Taking Liberty: The Next Generation

by Edwards, Riley

  “The UN economic meeting is happening in two days,” Jasper began. “We’ve made some calls. They’ll be on the lookout for Roman, and be extra careful.”

  “When’s Trey going back up to Virginia?” Clark asked.

  “Tomorrow night. He’s got PT,” I answered.

  The men all nodded their acknowledgements and Levi smiled at Liberty. “See you tomorrow, sweetheart. Have a good night.”

  Tomorrow. Yeah, Levi wasn’t a stupid man. He was also a father who knew exactly what this was and he’d made it clear I had his blessing in a multitude of ways, including giving me a job, a salary that was more than double what I made in the Navy, and after arguing that the amount was far too high, he shut me up by explaining I was the least paid member of management. After my six-month eval, that figure would be bumped up to put me on par with Brady. He further explained that my employment package included my stuff being moved to Georgia and the cost of a furnished executive apartment until I found a house.

  I thought it was too much. Levi disagreed.

  But right then, hearing him tell his daughter he’d see her tomorrow was more confirmation he knew what was going on between me and Liberty and he was good with it.

  “’Night, Dad. ‘Night, Uncles.”

  We said our goodbyes and found Trey waiting in the lobby, wearing a grimace and sitting with his bum leg stretched out. The man was in more pain than he’d admit. And there was more going on with his medical board than he was saying. But Trey was Trey. He doled out information as he saw necessary—not a minute sooner. I knew better than to prod him. Not only would he not open up, but he’d get pissed and shut down further.

  “Ready?” he asked when he noticed us.

  “Yeah, but there’s been a change of plans,” Liberty told him, which confused the hell out of me because we hadn’t discussed changing anything. And if she thought she was blowing me off and I was taking her back to her parents’ house, she was absolutely mistaken. “I hope you don’t mind, I’m too tired to go out. We thought we’d all go back to the hotel, hole up there, order room service and chill.”

  Damn, she was smart. She’d seen Trey in pain and knew he’d never relent about going out so she switched it up, also knowing Trey would give her whatever she wanted.

  “Fine by me. I’ll stop and pick up a six-pack,” Trey said and stood. His face carefully blank, no hint of pain, which totally fucking sucked he was hiding it from me.

  “Actually, we’ll stop. I want to browse the wine. You go get checked in and we’ll meet you in your room.”

  Yeah, Liberty was brilliant.

  We made our way out to the parking lot, the sun setting low in the sky, but not dark enough the outside lighting had come on. In other words, there was enough light for me to see the worry in Liberty’s eyes as she watched Trey hobble to his rental. I didn’t miss her wince when Trey stopped to pull the key fob from his pocket and had to adjust his balance so his bad leg didn’t take his full weight.

  I reached out, grabbed her hand wondering why I hadn’t already been holding it, and brought her closer to me.

  “He’ll be okay,” I whispered.

  She didn’t respond.

  * * *

  It had to be noted, Liberty didn’t drink wine. When we got to the liquor store and I asked her what kind she wanted, she crinkled her cute-as-fuck nose and told me she hated wine. Then she realized why I was asking and she grinned.

  Then I found she was a really good actress. After we consumed our dinner and the six-pack was gone, she yawned and stretched and apologized to Trey about how much of a party pooper—her words—she was, but she was exhausted and couldn’t keep her eyes open. She made that play after she’d seen Trey eying a bottle of pain pills. He was being so fucking stubborn he wouldn’t even take his meds in front of us even though his leg was seriously killing him.

  Minutes later, we left Trey lounging on his bed. Something else Liberty had arranged—us going to his room instead of him having to walk to mine then back to his.

  She was different.

  Had been the whole day.

  I’d fallen in love with her when she was beaten and broken down—when she’d had no choice but to be tough, strong, and resilient.

  Now, I was falling in love again—with a different side of her.

  A new side that was softer, kind, sweet.

  She’d been none of those things in the field and I was just then understanding the distinctive difference between Lieutenant McCoy and Liberty. I hadn’t seen it before, because I’d had nothing to compare it to. I had to admit, I liked discovering new things about her. I liked falling in love with her a second time, when I could enjoy it, savor it, not have to hide it.

  The first time had been instant—raw and primal. A painful freefall I had no chance of stopping. This time I didn’t feel like my lungs were being compressed.

  We got to my room and she stepped to the side and waited.

  “Wanna come in?” I joked.

  Liberty didn’t answer, not verbally, she just smiled which was her answer and I seriously loved what she was saying without saying a word.

  I unlocked the door, pushed it open, and waited for her to enter. We walked in, I shut the door, threw the deadbolt, and turned to her.

  “We need to talk.”

  “We need to talk.”

  We both chuckled. And once again simultaneously said, “Jinx.”

  That earned me one of her blinding smiles.

  “You first,” I told her. “But let’s get out of the entryway first.”

