by KaLyn Cooper
“As far as I was concerned, we didn’t need to get up.” Rafe pulled her tighter into his side. “Sweetheart, we could’ve done all this in the morning.”
“No. I wanted to be here to welcome the girls.” Harper looked directly at him in her eyes went wide. “Marcus.” Her gaze darted to the other women.
“Jack the ass sent him down here to find the warheads.” Katlyn shrugged. “We got assigned bodyguard duty. I’m pretty sure Jack had no idea that we already knew Marcus.” She gave him a meek smile. “Now he knows more about us than he ever wanted to. Thank God we can trust him.”
“Oh, you can trust Marcus to keep a secret. He would die for you.” Harper turned her face up to her husband and pecked his lips. “I’m awake now. I guess you’re just going to have to exhaust me all over again so I’ll go back to sleep.”
The heat in Rafe’s eyes couldn’t be missed. He spun around. “Good night ladies. Good night Marcus. Don’t expect us for breakfast.”
Harper giggled. “Nope. I like the way my husband wakes me up in the morning.”
“TMI,” Nita called out as they headed up the staircase on the right. “For those of us who aren’t getting laid anytime in the foreseeable future, you think you can keep your excitement down a little?”
“No fucking way.” Harper gave her friend a shit-eating grin from the top of the stairs.
“I’m glad my room is in the left wing.” Nita picked up her bags and headed up the staircase. “I’m taking Daniel’s suite so Marcus can have my old room if he wants oceanside.”
Katlin and Dammit stopped next to Marcus on their way toward the stairs. “It’s one long hallway upstairs. My suite is at the end on the right, Daniel’s takes up the end on the left. Each wing has four other bedrooms, all with private bathrooms. You have a choice, sliding doors opening toward the ocean or to the jungle.”
“Night, everyone.” Grace continued her phone call, which was obviously to her fiancé, Griffin. She headed up the stairway to the right.
“No worries,” Katlin reassured. “We have eight guest bedrooms, and only five will be used tonight. So, ocean view or jungle view?”
“I’m in the left wing looking at that gorgeous ocean.” Tori’s announcement could have been an invitation or maybe she was just being nice. “The room next to mine is vacant and far enough away from them you’ll never hear the bed banging against the wall or the moans.”
“Good point.” Marcus looked then at Katlin. “Is it okay with you if I take the room next to Tori’s?”
She yawned. “Truthfully, Marcus, I don’t care where you sleep.” She snapped her fingers twice and headed toward the right wing. “PT at dawn. Ladies, I expect to meet all of you on the beach. Three-mile beach run and we’ll swim back.” Katlin bellowed in her command voice.
Marcus looked at Tori. “Am I expected to join you?” He thought about his shoulder for a moment. Swimming might be good for it since he couldn’t go to physical therapy. The run in the sand would kill him, though.
Tori snickered. “You should see the look on your face. No. Since we are on active duty, we’re expected to stay in top shape.” Her features then softened. She pointed down the hall on the main floor. “There’s a complete gym, last door on the left. You can do your physical therapy down there, but you’re welcome to join us if you want.”
She headed for the stairs and he followed her up.
“For tomorrow, I’ll probably just work out in the gym. Maybe go for a swim.” He was pretty tired and not sure what the next few days would bring. Stressing a muscle, then being forced to endure the pain for the rest of the mission would not be fun. He would gut it out, though. He’d been through worse.
Tori whispered as they started down the upper hallway. “This is my room. The one next door is available if you want an ocean view.” She pointed to the closed door across the hall. “That one is Lei Lu’s room. She loves listening to the jungle sounds.”
Pointing to the double doors at the very end of the hall, she explained, “That one’s Daniel’s.” She grinned. “Well, I guess now it’s Nita and Daniel’s suite. It runs the whole length with balconies opening onto both the jungle and the ocean. They have a separate living room type area where baby Bella sleeps. Katlin’s is the mirror opposite at the other end of the hall.”
