With his finger pulling the trigger, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut another thousandth of a second. “I love you.”
The bullet pinged far, far off target, thudding downrange. She didn’t even know where it had hit. He whirled around, jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed, distracted.
Mission accomplished. But she didn’t give a fuck about winning anymore. She loved him, and the time had come to tell him. To hell with the consequences. Fuck him if he walks away because he doesn’t like to hear it.
“Excuse me?”
She stood taller. “You heard me.”
“You toss that bomb out to win a game?”
“Couldn’t keep it in anymore. I’m done with this game. Question is, are you done with me?”
He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head just a degree. “Why the hell would I be done?”
“Don’t hear you saying sweet nothings back, stud. I get it. But some things have to be said. So there you go.”
“There you go?” The energy in the room electrified, with zips and zings rocketing around, but scarring and startling in their intensity.
“Fun game, though.” Ready to get out before he got mad, she reached for her T-shirt. His hand caught her wrist. She looked at his knuckles, then his eyes, but she couldn’t get a read on them.
“You should already know that I’d chase you to the end of the world. Don’t run from me now.”
He’s going to spout that kind of shit? Either he loved her, or he didn’t. If he did love her, he would’ve said it when the chance was there, but he’d let it pass. Despite knowing that she’d forced his hand, it hurt. Her eyes stung, but she refused to cry in front of him. “I gotta go—”
With her shirt clutched in her hand, Jared forced her knuckles toward his face. His full lips found her fist. Not taking his eyes off her, he laid the gentlest kisses she’d ever experienced across her clenched knuckles. “Don’t run from me.”
“I’m not.” Her voice shook.
“You are. Have been from day one.” He kissed her wrist, then her forearm, slowly reeling her closer to him. “I won’t hurt you. I promised you that.”
He’d said nothing about how he felt. Her stomach sank, and the mist threatening her eyes transformed into fat tears, which she refused to let fall. “I can’t help who I love.”
“Neither can I, Baby Cakes.”
What? What does that mean? The bastard can’t communicate worth a shit. His tongue was too busy swirling across her skin. He’d given up her wrist and jumped ship to her neck. His mouth worked a lot considering that he’d explained zip. “What are you talking about?”
“I’ve loved you since before I knew what it was to love a woman.”
She shook her head. “You’re in love with me?”
“You’re surprised?”
Her mouth hung open. She was surprised. Relieved. Happy.
He lifted from her neck, placed both his hands on her shoulders, and held her outright. “Hell, had I known that you’d be stunned silent by a simple truth, I would’ve said it awhile back.”
But what did that mean for their future? Maybe she needed to take it one monumental leap at a time. “Say it again.”
A one-sided grin lit up his face. “Say what?”
She batted his chest. “Don’t play with me, Jared Westin.”
“Oh, Baby Cakes. I will play with you as much as I want.” He smoothed his hands up and down her biceps, then pulled her in, wrapping his thick arms around her neck. She used them as a pillow, leaned back, and stared up, losing herself in the depths of his emotion. The cocky grin had been replaced by something deeper. “I love you, Sugar. You’re mine. That’s about as real and honest as it gets. Not sure that either of us had a choice. Life presents facts, and this is one. I was born to be with you. Hell, I only existed before I chased you down. Held you to me. Made you love me. And now I live.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Buck leaned back in his chair and pressed an ice pack to his forehead. His skin twitched under the cold burn. His adrenaline had long since drained away, leaving him feeling unsteady, unsure of his next move. Fieldwork wasn’t his thing anymore, and giving commands had been much easier.
Find Sugar. Kill Jared.
But reality was, his GI Joe and Jane were probably together, plotting and planning, and as much as he wanted to downplay Titan Group as a threat, that wasn’t smart. He was smart—smarter than smart. Some genius-level thoughts played out in his brain. That was how and why GSI had become so successful.
