No Good Dead (Bad to Be Good #1)

by Dana Volney

  “Have you been shot before?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “How many times?”

  He glanced at her before rubbing more cream on her arm. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know?” How was that even possible? He must have nerves of steel.

  “When you’ve been doing … what I do … for so long, getting shot or stabbed or other injuries is just part of it. I’m much better at what I do now so it doesn’t happen as often. But, as you saw from today, no one is immune.”

  “Do you have scars?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where?” She’d never noticed any on his body. She knew her cheeks were starting to redden at the picture of his naked, well defined abs on top of her.

  “All over.” The heat coming off his kissable lips flared her need for him.

  Her stare found anything else to look at besides him. She was reacting to him physically and mentally now. He wasn’t just someone to use for the moment to deal with life. She knew what the tones of his voice meant and his breathing patterns when he was turned on and how his fingertips felt when they traveled over the cave of her belly. How had they become so close in such a short amount of time?

  No, they weren’t close. They were intimate. There was a difference. She didn’t even know his middle name or his mother’s.

  “All better.” He threw the old bandage in a trash can just inside the bathroom door.

  She scooted back on the bed until the plush pillows snuggled against her back. “Will you … lay with me?”

  She didn’t know what he had planned for the evening—she’d missed the rest of the conversation in the office thanks to Sabene’s pill—but she didn’t want to be filled in on that. She’d know soon enough in the morning. Right now she wanted to know more about Able. Even if knowing might not matter in the grand scheme of life.

  He sat by her and crossed his ankles. The gray shirt he wore clung to his chest and the thin black sweats molded around his muscular legs. She ducked her head onto his shoulder and he extended his arm around her, letting his palm surround her shoulder.

  “Rougher day than most, I suppose.” His smooth voice laced through her as he gingerly rubbed his thumb over her bare skin.

  “I hope it’s the last one.”

  “It may get worse before it gets better.”

  She chuckled. “You couldn’t have just lied to me?”

  “No. I haven’t and I’m not about to start now.”

  “Oddly reassuring.”

  She liked knowing where she stood. How the world was rotating. For the first time in a long time she knew where she fit.

  “I would imagine that might be the only thing that’s reassuring about me.” He kissed the side of her head.

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because of what I do for a living.”

  “It’s not highly normal, I’ll give you that.” She cozied closer to lay more on his chest. “How did you get into this?”

  “I grew up in the foster system. Met Samson along the way.” He rubbed his hand down his face. “Got mixed up with some people and the next thing I know, I’m living a high life with people in my crosshairs.”

  “Do you ever think of getting out of the profession?”

  “No.” There was pause in his resolute answer. Or maybe it was her wishful thinking.

  At least he was set in his life and what he liked. She had no clue. She’d never dreamed of growing up and doing anything specific. No calling that was evident. What was she going to do after Hume was brought to justice?

  Silence fell over them and she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

  * * *

  Able moved in his sleep. He was on his side and warmth covered his back. Teagan. She was balled up behind him. He shifted to his back and she snuggled her warmth closer to his side, extending her leg over his. The weight of her smooth, long leg was nice. He glanced down at her blonde hair splayed across his chest as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer.

  Her arm moved and rested across his chest. Yellow light streamed through the upper windows. He watched her creamy skin rise and fall with each breath. Her features were so serene. No worries. God, she was beautiful.

  They weren’t dating. He knew that. He’d never actually dated anyone before. If he ever did, he imagined it’d be like how his insides warmed at the sight of her in the morning, the heat intensifying when their gazes connected, and the downright lust he couldn’t control when her lips touched his.

  He was getting too close. He nearly lost his mind seeing her get shot today. That couldn’t happen again. He was damn lucky he hadn’t caught a bullet. Or that she hadn’t been seriously injured. He tucked his chin and kissed her head, drawing in a breath of her citrus air. This, whatever was going on between them, was going to be over soon. Hell, could be as soon as tomorrow.

  Then she was gone.

  And that’s how he needed it.

  She was great, she was fun, and she was leaving. He was going back to his work. He had a job starting in a couple of days that he needed to do more recon on. In fact, he could be doing that right now instead of laying by her side.

  He gently picked up her hand and laid in on her side. The second he moved his fingers from her skin, her arm moved back to his chest and her fingertips curled into his pec before letting go and resting. He couldn’t stop a smile from tipping up the ends of his lips. So if she wasn’t going to let go, there was another method.

  Slowly, he rolled away from her, ignoring the stab to stay. He tucked his feet into slippers and headed downstairs to his office. Sitting down at his desk, he wiped his hand down his face and sucked in air through his nose. Fuck. What was going on with him? He’d worked with other people before, been around beautiful women. Teagan was no different. There was no reason she should be different.

  He bypassed his computer and set a cloth down to clean his guns. That would reset him. Allowing the mindless activity to relax him was a good call. Except, thirty minutes in, the tension was still present in his shoulders. He cracked his neck from side to side. Nope, no such luck at a random act fixing all of his problems.