“I love the sound of the lapping ocean waves. I’ll take this one.” Marcus walked down to the next door and took one step into the room. “I guess, then, I’ll see you in the morning.”
He didn’t want to say good night to her. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her until she didn’t know her name. Then he would drag her into the bed, he didn’t care which one, his room or hers, and strip her out of that flight suit. He would spend the entire night learning every curve and indent in her body, showing her with his hands, his mouth, his tongue, just how much he adored her. When she could no longer resist him, begged him for more, he would finally let her come. While her wet, soft walls convulsed, he would slide into her and for the first time in his life experience heaven.
His eyes met hers, and he saw regret.
His heart fell. Did she regret what they had done in the KOC office at the wedding? Or that he was on the mission with her now? Did she have a rule about not sleeping with men she worked with? Or was it more obvious? He was too ugly for her, even in the dark of night.
He touched the scar at the corner of his eye out of habit as his gaze raked down her perfect body. Is this a game with you?
Tori tossed her bag into her room and strode to stand in front of him. She cupped his face in both hands. “Saying good night to me isn’t going to cut it.” She laid her lips on his and a rush of heat flooded his body. He instantly went hard. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him so there was no way she could miss his erection.
Stroking her back up and down he changed the angle of the kiss, taking it deeper. She tangled her tongue with his, giving back as good as he gave. They nipped at each other’s lips, kissing for so long he’d lost track of time. Moving his hands to her breasts, he gently caressed them through too many layers of clothes. He reached for the long zipper and she grabbed his wrists.
Lifting her head, she looked into his eyes. “Although I want nothing more than to take you into my room, strip you bare, and ride you until you scream my name, that’s not going to happen tonight.”
She reached down and stroked the entire length of his erection. “And, damn, it’s going to be good to have you deep inside me.” She squeezed him gently before releasing him and taking a giant step backward. “I have PT in less than three hours. I really need to sleep, but…soon.” She stepped forward and gave him a quick kiss before turning her back and disappearing into her room, closing the door with a gentle click.
“Oh, yeah, our time is coming,” he said to no one.
Marcus walked through the door into one of the most luxurious hotel rooms he’d ever seen. Immediately, he walked over to the wall of glass doors and opened the middle two. Stepping out onto a nice-sized balcony, he inhaled the warm salt air and stood silently listening to the unique sounds of the ocean. He could hear birds, or maybe they were animals, chattering in the jungle that surrounded the compound. Briefly, he wondered if he should’ve taken a room on the other side, but flicked the idea away. The view of dawn from the king-sized bed behind him would be amazing.
It was as though the crisp clean sheets called his name. Stepping back into the bedroom he decided to leave the doors open allowing the waves to lull him to sleep. Unsure how long he would be there, he only removed his shaving kit, taking it into the bathroom that was nearly as large as his apartment living room. A glassed-in shower filled one corner. A spa tub big enough for two to enjoy took up nearly a third of the room. Lined with beautiful plants and decorative candles, it would be a woman’s dream. When he noted the dozens of jets, he decided he might take advantage of it after all.
Marcus stripped out of his clothes and started to crawl into bed when he tho
ught better of it. The house was filled with women who he considered his friends. Not that he expected anything to happen, but if he had to run out of his room in the middle of the night, he’d want at least his cock and ass covered. He slid his boxers back on and crawled beneath soft, cool sheets. His mind wandered to Tori on the other side of the wall. What did she wear to bed? With the image of her slender body covered in little more than thin lace, Marcus released a slow breath. Sleep overtook him.
Gentle rays of yellow filled his room slowly, waking Marcus. Feeling surprisingly refreshed and rejuvenated, he rolled over onto his back. Tucking his hands behind his head, he watched the sun peek over the horizon. Peach and pink painted the scattered clouds that interrupted the powder blue sky. In this light, the beach looked almost red and the ocean more Jade than turquoise.