He had to think, even as his ears still rang and his muscles cried out for more Aspercreme after the scuffle yesterday. Damn Jared and his team for blasting through my mountain compound. Checking the small disk in his pocket, Buck smiled. At least he’d escaped with all of Titan’s mainframe on disk. As soon as he had the energy, he would open up those files and begin Titan’s corporate destruction, client by client. Golden boy Jared wouldn’t know what had hit his sparkling reputation.
Jared. Titan. Jared. Titan. Buck was practically obsessed. He rolled forward in his chair and scrounged for headache medicine of any kind. An empty bottle of Tums didn’t help. Don’t I pay people to keep this stuff stocked?
His text-message alert shrieked in his ear. Finding three rogue Tylenol in his desk drawer, he swallowed them dry and grabbed the phone. Found the kid. Children’s hospital.
Who the hell cares? He didn’t. Not about the kid, or Brock’s family, or even Sugar. She was a means to an end.
He wasn’t concerned anymore that she could bring down his GSI empire. But Sugar had become so much more than an intelligence leak.
From Brock’s snide remarks about the Jared-Sugar connection and her backhanded way of asking and answering questions about the GSI-Titan relationship, Buck could tell that Jared had done the unthinkable. He’d coupled up with the chick.
That made Sugar a powerful weapon. Destroying her meant destroying Jared. It was that simple.
Buck laughed, exacerbating the pounding in his temples. Jared was stupid enough to fall in love, showing his Achilles heel to the world. Buck hadn’t seen that gem coming, but he couldn’t have been more thrilled for the leverage.
His phone rang. The noise was so much louder than the text-message alert. His every muscle hurt, from his fingers to his trapezoids, as he reached for the thing, finally silencing the ringtone as he accepted the call. “What?”
His man gave him a rundown. The kid was sicker than they’d originally realized. Big deal. Don’t care. Brock’s family was with Titan. But he was betting that wouldn’t last long, not since Buck coerced Brock into joining team GSI.
“Tell me something useful,” he grumbled.
The man hesitated, like he had a sliver of doubt. “Sugar has a sister who’s been running GUNS for the last few weeks.”
“Round up your team. Get me eyes on the sister.”
***
Jared’s eyes were closed, and his body buzzed. Every part of him was alive. He was aware of every muscle every time the air shifted as Sugar breathed, sighed, or stirred. Every time his heart panged, it took him a while to figure out what the sensation was.
And his soul… hell, he could feel his soul, and not in a burn-in-hell kind of way. The feeling was more like everything in life had been just wasting time until he could get to this moment, with a sated Sugar wrapped around him in his bed, which he was going to make their bed.
He combed his fingers through her soft, raven tangles of hair. Her wicked case of bedhead fell across her shoulders, tickling his bare chest.
He was in deep. And love wasn’t so bad. He’d never been interested in a relationship before, but typical of his style, if he was going to do it, he was going to do it right.
“We should talk.” He rolled onto his side and kept her pressed to his body. Cupping her chin, he forced her gaze to his.
Her pupils dilated. And a tight, little wrinkle above the bridge of her nose told him she was of the opinion that he should shut up. No can do, s
weetheart.
“Nope. Not right now.” A sassy little smile played on her swollen lips. Their rosier color turned him on all over again, and he could taste their sweetness.
He’d kissed the hell out of this woman, only stopping because they’d both been exhausted to the point of limp legs and arms, lungs that ached for a breath, and minds that needed to settle before another round of muscle-shaking, mind-bending climaxes.
She shook her head in an exhausted move that was barely discernible, and she languidly pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Whatever you’re going to say will ruin my moment. I’m basking, so keep it to yourself, J-dawg.”
As he shifted in the sheets, the scratches on his back burned from where her fingernails had clawed. “I know I’m not Romeo and all, but I’m not going to ruin any damn moment.”
“Romeo?” She scoffed, giggling. “Romeo died, stud. Not a good ending. All your I-love-ya stuff earlier was good enough for me. Leave it be.”
He smoothed the pad of his thumb over her flushed cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered. That was the kind of reaction he wanted, so he did it again. “Sugar, you don’t want more?”