  She walked farther into the room, and like an eager puppy, I followed. Unashamed, my eyes lowered to her ass, then down to her jeans-encased legs. I couldn’t help my smile when I caught sight of the boots on her feet. She was the perfect mix of sexy tomboy and soft woman.

  “Are you really okay with everything that’s happened?” she started.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You leaving the teams.”

  My heart constricted and I wondered if that feeling would ever stop.

  “I need to preface my answer with making sure you understand I don’t regret my decision. And I mean that in a way that I will never regret it. But I’d be lying if I told you it didn’t sting, knowing. Knowing I’ll never go out with my team again. That the bonds and friendships with the guys, and not just Trey, Matt, Logan, and Luke, but the rest of my platoon, will drastically change. Not at first, but some of those friendships will fade as time goes on. They’ll leave for work ups and deployments, there will a lot going on in their lives they’ll no longer be able to share with me and yeah, that sucks. I’m gonna miss them, that brotherhood.

  “Will I miss being in the Navy? Of course I will. I’ve been in all of my adult life. It’s all I know. But I have something new, something just as important, in my life now.”

  Liberty was studying me with a critical gaze. She was far from naïve, she understood why those friendships would fade. She also understood the transition from soldier to civilian was sometimes difficult. Not from personal experience, but she grew up in a military family.

  “I have four years left on my contract,” she stated.

  “Okay.”

  “Four years, with no guarantee I’ll stay in Georgia. I could be PCS’d at any time. You know how this works.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “I want to stay in.” Liberty’s chin jutted out stubbornly and that was cute as fuck, too.

  “Babe, didn’t think you were gonna go AWOL.”

  I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but I wasn’t about to allow her to use her service as an excuse not to be with me. With me no longer in the military we were free of rules and regulations and I fully intended to take advantage of my new civilian status.

  “I could be deployed.”

  “Yep.”

  “I will be sent out for training and missions.”

  “Yep.”

  “Why are you acting like this is no big deal?” she huffed,
thoroughly annoyed I wasn’t taking her bait and making this into an issue.

  “Because I know all of this. And when the time comes, we’ll deal. Something I’ve learned is when you’re dealing with the military, you don’t make plans, you roll with it. So, that’s what we’re gonna do. If you PCS, then we move. When you’re deployed, we deal with it. When you’re gone for training, we deal with it. The thing you need to remember is, I willingly and gladly left the Navy so you could remain in the Army—untouched. I never for one second thought or wanted you to get out. So I don’t care if you finish your contract and separate or you reup for another four and stay in. Whatever you decide, we will deal.”

  “You make it sound easy.”

  “Baby, it is easy. There’s nothing hard about supporting you, your career, your goals, and your accomplishments. You worked your ass off to get to where you are. Enjoy it. I’m just along for the ride. Wherever you go, I’m there.”

  Liberty grew silent and I knew she was mulling over something else. Her bringing up her concerns about staying in the military was actually the perfect segue into what I needed to talk to her about.

  “I think you get I’m in love with you. So it can’t be lost on you I took a job in Georgia and moved down here to be close to you. I think I also just told you, I’m all in. Wherever life takes us, I’m ready for that. But what I need you to understand is, we take this at your pace. I’m taking my cues from you and we’ll go as slow as you need. But straight up, Liberty, I won’t let you retreat. I get you have a lot you’re working through and I’m all in with that, too. I’ll help you sort through anything you still have lingering inside or I’ll silently stand by you if that’s what you need. What I won’t let you do however, is bury it. We have to get it out of you so you can move on from it.”

  I watched as she swallowed, the movement slow. And in a direct contradiction of what I’d just told her, I wanted to rush her and demand she agree that we’d move forward together and she’d let me help her dig out the ugly shit I knew still plagued her mind.

  “You make that sound easy,” she whispered.

  “There’s nothing hard about loving you.”

  “You know I’m messed up. You got a taste of it yesterday when I served you up a big ol’ pile of crap. Sometimes my thoughts are so loud, so chaotic, I can’t hear what my mouth’s saying. It’s like I know I need to shut up because what’s coming out is wrong, I just can’t control it. This overreactive anger gets the best of me and I lash out—at everyone. I’ve yelled at Carter, my dad, I’ve brushed my mom off. I was a total bitch to Delaney. And I don’t even want to tell you what I said to Jason and Nick when all they were doing was trying to help me. Today was good, Drake. But not every day is.”

  Without knowing what she was doing, Liberty was unloading her burden. What she’d meant as a warning was the opposite. She was giving me exactly what I’d asked for—a chance to walk beside her in her pain.

  I was done with the physical distance, and as much as it went against the grain of a man like me, I remained rooted and instead said, “Babe, come here.”

  Liberty’s eyes held mine. I was elated to see desire flare but she didn’t move.

  “I’m scared to.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I know once I go to you, there’s no turning back.”

  She was wrong—turning back was no longer an option.