Color continued to brighten the earth as the sphere of the sun exposed the multiple greens of the palm trees, the white edges of the waves, and the dozen variations of blue of the ocean. The warm breeze lifted the gauzy blue curtains on the edges of the windows inviting Marcus onto the balcony.
Heeding the siren call, he padded his way over the dark wooden floor to step out into the sunshine of the day. The Caribbean Sea was far too inviting. He would take a swim for his morning exercise.
Five minutes later he strode down the hall, noting the silence. The women must not be back yet from their morning run and swim. He considered his workouts personal and private, so he hoped he wouldn’t run into them. Nearly to the French doors opening to the beach, a stout woman with graying dark hair emerged from a side door. Through the crack he heard several women chatting, the clanging of pots and pans, and the sound of industrial fans. Kitchen, he decided.
“Oh, good morning Mr. Hernandez.” She rolled the r the same way his grandmother did. Something deep inside him immediately liked this woman.
“Good morning, ma’am.” His smile was genuine. “You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
This seemed to fluster her. “I know the name of every guest in this house. The original Mr. Callahan, that would be Michael, the general, expected every guest to feel like this was their home. I’ve never been told that rule was to be changed. Being called by your name should make you feel comfortable.” She bobbed her head once as though giving the statement an exclamation mark.
She reminded him so much of his grandmother, a younger version though, that he switched to Spanish hoping to make her more comfortable. “Please call me Marcus. What may I call you, amada tia?” She blushed at the term of beloved aunt and he wanted to take her in his arms and hug her.
She patted his cheek and continued the conversation in her native language. “You are such a sweet young man. I see you took the room next to our Tori.”
At the mention of her name, he flashed hot and bright through him. She had obviously seen it too.
“Oh, I see you have an eye for our Tori. She’s a good girl with a bit of a wild side. About time that jaguar was tamed.”
Her accent was a little different than the one he grown up with so he wasn’t sure he’d heard the word correctly. “Jaguar?” Marcus thought it was funny that this woman compared Tori to one of the largest wildcats in Central America. Deep inside he snickered. She certainly was a man-eater.
The woman tilted her head and looked up at him. “Certainly. Don’t you see it? She is sleek, and strong. Powerful. An excellent hunter. You should see her shoot sometime.” She shook her head. “My God, she is deadly. And like her namesake, she can put on makeup appear as black as Dominic—he’s the gardener and his line is from Africa—or she can look like a tan white woman, but never as light as our Katlin, of course. Her inner beauty will always shine through.”
Marcus had to agree. Tori was a lot like a jaguar. He wondered if she was a hellcat in bed. He hoped to find out soon.
As though she could read his mind, just like his grandmother seem to be able to do, the middle-aged woman swatted his bicep. “You be good to my Tori.”
“I intend to, ma’am. She’s…she is very special.” He needed to get away from this line of questioning. “Are there any dangers in the water out there?”
She touched his rashguard shirt. “This is a good one. Does it have the special technology to protect you from the dangerous rays of the sun?”
“Yes.” The tightly knit fabric was made to shield his overly sensitive skin. His scars would burn much more quickly than healthy skin, especially in that tropical climate. “What about fire coral or sharks?”
“We don’t have any of that here. Sharks are afraid to come to this side of Costa Rica.” Her grin was evil. “We like to eat shark. Good white meat. No fishy taste. It’s one of Miss Katlin’s favorite meals.”
“Thanks.” Marcus headed toward the door and then suddenly remembered he never got her name. “Amada tia, what is your real name?”
“Rosita.” Her smile was soft and warm. “But you may call me amada tia.”
He smiled and headed to the beach.
“Sobrino favorito Marcus,” she called as he reached the door.
He turned and smiled at being called her favorite nephew. “Yes.”
“The ladies of the house will be back in thirty minutes. I serve breakfast in forty-five minutes. Don’t be late.”
“I wouldn’t dare, amada tia.” He’d be sure to be back in plenty of time. He actually appreciated the warning that Tori and the other women would arrive in half an hour.