The fluttering eyelashes slammed shut, then opened wide. Sugar blinked once, twice, and then avoided his face, bouncing her gaze from the ceiling to the headboard to the pillow behind his head.
“Sugar?” He knew what he wanted and believed to his very core that he knew what she wanted. But was she done running?
With a sharp slice, her piercing eyes landed back on him. They were searching, trying to trust. He could feel her conjuring confidence in their relationship. A tingle ran from his scalp down his spine, radiating into every neuron, firing every synapse.
“Do you want more?” she whispered, and her uncharacteristic softness killed him, making his chin snap up and his chest thrust out.
Both were shocking reactions for a man who lived and died by his ability to control his body under any stress or circumstance. Determination flooded his senses. What had gone wrong before they’d met that would still cloud her judgment, after everything they’d shared and everything he’d said? Where had all the mistrust come from? She loved him, for God’s sake.
Shaking her wouldn’t do a bit of good. Convincing or conniving would be big failures, as well.
Instead, he closed the space between them, pulling her tighter, needing to feel the touch of her skin, needing… just needing her.
Do you want more? How could that still be a question? “Fuck yes, I do. I’m not gonna love someone, and—”
Ring. Ring. Ring.
Jared’s eyes popped. The vein at his temple pulsed, and his fingers flexed against her, willing his phone to stop ringing. It didn’t, and there was too much happening in their world to throw the thing out the window.
“This conversation isn’t done.” He leaned back, grabbed it off his nightstand, and checked the caller ID. Nope, couldn’t be ignored. “Better be good, Rocco.”
Rocco wouldn’t have called unless it was important, not after Jared had put out the do-not-disturb command. He had told his team that unless life or limb was on the line, they needed to give him a day to recoup with Sugar.
Their conversation was brief. As he hung up the phone, Jared again gathered Sugar into his arms. He pressed the phone into her hand. “Jenny is fine, but give her a phone call.”
Her mouth gaped, and she pressed her palm against his chest, her fingernails biting his flesh as she flexed her fingers. “My sister? What…” Tense and furious, she gathered the sheet around her breasts. “Why?”
Jared chose his words carefully. “She’s fine. Tell her you’re okay. We had to get her out of GUNS, and she wasn’t—”
“What’s going on?” Sugar spit her question, and he could almost see how hard it was for her to swallow the anxiety.
He dropped his voice an octave and willed her to listen. “She’s fine, baby. Roman’s taking her someplace safe.”
Her fear disappeared from her face. “What is going on?”
“The guys saw something out of place, and Roc’s checking it out.”
“There’s a Titan team at GUNS?” She pressed the phone to her ear.
He nodded. “Yes, I put a team on your sister.”
“Phone’s still ringing.” She pinched her brow and moved restlessly under the covers.
He very much wanted to take away all of her problems. “Give her a second.”
She grimaced, closing in on herself. “She’s in danger because of me?”
“Baer’s a vengeful ass. Not sure if he wants you more because you’re mine or because of the threat you pose. We don’t know how he’ll find you. I’ve tried to cover a few bases, and I had figured your sister and GUNS were high priority.”
“No answer. Voicemail.” Sugar chewed her lip before leaving a message.
“Sugar—”
She struggled with the sheets. “Why wouldn’t she answer her phone?”
“Sug—”
“She always answers that damn phone.” Her fingers danced against the phone’s SEND button, as though she were scared to redial.
Jared cupped her chin. Sugar was drowning in an internal battle. He knew her well enough to know both sides: wanting to be tough versus shying away from the gut-twisting, scared-shitless routine that came along with a loved one being in danger.
He should have known that routine well because he had just lived through it. “We got this, Sugar. No worries.”
She threw the phone on the bed and glared at it. “Roman just forced my sister out of GUNS. She’s probably scared to death and has no idea what’s happening. Bring me to her.”
“Can’t right now. I have to go to GUNS.”
Resolve painted her face. “So bring me there.”
He didn’t want to take Sugar into the action, but he couldn’t lock her in a safe room, either. She wouldn’t go willingly, and she wouldn’t stay put. If he was planning to tie Sugar up, he wanted to stick around.