  No. Problems were issues that weren’t being solved. He was dealing with the snags he kept running into. Hume Corp. and the guys they’d taken out today were just another day for him. So why did it feel different this time? There was nagging in his mind too jumbled to figure out and he kept pushing it back to focus on the day, which wasn’t allowing him to work it out.

  He didn’t care for loose ends. Tangible or not.

  Samson and Rife had recovered the drive and Sabene was checking it out now. She’d have answers in the morning. He hated the sidelines. He hated not being able to investigate himself, but her skills in hacking far outweighed his. There was also no way he was going to leave Teagan alone.

  “Hey,” Teagan’s husky voice was low behind him, and dammit if his dick didn’t twitch.

  He spun in his chair. “Hi.”

  She was leaned against the door frame, wrapped in a teal blanket from his couch, her hair rumpled and sleep still heavy on her lids. “I didn’t think trying to sneak up on you was a great idea.” She craned her head. “Especially when you’re outwardly armed.”

  “Smart.” He gnashed his teeth together as his gaze drifted down to her beautiful stems sticking out of the blanket.

  She stepped toward him and he swiveled his attention back to his gun. He’d just disassembled it and was about to start cleaning it. For the second time.

  He picked up the bottle of gun oil next to his cleaning rod.

  Her arm snuck across his shoulder and collarbone then she palmed his check and nudged his head to the left. He got a glance of her eyes before she planted her lips on his. A tingle rolled down his throat to his gut.

  She pulled back, blonde locks falling over her eye, and he met her stare. Adrenaline flooded his system. Teagan was so fucking sexy in everything she did, every way she moved, he never knew what to expect w
ith her.

  “Can I pull up a chair and watch?”

  His gaze dropped to her plump breasts hidden behind thin fabric before she adjusted the blanket and covered her tank top completely.

  “Shouldn’t you be sleeping off the rest of the drugs?”

  She chuckled. “That is the last time I’m taking a pill Sabene offers.”

  “Wise move.”

  “I’ve slept half the day practically. I need a break from laying down.” Her gaze bounced around the room. There wasn’t much to see. He had only his desk lamp on and the light was focused on his gun parts. The rest was just filing cabinets and more guns.

  He leaned back in his hair, a grin tugged at the ends of his lips. “You worried?”

  “Cold.” Her tongue traced the plump of her bottom lip before her teeth captured it and then let go.

  “You have an extra blanket now.”

  “That’s not what I want to warm me up.”

  Dear Lord. Please help him. With certainty, Able knew he was never going to be able to say no to this sexy women. About anything. He sure as shit was eager to assume exactly what she meant right now.

  “And what is it that you need, Teagan?”

  “More.” Her brow arched and there was that husk in her voice again. Damn fucking sexy. His dick was at full attention.

  Yeah, he had more for her.

  He didn’t move a muscle. He fucking liked it when she made the first move. Like he was her prey. The only time he allowed himself to be hunted. And captured. And overtaken.

  Her head cocked to the side then she spun on her heels and ambled out the door she’d appeared through only minutes ago.

  He was to his feet and following her before he knew it. But he didn’t fucking know what he was going to do once he caught up to her. She whirled around and he stopped a step away from her.

  “What is it you want, Able?” Her blue eyes were darker in the dead of night, like orbs of mystery that he wanted to study, to research, to know.

  He had no answer. Nothing to put to voice.

  He wanted to cup her cheeks and kiss her fully, completely. He wanted to be in her. He wanted to connect with her in every which way she’d let him.

  But still, there was no way he was saying any of that.

  She took a silent step toward him, putting them face to face. Within kissing distance. She reached up and placed her palm against his cheek as she searched his eyes. The warmth of her palm tattooed him. Her other palm pressed against his abs and she pushed him, started walking him backward until his ass hit the living room wall.

  Her palm slipped around his neck and he ducked to kiss her, their lips locking in hot need. She dragged her fingers down his stomach, past the band of his sweats, and wrapped her hand around his cock. He slipped his hands around her waist and slid them up until his thumb grazed her breast. A moan started in the back of his throat as her tongue swirled against his and her palm traveled down his length and back up to the tip. Her hand was hot and smooth, and shivers of pleasure worked their way down his back and kept going to his legs and toes.

  He moved one hand down to her shorts—they needed to come off so he could slip into her wetness.

  She pulled her lips from his and he opened his eyes.

  Her head swayed back and forth. He stopped moving his hand south and rested it on her hip. She nipped at his bottom lip and gripped him a little harder on her way back up his shaft then moved down and his knees nearly gave out.

  Her lips pressed to his again and her tongue coaxed his mouth open. He gladly let her in and closed his eyes, soaking in the sensations of her skin on his.

  Her hands ran up into his hair as she trailed kisses along his jawline and down his neck and quickened her pace. God, it felt so good to let her take over. But, shit, he wanted to touch her. He grabbed her shirt and snuck his hand under it until it was at her breasts. He palmed one, massaging and rubbing her nipple between his thumb and index finger. She moaned and, if possible, he was harder. He was going to come soon. This was new and different and exciting.

  She was licking below his ear and then kissing the spot before she bit at his earlobe.

  “Jesus, Teagan.”

