Wait for Morning (Sniper 1 Security #1)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Barry Thompson,” the guy mumbled.

  “Who do you work for, Mr. Thompson?” Max questioned.

  “This asshole,” Thompson declared, nodding toward Duchein.

  “And what is it that you do for him?” RT asked.

  “He hired me to snatch the girl.”

  “Which girl?” Trace asked, wanting him to clarify.

  “Marissa Trexler. He told me that Mr. Adorite was blackmailing him and he had to produce the girl or he was as good as dead.”

  “Well, he got one thing right,” Max disclosed gruffly.

  Trace knew it was coming before the muffled gunshot sounded, the noise muted by a silencer. He turned his head, but that didn’t stop him from getting splattered with Duchein’s brain matter.

  Not a single person said a word. No screams, no cries.

  Nothing.

  The eerie silence that followed was deafening.

  A second later, Max spoke. “You get the reassurance you needed?”

  Trace released Duchein’s shirt—the dead man dropping to the floor instantly—and retrieved the handkerchief from his breast pocket, then proceeded to wipe his face. He didn’t move as Max came to stand in front of him and RT.

  “What reassurance is that?” Trace questioned harshly.

  “That I’m not after your girl,” Max replied.

  “No? That’s not what Duchein said,” Trace said coldly. “According to your business partner, you set us up. Lured Marissa here to take her out.”

  “I heard what he said,” Max retorted. “I hear every fucking thing that goes on. Don’t forget that.”

  RT stepped forward. “We’re takin’ you at your word. This is over.”

  “She’s never been an issue for me,” Max confirmed, glancing over at Marissa. “I assure you, the threat to her is gone.”

  “Why’d you kill him?” Barry asked, his face ashen white.

  “Because he touched what belongs to me.”

  Trace understood clearly what Max Adorite was saying. Regardless, Duchein wasn’t going to be an issue anymore. He hadn’t died because he’d threatened Marissa. He’d died because he couldn’t be trusted. He’d died because he’d betrayed the Adorites. But more importantly, he’d died because he’d touched Courtney. And Max Adorite had needed to make an example out of him.

  Mission accomplished.

  “Thank you for inviting us to your lovely party,” Courtney said sardonically. “But I think we’re gonna call it a night.”

  “Courtney,” Max ground out as she turned to walk away.

  Trace moved to Marissa but didn’t touch her. He couldn’t. Not until he cleaned himself up. But knowing she was safe… That was enough for now. When she grabbed his arm and held on tight, his heart swelled in his chest. Leading her, Trace fell into step behind RT, Conner, and Colby, who were all following Courtney. Z and Clay then followed behind Marissa.

  Courtney merely lifted her hand, waving it behind her head without turning back. “Good to see you, Max. Let’s not do this again sometime.”

  Trace laughed; he couldn’t help himself. His sister had always been a terror, there was no questioning that. And it seemed she knew just how to push Max Adorite’s buttons. Although he was sure there was some truth to her statement, Trace got the distinct impression that whatever was brewing between those two hadn’t been extinguished quite yet.

  Which meant they were all likely to see more of Max Adorite in the future.

  Great.

  Just what Trace needed. More assholes to contend with.

  “What about me?” Barry asked as they passed.

  “Oh, we’re gonna have us a little chat,” Max told him. “Don’t you worry.”

  “What about that one?” one of the gunmen asked, nodding toward the back of the room.

  Trace glanced over his shoulder to see Max pause and turn to look at Isaac.

  RT called out, “We’re done with him. If you don’t mind, we’ll let you take out the trash.”

  “My pleasure,” Max said, turning back to face them as he followed them to the door.

  Trace laughed.

  And the last thing he heard as they were stepping out of the room was Max saying, “But not tonight. I’ve got a party to get back to. Y’all find those two shitheads some accommodations for the night.”

