No Mercy: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by D. M. Davis

  I never want Gabriel to feel trapped. He’s loyal to a fault. Like me.

  We don’t talk about Austin. There’s not really much to say. Gabriel was there for the last five years. He witnessed our breakdown with clearer vision than I. He knows where I stand. I’m with him and not Austin. Even if Austin returns to the Black Ops Team and was the old Austin I used to love, too much has happened to pretend he didn’t break something precious. Something that can never be fixed.

  We can maybe mend it enough to be civil, but never more than that.

  Never will I be vulnerable to Austin again. That ship has sailed. That door has closed.

  Where does that leave Gabriel and me? I have no idea. I wake up every day in his arms and fall asleep every night in those same arms, against his hard chest and heated parts that fit so perfectly with mine. He worships my body at every opportunity. He fills my belly with food. He provides a roof over my head. And he fills an emptiness I didn’t even know was there until Austin’s absence ripped open a void his love masked but never truly filled. Remarkably, Mr. Asshole fills it, and fills it, and fills it. His tender ways and beastly claim over me are the magic touch I was missing.

  Who knew?

  I think he did.

  But he’s not saying.

  He’s heads-down on training for his next match that’s only a few months away.

  He’s not distant. He hasn’t turned into Mr. Asshole. He’s just not saying what we are. What I am to him. And I’m afraid to ask. Afraid to scare him off by asking for more—or the possibility of more.

  I’ve heard him often enough claiming marriage and kids are not in the cards for him. I don’t believe he’s changed his mind—that he’d want that with me.

  But I do want it. Someday.

  I ache when I see Grant and Emmy with Gwen. Or a random couple on the street walking hand in hand with their children in tow.

  I. Want. That.

  But what do I know about being a mother? I never had one. I had a shit for a father. Maybe parenthood isn’t in my deck of cards either.

  The longest relationships I’ve had were with my father and Austin. Both of those turned to shit—or always were shit. I don’t have a good track record. Nothing to fall back on and no one to rely on.

  My desk phone rings, bringing me out of my thoughts. Dark much?

  Cap’s voice fills the line when I answer, “Come to my office.” Not a question.

  “Be right there.”

  I walk past the guys training, slipping by unnoticed, even by Gabriel. But I don’t miss the flex of his chest as he bench-presses an ungodly amount of weight. I squelch my smile as I knock on Cap’s door.

  “Come in,” he barks.

  Stepping inside, I note the disarray of his desk. The mess extends to the conference table. “Where’s Margaret?”

  “She… Uh… Quit.” He flips folders, looking for something.

  “Jesus, Cap. Did you try to sleep with her too?” I love Captain, but he runs through personal assistants like they’re going out of style, all because he can’t keep his libido in check.

  “Try? No.”

  Which means he slept with her.

  “You know you can’t keep sleeping with your PAs, right?”

  Ignoring me, he finds what he’s looking for and hands a folder to me. “Here. I need you to read up on these guys.”

  I open the folder. “Why?” I spot a name I’m familiar with. “Oh, are these the guys you’re looking to bring onboard?”

  “Yep.” He picks up the phone, tucking it under his ear and dialing. “We leave tomorrow. Early.”

  “I’m sorry, what? Was there a question in there?”

  He sighs, clearly exasperated and not happy with having to deal with me. But I won’t let him push me around. I’m done being walked over by alpha males. He hangs up and sits back in his chair. “Frankie, I need you to come with me to check out these guys. I need your trained eye and medical expertise to see if they have medical issues they’re hiding or downplaying.”

  I glance around the room. “You mean you need an assistant, and I’m the only woman smart enough not to sleep with you?”

  His lips tilt on one side. “That too.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest, I spear him with my glare. “How long? Where are we staying? I’m not sleeping in roach motels, Cap.”

  “Three days. No roach-coach. Got it.” He leans forward. “You in?”

  I smile, loving the next words out of my mouth as I leave his office: “You get to tell Gabriel.”

  “Fuck,” he curses as I head back to my office to pack up for the day.