They slid out of bed, and for the first time in his life, he wished that life was normal. No saving the day. No concerns about death threats. No snipers or kill teams searching for Sugar. Just loving his woman, petting his dog, and manning his house. Simple.
Sugar walked toward his dresser, and he liked that she’d learned her way around. Her hair curled, ignoring her as she raked fingers through it. Her bottom was still pink from before. And when she looked at him, he wanted to beat his chest, stomp his feet, and holler to the world that she belonged to him.
“Thank God I keep spare clothes in my office. Got a comb in this place?”
He shook his head. If his hair got past a tight clip, he just buzzed it again. “Right, because we’ll have time to work on your wardrobe.”
“J-dawg dropping jokes. What comes next?” She opened his drawers and pulled out fresh clothes.
What comes next? First comes love, then comes marriage… Figure it out, woman.
Her makeshift outfit was too big and fit ridiculously. She rolled the waist of his sweatpants so they barely hung over her hipbones and then cuffed them at the ankles. Next she pulled on a white T-shirt. All he could focus on was her tits and the dark outlines of her nipples behind the cotton. “Nuh-uh. No white shirts for you. Find something else.”
She checked the mirror and laughed. “Whoopsie.”
“Whoopsie, my ass.”
Somewhat satisfied that she could leave his house and not bare her goods to the world, he pulled on his tactical gear.
She watched as he strapped weapons into holsters, then double- and triple-checked his ammo supply. The process was nearly scientific. He could don enough gear to be a one-man unit in less than thirty seconds.
“This isn’t a fluke, is it?” Concern etched her voice. “GSI is at GUNS, and there was a threat to my sister.”
“Rocco is at GUNS, Jenny is fine, and I prepare for the worst case.” He snagged a Beretta stashed behind his dresser. “Not sure where you’re going to put this thing, but take it until we get there.
Then arm yourself up. Deal?”
“I could—”
“Not playing, Sugar. It’s your place. Your sister. I get that. But you have a history of running off and getting into trouble. Stay where I tell you. Agree now, or you stay home, tied to the bed, and that’s a damn shame to walk out on.”
Rolling her eyes, she waggled her head. “Agree. Agree. I’ll behave.”
They turned and walked toward the hall, and a spike of adrenaline shot through his system. Bringing Sugar into danger sucked on so many levels. Something could go wrong. She might do her own thing anyway. Maybe hell would turn arctic, and she would stay put, but things could still go wrong. A nasty headache cropped up. If he left her at home, he would be too far away if this was a set up.
Damn it. He slapped the wall as they rounded the corner for the stairs.
Her eyes peeled wide. “What’s the matter?”
He kissed her. Hot and heady, his tongue moved over hers. She tasted so sweet; he might never be able to stop. But he made himself. No time for this. Breaking the kiss, she went slack in his arms, sighing as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, then her temple. He hugged her tightly.
“If something goes wrong,” he whispered, shaking his head. “I can’t live without you. Do you get that? I will do whatever it takes to end this with Baer. To protect you. Your sister. Your family. Whatever—”
“I don’t have family. I have a sister.”
“Okay. Not my point.” He paused. “I need you to survive this hurdle because I want a future with you. I’m not a flowers-and-love-songs type guy, but I’ve got shit to say and no time to say it. So if you know anything else, know this. I love you. You’re the reason for my beating heart, sweet Sugar. Once we kick Buck Baer’s fuckin’ ass, I promise you, I’ll spell it out. Have it written in the sky or tattooed on my arm. Whatever it takes, you’ll know it, believe it, breathe it, just like me. I love you.”
“I do love you, Jared.”
“I know you do. And now you know it’s more than just a feeling. It’s a way of life.”
Their hands found each other, her Beretta clasped in one, and they moved toward the door. He was ready to end his blowout with Baer. By the day’s end, Baer would know Jared’s wrath firsthand.
The Titan Series: Military Romance Boxed Set Page 76