  Forty-One

  Marissa sat on the edge of the chair in Trace’s living room, her sweaty hands clasped in her lap as she waited not so patiently for Trace to finish with his shower. She’d been tempted to join him but found herself too shaken up to ask. So, while he had gone to clean himself up, she’d sat on the chair and rehashed the events of the night.

  The only break she’d had from her overwhelming thoughts was when she had talked to her mother and father on the phone. Hearing their voices had started the tears flowing.

  It was still hard to believe it was all over.

  Dan Duchein was dead. Max had killed him.

  As for Barry Thompson, who, yes, was the same guy from the mall and also the man who’d tried to kidnap her from the motel, and Isaac Rhames, the mole who’d planted himself in Sniper 1 to get to Marissa … well, Ryan had told her not to worry about them. He had assured her, right before they’d dropped her off with Trace, that she had nothing to worry about ever again.

  She knew that was only partially true.

  No, she didn’t believe her life was in danger anymore. The threat to her had been eliminated, and no, she hadn’t shed one single tear over that man’s death, either.

  But she did have one more thing to worry about…

  Where she stood with Trace.

  “Hey.”

  The sound of his voice had her looking up to see him approaching her. He was once again wearing sweat pants and no shirt and he looked… A tear escaped before she could stop it. Unable to hold her emotions back, Marissa jumped to her feet and ran into his arms, throwing her arms around his neck. When he hugged her to him, kissing her forehead, the dam burst, and she couldn’t stop the tears that followed.

  Wanting to apologize for her breakdown, Marissa didn’t get a chance before Trace lifted her into his arms and carried her back to his bedroom. Expecting him to lower her to her feet, she was surprised when he placed her on the bed and immediately crawled over her.

  His warm hands cupped her face, and she stared through blurry eyes up at his beautiful face. God, she loved him. She loved every little thing about him, and she wanted him to know just how she felt.

  “I love you, Marissa,” he said before she could get a single word out.

  She touched his face and smiled through her tears, her heart untwisting, filling her chest with so much emotion she wondered whether she would choke on it.

  “I’ve been holdin’ that back for a long time,” he continued. “I’ve wanted to tell you a million times over, but I couldn’t. Not until I could prove to you that I could keep you safe. I never meant to let you down.”

  Marissa placed her fingers over Trace’s mouth, silencing him.

  “You’ve never let me down,” she whispered, her voice broken from the emotion clogging her throat. “Never. And I love you, too. I’ve loved you since I was fourteen years old. And that feeling has only intensified over the years.” She smiled up at him. “Sometimes it’s so powerful I’m not sure I can contain it all.”

  He smiled, but she could sense the sadness in the gesture.

  “I’m not perfect, Marissa. I need you to understand that. But I promise to love you and protect you for as long as you’ll have me,” he said softly.

  “Forever?”

  Trace’s eyebrows lifted in question.

  “Will you love me forever?”

  She watched his throat work as he swallowed. “Forever, baby.”

  Still cupping his jaw, Marissa leaned up and kissed his lips gently. “Then prove it. Love me right now,” she told him firmly. “However you need to, I just need to feel you inside me.”

  Marissa wasn’t surprised when he didn’t s
ay another word, his mouth finding hers, his lips firm and warm yet soft and reassuring. She kissed him back, showing him without words how much she loved him, too.

  “I still think this is the sexiest dress I’ve ever seen you wear,” he whispered as his mouth trailed down her neck. “But I want to see it on the floor.”

  Marissa grinned, shifting to her side so that he could lower the zipper in the back.

  She felt him fumble briefly, but the next thing she knew, the dress was on the floor, as were her panties and bra, along with his sweat pants.

  When he reached for a condom, Marissa stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Just you and me tonight,” she said. “No barriers.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I’m on the pill.”

  The corners of his mouth quirked and Marissa’s insides swirled. “For now.”

  She nodded in agreement. “For now.”

  With her eyes wide open, Marissa watched as he eased between her thighs, his thick cock slowly penetrating her, filling her completely while their eyes remained locked together.

  “Oh, God, Marissa.”