  I’ve got girls’ night out plans to make.

  “Gabriel,” Cap calls from the men’s locker room door.

  “Yeah, Cap?” I’ve showered and slung on my jeans, hoping to catch Frankie before she leaves for her night out with the girls. I’m trying to be adult about this and not begrudge her her girl-time. She’s coming home to me, and that’s what’s important.

  Cap looks at the guys as he shuffles in looking uncharacteristically chagrined, maybe a little annoyed I made him come to me instead of jumping to attention the second he called for me. We’re not in the fucking military anymore.

  “I… Ugh—”

  “Spit it out, Cap.” I finish tying my shoes and stand, pulling my shirt on. “I’m trying to catch Frankie before she leaves.”

  “She’s already left.”

  “Oh?” I cross my arms. Waiting.

  “Yeah.” He inspects the wall behind me.

  WTF? When he doesn’t say any more, I grab my bag, pocket my phone and keys. Give him a nod and a “Good talk” on my way past him.

  “Wait.”

  I stop. “Cap, you’re a man of few words. You don’t beat around the bush. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  “Frankie. Tomorrow. She’s coming with me.” He lets out a bunch of air as if he’s been holding it this whole time.

  I step closer. “Going where?”

  “Scouting.”

  “The fuck you say?” I close in, and to my surprise, he actually steps back. I look down on him. I’ve got a few inches and about fifty pounds on the guy—not to mention twenty years or so.

  He holds up his hands. “Look, I know you and she have a thing now. But this is business. I need her with me.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. “Why isn’t Margaret going?”

  “This has nothing to do with Margaret. Frankie has gone with me before. She’s got a good eye and her medical knowledge is invaluable in assessing injuries.”

  “She’s gone before?” How did I not know this?

  “You know you avoided her most of the time when she was with Austin. You don’t know everything about her, especially when it comes to my business.”

  “Wow, Cap. I think that’s the most you’ve ever said to me.”

  “Fuck, Gabriel. She’s coming. I don’t need your permission. Neither does she.”

  Fuck, I know, but I can’t help the need to protect her. “Then why you telling me?”

  He scratches the back of his head and smiles. “She said I had to.”

  I chuckle and pat him on the back. “If I didn’t know you love her like a daughter, I’d say you’re pussy-whipped.”

  “Don’t talk about her like that.” He nearly cuts my head off with the grit in those words.

  If he only knew the things I’ve said and done to her pussy, he would not be a happy camper. “Yes, sir.”

  My mood plummets as I walk to my car. I’m disappointed she still went out with the girls instead of coming home to spend her last evening with me, knowing it would be the last night together for four days. She has every right to hang with her girls. Only, it would be nice to be considered a priority when she’s leaving town. Four days isn’t long, but given I’ve spent five years without her, I’m not in the sharing mood.

  Jess pulls up beside me. “We’re heading out for some beers. You in?”

  Why the fuck not? “Sure.”
<
br />   I could use some guy-time. They’ll understand she should have come home to me instead of going out.

  Now who’s pussy-whipped?

  Emmy, Desi, Sidney, Dylan, and myself squeeze into a booth in the back of Davenport’s. There’s a new wine bar we wanted to check out, but it turns out it’s not open for another month. So, here we are at the normal hang-out. It’s turning out to not be much of a girls’ night out. The Malone brothers—Emmy, Sidney, and Dylan’s other halves—are holding up the bar. It’s more like a middle school party where the girls giggle on one side of the room, while the guys check out the girls from the other side.

  “Your men are checking y’all out.” I nod in their direction, finishing my first beer and kinda regretting not canceling and going home to spend the evening with Gabriel, since I’m leaving town in the morning. But then I remember, I need to stand on my own two feet and not rely on Gabriel, no matter how much I want to.

  I’m guessing Grant and Grayson left their kids with Betsy, their mom, since their women, Emmy and Sidney, are here. Dylan and Grady, Grant’s youngest brother, don’t have any kids yet. But by the looks of it, Grady’s about to steal Dylan away to go try to remedy that in the bathroom. The giggles Dylan is emitting prove I’m not far from the mark. She excuses herself, and she and Grady disappear around the corner.