Dropping his beach towel on one of the lounge chairs lined up facing the ocean, he kicked off his sandals and stretched his muscles the way he’d been taught in physical therapy. Feeling warmed up, he stepped into the crystal clear water. It was warm and wonderful on his skin. Wading in to his waist, he dove under a small wave pushing himself for several strokes before surfacing.
He decided to swim in the opposite direction of the resort. If he got tired and had to get out, he didn’t want to expose anyone else to his scarred body. He felt safe with his friends. They were all aware of what he’d gone through and seemed to ignore the lines and puckered skin. Strangers at the pool where he occasionally took physical therapy either stared at him or gave him side glances. Everyone, including him, felt uncomfortable. Working out alone was best.
As he pushed his body and his muscles, varying strokes as he’d been taught, he back stroked and checked out the beach beyond the Callahan compound. It was undeveloped, pristine in fact. At the far end the five women exited the water and shook out their muscles. They waved at him from afar and mid-stroke he waggled his hand. He breathed a sigh of relief when they continued on their way back toward the house.
He flipped around and did the breast stroke for a count of fifty before finishing with freestyle. Tired yet refreshed, pleased with his workout, Marcus glanced around. Not seeing anyone, he stood in the water and walked ashore. His rashguard chafed across the sensitive scars on his back. Perhaps some sand filtered through or it could have been a reaction from the saltwater. He peeled off the already drying shirt and shook it out.
Although the sunshine felt wonderful on his bare body, he needed to get it re-covered before he stepped inside. The scars on his legs were nothing compared to the crisscross slashes on his chest and back. Their parallel straight lines were easily identified as a result of torture. No one needed to see those.
He picked up his towel and rubbed it over his short hair. Dropping the towel to his shoulders, he opened his eyes.
Tori was leaning against the rail of the deck ten feet in front of him. Watching his every move.
He immediately glanced down at his bare chest where the scars gleamed in the sunlight.
She was staring. At his scars. At the proof that he was ugly all over, not just his face.
Embarrassed, he apologized “I’m sorry.” He threw the towel over his shoulders like a cape and wrapped it around his chest. “They’re disgusting, I know. I’m sorry you saw them.” He held up the useless shirt. “I’m sorry. I always wear
a shirt, but I think I got some sand…” he trailed off. Maybe it would be better to shut his mouth.
Marcus couldn’t tell what Tori was thinking. She had schooled her face, but he saw flashes of disgust in her eyes.
Well, at least now he knew what she would think when she finally saw him completely naked.
That would never happen, now.
She bolted down the steps, anger written in every pore of her body.
He braced for the biggest heartbreak of his life.
Chapter 13
Tori was pissed. “Don’t you ever talk about your body that way again.” She had never seen Marcus without a shirt so she had no idea the extent of his scarring. Now that she’d seen what those fuckers had done to him, she wanted to hunt every one of them down and kill them. Slowly.
He’d wrapped the towel over his shoulders and upper body to hide the scars from her. She grabbed the towel, flipping it off, and tossing to the ground. “What the fuck do you mean these are disgusting?”
With her fingertips, she lightly traced each of the pink lines created by some brutal instrument, inflicted by a sadist. There were thousands of ways to torture someone, but his captors had chosen something with a jagged edge that cut in parallel lines leaving ragged edges that could never heal neatly.
“You endured this pain for my friend. Harper is like a sister to me. A sister I chose.” She wasn’t getting through to him if the agony in his eyes was any indication.
“Harper was my teammate.” His voice was rough and scratchy. “I couldn’t let them do this to her.” He jerked his open hands from his face past his torso.
Tori lifted her gaze from his magnificently sculpted body and looked into his hazel eyes. “I completely understand. I feel the same way about those women inside. A team shares a unique form of love that only those who have gone through hell together and walked out the other side, arm in arm, can ever understand. The bond is tighter than if we shared the same blood.”
“I would have died for her.” His admission was so quiet, breaking at the end.