  She knew exactly what he was feeling. They fit together perfectly, two people who were made for one another. And she knew in that moment, all the danger to her had been eliminated. Including the danger to her heart.

  Trace Kogan loved her.

  But no matter what, if Trace was the only danger she encountered for the rest of her life, she’d willingly run to him every single time.

  □«»□«»□«»□

  Marissa’s body pulled him in, holding him to her as he fought the emotions that consumed him. What he felt for her far surpassed love. It was something greater than that, more powerful, more potent than anything he’d ever known before.

  And she belonged to him.

  “Trace, please,” she cried out as he withdrew, then slowly pushed back into the exquisite warmth of her body.

  “Please what?” he teased her.

  “I need more. I need all of you,” she said, her hands gripping his biceps as he hovered over her.

  “You’ve got all of me, baby. Every single piece.”

  With that, he leaned down and claimed her mouth once again, continuing to make love to her. The way she deserved. The way he wanted. Because it didn’t matter how he took this woman, being inside her was better than anything he’d ever known. Loving her, being loved by her, it had irrevocably changed him.

  And he wanted to show her just how much.

  He smiled down at her when she wrapped her legs around his hips, her ankles digging into his ass as she tried to pull him closer. He thrust his hips forward, impaling her.

  “Oh, yes!” she moaned. “Don’t stop.”

  “Darlin’, you don’t have to worry about that,” he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. “I plan to do this every single day for the rest of my life.”

  “I’m gonna hold you to that,” she muttered.

  “I hope you do,” he told her honestly.

  Marissa’s fingernails dug into his back, and what little control he had left snapped, causing him to drive himself into her hard before pulling back and driving home once again. When he was buried to the hilt once again, he didn’t pull out immediately. Instead, he looked at her, brushing her hair back from her face.

  “I want to have babies with you, Marissa. A family. I want it all with you.” He saw tears form in her eyes, and he wanted to kiss them away, but he didn’t. He wasn’t finished yet. “Marry me, Marissa.”

  She nodded, and when a smile tipped the corners of her mouth, he saw that wild child once again. The one that kept everyone on their toes, the one he’d missed for so long. “Under one condition,” she finally said.

  “Anything. Name it.”

  Her fingernails dug deeper, her ankles pulled him closer as she said, “You make me come. Right now.”

  “My pleasure.”

  And with that, Trace succumbed to her one condition.

  At least five times.

  Epilogue

  Two months later

  Bryce sat in the wooden seat alongside Emily, holding her hand as he watched. Emily was softly crying, and truth was, Bryce was doing his best not to.

  His baby girl was getting married.

  Marissa looked beautiful as she said her vows and exchanged rings with Trace, the two of them not looking at anyone other than one another. That was exactly how it should be. His little girl finding her happily ever after. She’d been through so much, and finally, finally she was able to move forward with her life.

  The day Trace had come to him and asked for his permission to marry Marissa, Bryce had been shocked and pleased. Trace was honorable and loyal and so in love with Marissa it was hard to miss. Of course, Bryce had given his permission. There’d never been an ounce of doubt in his mind.

  And as Marissa slipped the ring on Trace’s finger, Bryce’s heart swelled in his chest. He couldn’t ask for much more than this. For his children to be happy.

  Squeezing Emily’s hand tightly, Bryce sent up a silent thank-you. He truly was a blessed man.

  □«»□«»□«»□

  Ryan smiled and clapped along with the rest of the people in attendance as Trace kissed Marissa after the preacher announced the husband could now kiss the bride. The noise level rose, the sound carrying on the warm afternoon breeze.

  Everyone stood, cheering for the bride and groom as they made their way back down the aisle, smiles lighting up both of their faces, as they headed into the lodge where the reception would follow. He’d never seen the two of them look happier than they did right then.

  Ryan didn’t move from his spot in the hard wooden chair as he glanced from one face to another until his gaze landed on Z, talking to Ryan’s brother Clay, who’d just stood in as Trace’s best man. Ryan had known that Trace would choose Clay as his best man because they’d grown up together, but there’d never been any doubt that Z would be a groomsman, someone else who would stand up for Trace.