  “They’re totally gonna have sex,” Emmy whispers, following my line of sight.

  “Yep.” I pop the p, a little exasperated it’s not me.

  Emmy nudges my shoulder. “What’s up?”

  “Nothing. Just thinking about my trip.”

  “Three days isn’t a long time.” She edges the plate of appetizers my way, but I decline. “You might even get some phone sex out of it.”

  “Oh, did I hear phone sex?” Desi, Emmy’s longtime friend, chimes in.

  I wave off the idea. “No one is having phone sex.” I lean forward. “Unless you have details to share from your date last night.”

  “Nope. No deets.” Desi zips her lips. “The only action I’ve seen lately is expressing a rottweiler’s anal gland.”

  “Eww! No. If you think that’s action, then we need to have a talk.” Emmy swats at Desi’s arm.

  The four of us break into a fit of giggles, leaving me breathless and looking into the blue eyes of the man who’s been on my mind nonstop since I left work.

  “Ladies,” Gabriel greets the table. My earlier stance of standing on my own falls to the wayside as thoughts of climbing the sexy brick wall of a man standing before me take precedence.

  “Let me guess.” Emmy motions to me. “You’re here for your better half?”

  He nods, barely giving her a smile, and reaches for me. “It’s time to go.”

  “What if I don’t want to go?” I object as I scoot out of the booth, not really wanting to put up a fight but feeling like I should make a show of it.

  “Then I promise to make it worth your while.” He all but starts to drag me away. “Say goodnight, Angel.”

  I turn to the girls. No reason to fake disappointment, because I’m not. He came after me because he misses me. “Thanks, ladies. I’ll see y’all when I get back.”

  Gabriel growls, tightening his hold on my hand.

  “Obviously Cap told you about my trip.”

  “The question isn’t did he tell me? The question is why didn’t you?”

  “I was punishing him for sleeping with his assistant and for dragging me along at the last minute.” I pull from his grip, standing my ground only a few feet from the exit. “That’s why. I don’t like being an afterthought.”

  “Angel, you have one of two choices.” He leans in, his lips grazing my ear, ensuring I hear him over the hum of the bar. “One: you walk to the car.” He fingers toy with my waist, skating along the edge of my jeans. “Two: I carry you to the car.” He stands, raising his voice, “You have five seconds to decide.”

  As much as I love his alpha ways, I have to give him a hard time. I can’t help it. It’s in my nature to push back as much as it’s in his nature to want me to surrender. He’ll have to work for it. “Why are you upset?”

  “Four.”

  “Because I’m going?”

  “Three.”

  “Or because you don’t control if I go?”

  “Two.”

  “Gabriel.”

  “One.”

  “Gabriel!” I squeak when he lifts me in his arms. At least he didn’t throw me over his shoulder fireman style.

  “Time’s up, Angel.” He barrels through the double doors and heads for his monster.

  “What about my car?”

  “You didn’t drive.”

  “Oh, right.” The girls picked me up at Gabriel’s so I wouldn’t have to drive and could have a few drinks. Totally forgot we rock-paper-scissored to see who was the designated driver. Desi lost—or won the honor.

  He sets me in the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt like I can’t do it for myself. “I still don’t see why you’re so upset, Big Man.” His lips twitch. “I saw that smile!”

  He kisses my forehead. “There’s no smile.” He shuts my door and crosses in front to the driver’s side.

  “What if I was going out of town tomorrow and instead of coming straight to you as soon as I found out, I asked Jonah to tell you—as an afterthought.” He pulls out of the parking lot. “And instead of coming home to spend my last night with you, I went out drinking with the guys? How would that make you feel?”

  “Like shit. I wouldn’t like it.” I wouldn’t like it at all.

  “Welcome to my night.”

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper to the dark and receive no response other than a grunt. He’s right. I was only thinking of myself. I’d be hurt and disappointed if the guy I love spent his last night drinking with the guys instead of quality time with me.

