notion that he has to commit to me because of it.”

  Not really. I mean, I so expect that, but I’m not ready for it yet is all. As I said, I have a mess to clean up and a life to get back on track. I refuse—refuse—to go to him with my name ruined and enough debt to drown a horse in the shallow end.

  That’s just not me. If ever I was going to commit to something, I would at least want to be self-sufficient and standing on my own two feet, not drowning in a sea of unpaid bills that King would probably pay off even if I begged him not to.

  “Kinsley, the man loves you. We all know it, and so does he. He’s just not all that good at expressing it is all. Give him some time, and I swear he’ll be on bended knee and making up for all the years he denied you happiness by being a stubborn fool.”

  “Evie, hun, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but who the hell ever said I wanted to get married?”

  And that’s totally true. I’ve done a lot of thinking over the last few days, and you know what, it was never a dream to find love and get married. That was just one of the endless things I always thought I should do.

  Like having the perfect job and playing the perfect fiancée role to the letter. Just things, not really dreams. Now that I’m not caught up in shame at failing something I fooled myself into thinking was my dream, I’m feeling okay.

  Look, I’m always going to be driven and weird and a neat freak and just…me. I can’t escape that, but all those things I thought I wanted, they’re gone.

  It’s just me now, and you know what I want more than anything else right now? To go on with the life I could have always had if I hadn’t been such a fool.

  “Erm, well, uh…” Lenny stutters, her face scrunching in a comical way that makes me want to laugh. “We kind just assumed that since you were always hot for him, and he was hot for you, and uh, you know you are both alone…and perfect for each other.”

  “That’s a crock and you know it. The man is a slob, a slob I tell you, and he likes pizza for dinner. That isn’t me, guys. Look, the sex aside—though it was out of this world good—I think I just need some time before I throw myself into another relationship.”

  All true.

  All exactly as it should be for now as I clean up my house and get it sold so that I can give up my sucky, boring job and just do what I want to do.

  The fact that I want to go home to King and be with him is my business for now. It’s not something I’m willing to divulge until I’m damn good and ready.

  And no, assholes, if you were wondering or getting all hot under the collar, I am not worried about him forgetting about me or having a rebound screw…because I have faith.

  Faith that he’ll still be there by next week when my neighbor signs the mortgage papers and takes on this little gem. He’s intending to combine the properties and let his daughter and son-in-law live in this place.

  Also, that hot bastard better not think about cheating on me just yet, or I’ll show him exactly what this temper can do to him, and trust me, it’s bound to be worse than drowning in frozen yogurt.

  “Damn, this sucks,” Lenny sighs, grimacing.

  We all nod and eat our ice cream silently, chatting about things—just general things. I am grateful for that since it means I don’t have to keep pretending not to care that King is listening to Taylor Swift and drinking himself into a coma.

  Honestly? I don’t know what’s worse, his smelling like a brewery or listening to chick music. Oh, and FYI, because I know y’all are just wondering, but no, I didn’t tell a soul about the angel. How could I?

  I already know all about him, and while I’m not jazzed about that, it’s his story to tell.

  ***

  King

  The sound of music and laughter is the last thing I need in my life right now as I trudge into Jericho’s backyard and drag the cooler with me, my stash of medication chilling between ice cubes and a pound of steak.

  Two weeks. I’ve been trying to poison my liver for two weeks now, and I’m unhappy to report that my loser parents gave me strong genes and a large fucking liver because this shit just isn’t working.

&nbs
p; I feel like hell. Okay, I feel like a hellish loser because you know, there’s nothing worse than coming up with this grand scheme to woo my lady, buying an engagement ring, and rushing over to her house only to be told that she’s gone.

  Yeah. Gone. I finally returned Lex’s calls, and the bastard spent two hours yelling at me, trying to convince me to go after Kinsley before confessing that she sold her house, quit her job, and went on a vacation to “think about things.”

  So, yay me. I’ve officially lost my girl because I was too much of a loser to tell her I love her, and yeah, to top it all off, I also happened to mention that I read what amounts to her diary. And then I told her how pathetic it was.

  Fucking asshole.

  The only thing that’s got me wanting to live right now—and yes, I mean that, I’m not just being dramatic—is the knowledge that she’ll eventually be back, and I’ll get the chance to at least try again.

  Maybe this time I won’t blackmail her to have sex with me and then yell at her. Here’s to hoping. Two weeks. I spent the first few days feeling sorry for myself and drinking before I went out and bought an engagement ring, because yes, she is so worth it.

  In fact, I really do want to get married now if only to tell the world and all the other swinging dicks out there that she’s mine. It still scares the hell out of me, I won’t lie, but I’m getting past the, well, past it. It feels great to just let go of all those old memories and look forward to making good ones with Kinsley.

  If she’ll let me.

  I’m almost rounding the side of the house when I get tackled by two hundred and some odd pounds of muscle. Then there’s frantic shushing when I start snarling at Lex and shoving at him.

  “Stop it, you ass! Jesus, I’m trying to do you a goddamned favor here, so just shut up and listen,” he hisses, pushing me away. “Kinsley is here. Sssshhht! Let me finish. She’s here. Jericho invited her when Mama told Cleo that she was due back yesterday. Look man, I’m gonna shoot straight with you, okay? You’re not good enough for Kinsley because I know what an ass you really can be, but I do think you’ll make her happy. Do me a favor, leave if you’re still drunk, because I swear to God, if you mess up with her again, I’m just gonna bury you in the woods and call it good.”