  As he watched Z and Clay talk, Ryan didn’t mean to stare, but he couldn’t seem to look away. For the last couple of months, ever since they’d taken down Duchein, the man who’d spent a solid year trying to get to Marissa, Ryan had thought about Z more and more. Completely asinine, he knew, but something that couldn’t seem to be helped. No matter how hard he tried.

  A hand clapped him on the back, effectively pulling him from the trance he had found himself in.

  He turned to see his mother and father, both of them standing behind him. Emily was wiping her eyes with a tissue, sniffling as she gave him a watery grin. Ryan hugged his mother, then took a step back and smiled at them both.

  “You comin’ inside?” Bryce asked, his eyes sliding in the same direction Ryan’s had been moments before.

  “Yeah. I’ll be in in a minute.”

  His father nodded and then followed Ryan’s mother inside.

  “Hey, you got a sec?”

  Ryan swallowed hard, the familiar voice pulling him up short. Turning slowly, he came face-to-face with Z, and he worked to mask his body’s automatic reaction to the man. “What’s up?”

  “Somethin’s come up. Somethin’ I need to take care of.”

  Yeah? Well, Ryan hoped like hell Z wasn’t referring to a part of Ryan’s anatomy, because… Yeah. Shit. That was definitely not what Z wanted to talk about.

  Z smirked, as though reading Ryan’s mind. But then that sexy grin disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. “I’ve got somethin’ to take care of. Back home.”

  “Coyote Ridge?” Ryan asked, referring to the small central Texas town that Z had grown up in.

  “Yep. Buddy of mine called. His name’s Brendon Walker. Seems he’s got an issue. Asked me to help him look into it.”

  “And you’re askin’ my permission?” Ryan asked, confused.

  “Not exactly. I thought maybe you could help out. Head down there with me.”

  Ryan ignored his body’s demand to instantly agree. Going
anywhere with Z was not a good idea. It was enough that he found himself fascinated with the guy. It wasn’t like anything could happen between them. He had a business to run, a team to lead. And Z was part of that team. It’d be highly unprofessional for Ryan to…

  “I think we can clear the case up in about a week. Maybe less.”

  “A case?”

  “Yeah. Stalker or somethin’. Can’t talk about it here. It’s one of those need-to-know kinda deals.”

  “Yeah, I’ll … help you with your case.”

  “Thanks, man. I figure if anyone can pull some strings, it’ll be you.”

  Ryan hoped like hell his disappointment didn’t show. The last thing he needed was for Z to know that he’d been hoping for an invite of a different kind.

  Damn it.

  “Brendon Walker, huh?” Ryan asked, masking his disappointment. “I assume he’s one of those Walker brothers you’ve mentioned. The ones who own Alluring Indulgence resort?”

  “The sex resort,” Z offered with a grin. “One and the same.”

  “When do you leave?”

  “I’m doin’ a little diggin’ first. But once I’ve got more detail, I’ll let you know.”

  “Sure,” Ryan replied, turning to see that they were the only two still outside. “Well, we better get in there.”

  Z smiled, and Ryan was pretty sure there was something in the grin. Something that he honestly did not want to think about.

  Unfortunately, he knew he would because it seemed to be a major problem for him these days.

  □«»□«»□«»□

  Trace looked up from where he was standing with his wife—God, he loved the sound of that—by his side in time to see Hunter’s face. The man looked … pissed.

  Following his line of sight, Trace tried to find what his brother was looking at, and that’s when he saw her.

  Danielle Davidson.

  Well, holy fucking shit.

  This wasn’t going to be good.

  Of all the weddings in all the world, she just happened to show up at theirs.

  Not that Trace was all that surprised. They’d been expecting Dani to show up—not necessarily at the wedding, however, she had been expected back home at some point—but those rumors had started several months ago.