  Her pace was just right and she seemed to know it because she kept going. Kept nipping. He wanted to push her back, to bend her over and fuck her against the couch, to be inside of her, making her scream. But he didn’t. Because he was hard in her hand and barely holding back his orgasm.

  Her hot breath was on his ear, driving him toward his release at full speed. “Come,” she whispered.

  His hands dropped to her hips and gripped as his orgasm started low and rolled over him hard. She kept going as he came in her hand and up his chest. His head hit the wall as the last roll of pleasure wore him the fuck out.

  Shit. That’s so good.

  She captured his lips again and he clutched the sides of her face and kissed her hard in between trying to catch his breath.

  “Shit, Teagan.” Now his voice was husky as he placed a kiss on her temple.

  “Let’s get some more sleep.” She laced their fingers together and led him up the stairs.

  He didn’t balk, there was no urge to go back and put his gun together or get ready for the next job. He was tired. And he was going to sleep next to Teagan.

  Her ass cheeks peeked out of her little shorts as she walked up the stairs, and fuck if his dick wasn’t already twitching for her pussy. He cleaned himself up, gave her a tissue to do the same, and licked his lips as he crawled into bed next to her and pressed their bodies together when she moved to lay on her side. She clasped her hand around his and brought it close to her chest. He relaxed his head into the soft pillow and glanced at her bare skin before closing his eyes.

  He was right where he wanted to be.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Everyone filed into the living room on the second floor of Able’s office. Her gaze slipped to the door she’d seen them drag Rodney into but never out of. Able hadn’t mentioned him last night, not once. It itched at her, all of it. She wanted this over with. The rest of the group might be used to secrecy and high stakes, but she wasn’t. Hell, she’d started down this road because she wanted to expose secrets and wrongdoing. Not become a part of it.

  “There’s good news and bad news.” Sabene was bright-eyed this morning in a royal-blue top marked with black chevron.

  Able stood behind Teagan. Not that she could see him; she refused to turn her head and look up at him. But his scent lingered in the air. It called to her, woke her body even though she should have no more energy for him. So, no, she wouldn’t look at him because if she did he’d know exactly what was on her mind. This meeting was for progress. Not regression.

  “The bad news is that Hume’s in league with someone powerful, because he wasn’t just selling weapons, he was selling government secrets too. Or is going to and hasn’t yet. That part is unclear.”

  The screens came alive with the data Teagan recognized. It was the lines of codes she’d had to sift through. A couple of seconds later and documents replaced the white letters on black background.

  “I uncoded everything.” Sabene’s blue eyes met Teagan’s. “That was no easy task. I found a hell of a lot more than the ledger proving he’s been selling weapons illegally.” She started to scroll, but Teagan didn’t recognize any of it.

  “Wait.” Rife sat forward on the other couch and clasped his hands together. “I know that name. That was an op I was a part of five years ago.”

  “Op?” Teagan asked.

  “Scotch Bright.” He repeated the name at the top of the memo that was front and center on the left screen. “On paper, the war was over. But it wasn’t really. Not for specialty groups. There were death threats for leaders who still wanted the United States to stay. My team and I went over to make sure a PM was kept safe for a while.”

  Teagan didn’t even know where to start with questions or if they were even necessary.

  “The Shiite prime minister
wanted the United States to stay, but the cleric coming back from exile, not so much. That was five years ago. The same asshat, who has no title but still wields immense power, holds grudges. He might want to know why none of his assassination attempts went through. The PM was still there for four years until he finally resigned.”

  “You protected him for four years?” Teagan asked. Rife, military? Made sense now that she looked at the man, but how could he do what he did now after protecting Americans so fiercely?

  “No.” Rife shook his head. “Not that long. The first six months were the worst. A lot of unrest. Still is, widespread over there. If this mission’s details gets out, me and other people I served with could be targets.”

  “This is a never-ending quicksand shitstorm we’ve stepped right into.” Claire swiped her curls behind both ears.

  “There’s another one.” Rife pointed to the screen. “My buddy’s mentioned that name before. Operation Flawed Oasis. That’s active. I’d bet most of these are. There are people out there who would pay a lot for this information.”

  “This fucktard isn’t just selling weapons, he’s selling our government’s operational secrets, most of which are overseas, that could put many lives in danger.” Sabene’s hard stare was over Teagan’s head, and she’d bet her car it had landed squarely on Able.

  “There are only a few people who would ever have access to this type of information and for Hume to have all of it in one place … I’m surprised he’s not on someone’s hit list,” Able scoffed.

  “He probably is, but they can’t touch him because they’re the ones who gave him that shit.” Rife’s disgust clear.

  “Then that makes some of this other information make more sense.” Sabene pointed to her screen. “In a very depressing way.”

  Phone call logs peppered the screen and numbers started to pop up in yellow.

  “Who’s flagged?” Claire asked.

  “That’s Hume’s phone. All three trace back to him at this point. And those are calls to law enforcement personnel.”

  Teagan’s insides hollowed out. This wasn’t supposed to be real life. This was supposed to be stuff that happened in the movies, where the good guys came and saved the day and no one was the wiser.