  Wait? What? Love?! No. No. No. It’s too soon for love. I can’t possibly love Gabriel. He’s been Mr. Asshole to me for the past five years. We’ve only been together for a minute. I can’t love him already.

  Oh, God. But I do.

  Still reeling from my realization, I follow Gabriel into the house and up the stairs. I stop inside his bedroom, watching the show as he strips off his clothes. He pauses on his jeans and eyes me, noticing I’m not advancing into the room. “Get naked, Frankie.”

  Frankie. Not Angel.

  I suppose he’s too upset to use his love name for me. Love name? Does he? Could he possibly?

  I should be happy he didn’t revert to calling me Francesca.

  “I’m so sorry you felt de-prioritized, Gabriel. I wasn’t thinking.” I need him to know I didn’t intend to hurt him.

  A grunt is his only response as he continues stripping.

  “Are you not speaking to me?”

  “I don’t feel like talking.” Completely naked and his impressive cock in hand, he strokes his length a few times as he advances. “Naked. Now, Frankie.”

  “Frankie? Not Angel?”

  He stops and frowns, his eyes scanning me like I’m a potential IED. “Same difference.”

  I nearly tumble back from the blow of his verbal dagger. “It’s not the same difference to me.” Yes, I sound like a petulant child, but he’s hiding behind sex instead of telling me how he really feels.

  He shrugs. “Not my concern.”

  Wow. I knew it was too much to believe Mr. Asshole wouldn’t make another appearance. He snuck in on me after my defenses were down. After I believed I could possibly be more to him than just a hole to fuck.

  After I fell in love with him.

  I turn and head down the stairs before the first tear falls. I need a drink, and I don’t mean water. I make it to the kitchen before he catches up with me.

  “Where are you going?” He managed to throw on his jeans. Though they’re still unfastened, I guess I should be thankful I’m not staring at a gorgeous naked asshole.

  “I’m getting a drink.” I pour a shot of something dark from his liquor cabinet. I’
m not a hard liquor kind of girl. It’s either beer, wine, or something cold and fruity for me. Though, even then, I don’t drink often. I doubt he has the fixings for margaritas. He doesn’t look like a margarita kind of guy. He looks like a whiskey guy.

  I throw back the shot and gasp. “Fuck.” Was that whiskey? It sure as hell burns like whiskey. I pour another one.

  “Angel, what are you doing?” He steps closer, but I hold my arm out.

  “Oh, now I’m Angel?” I pick up the shot and face him. “Make up your mind, Gabriel. Am I Angel—the girl you care about? Or am I Frankie—the girl you fuck?” I swallow the shot and welcome the burn this time as it warms my insides. “Or better yet, am I Francesca—the girl you hate—the girl you demoralize at every turn?”

  “I never hated you.” He steps closer. Worry riddles his face and softens his eyes.

  “Yeah, well, you could have fucking fooled me!” I’m slipping. I should shut up, but I can’t seem to make myself stop.

  “You’re upset.”

  No shit.

  He takes the shot glass from my hand, cautious and slow like he’s dealing with a rabid dog.

  I swipe at the tears that defiantly fall. “What are we doing, Gabriel? What am I to you? You want me naked? You want to fuck? That’s all you want?” I rip at my shirt, trying to get it over my head and failing miserably, with it stuck half on and half off.

  His powerful hands stop my struggle. “I wanted to spend the evening with you.” He pulls my shirt down, smoothing it into place.

  “But why? Why do you want me here? Am I only a convenient fuck? What about what I want?” I push at his chest. He doesn’t budge. “Why are you upset I’m leaving?”

  His silence is deafening. His hands in his pockets, he just stares at me. The clock on the wall clicks the seconds away.

  “Are you even upset I’m leaving?”

  “Yes.” He breaks his silence. Finally.

  “Why?”

  Nothing.

  Nothing.

  Nothing.

  With acceptance of what, I don’t know, I turn, climbing the stairs. I can’t humiliate myself like this anymore.

  “Because I want you here,” he calls from the entryway.