  “Come here, baby.”

  “I’m scared tomorrow won’t be a good day and you’ll see the broken parts of me.”

  She wasn’t broken—not even close.

  “Baby. Come. Here.”

  “I’m scared you’ll take it back.”

  “Take what back?”

  “You.”

  “You’re afraid I’ll take me back?”

  “Yes,” she whispered and tucked her chin to her chest.

  I lost sight of her eyes as she hung her head.

  Fuck. That.

  I closed the distance, placed my fist under Liberty’s chin, and lifted it until her eyes met mine.

  “Never, do you ever, hang your head. Not in shame, not in fear—not ever, Moira. And just to point out, you worrying about me leaving, or changing my mind about us, means that you think I’m an asshole.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened. “I don’t think you’re an asshole.”

  “You must if you think I’d change my mind because you have bad days. It is not lost on me what you went through. I have firsthand, up close and personal experience with all the ways a capture fucks with your head. You’re not messed up, broken, or anything else. You’re tough as hell, and fighting to get back what was taken from you. You’ve done the hardest part, admitting that something’s going on in your head and you need help getting it out. You did it. The rest will just take time. So, give yourself a break and take the time you need.”

  “You think that?”

  “Baby, I know that.”

  My gut clenched at the sudden shift in her features and I braced.

  “I heard you that day, before I opened my eyes. I heard you telling me to fight, to breathe. Your voice was so far away but I knew I wanted to find you. And when I opened my eyes and I was in your arms, I knew who you were. I felt it, like it had been written you were mine. Then you kept talking to me, telling me to rest, and I knew I wanted to hear your voice for the rest of my life. But I thought I was crazy. I fought it because having you seemed impossible for so many reasons. But I knew I never wanted you to let me go.”

  Now my gut was tight for another reason.

  My Moira.

  My fate.

  She was correct—it had been written and woven into the stars that she was mine. In return, I was hers.

  Thank Christ she knew it.

  “Not crazy, baby. Not impossible. And I’m never gonna let you go.”

  Liberty gave me a small smile, pink tinged her pretty cheeks, and all sorts of naughty thoughts started massing until I felt blood rushing in the wrong direction.

  “I want to stay the night.”

  There was nothing I wanted more.

  “Good. I wasn’t planning on taking you back to your parents’. Grab a tee out of my bag to sleep in. I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

  Her grin turned into a smug smile and my dick throbbed. It was debatable whether I’d be taking a cold shower, or rubbing one out to get rid of my hard-on.

  “Babe,” I warned and stepped back.

  “You want company?”

  I pulled in a deep breath and tried to fortify my control.

  “Love company, but right now, I think it’s best we not be naked together—especially alone in a hotel room.”

  “Why’s that?” the little minx asked and stepped closer.

  “I have a good memory, Liberty. I haven’t forgotten a single sound you made, the way your wet, slippery skin felt against mine, the way you taste, the way your pussy hugged my dick, and I certainly haven’t forgotten how great all of that was.”

  “If it was great, then I don’t understand.”

  “Because the next time I have you, it will not be in a frantic dash to completion. I’ll be taking my time enjoying all the parts of you I was denied. And right now, you’re tired, stressed, and have had a long day. As much as it pains me, and trust me, baby, it fucking hurts to decline your sweet invitation to join me, I have to. You know damn well, I’m weak when it comes to you. So I’m asking you to have pity on me and give me this.”

  “You know, I know a great way to relieve the stress of my day,” she pushed, and I groaned.

  Christ, why couldn’t I say no to this woman? Why did all of my good, smart intentions fly out the window with minimal coaxing from her?

  “Strip and get on the bed. But just to warn you, my clothes are staying on and that’s final.”

  “What fun is that?”

  “Oh, honey, not sure how fun it will be with my mouth between your legs but I can tell you it will be satisfying. Now, you’re wasting time.” I watched in fascinated
awe as her body trembled. “You want that, Liberty, my mouth on your pussy?” She nodded, remained silent, but that pink tinge on her cheeks came back in full-force. Hell yeah, she wanted it. “Then get on the bed so I can give my woman what she wants.”

  Liberty wasted no more time and neither did I. Once her clothes hit the floor and her ass hit the bed, my knees hit the cheap ass carpet. I yanked her legs apart and buried my face between her thighs.

  I gave her a long, slow swipe of my tongue. The resulting moan filled the room and fed my need. Her taste, the feel of her soft flesh under my palms, her soft mew, it all hit me at once. I took a moment to enjoy all of that, then I set about making sure Liberty knew I’d give her anything she wanted.

  36

  Something was tickling my inner thigh and pulling me from a peaceful sleep I wasn’t ready to get pulled from. But the more I moved the more it tickled until I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

  “Baby, wake up.”

  My eyes snapped open so quickly my head jolted. After a few blinks a plane of bare skin came into view. Another blink and last night came rushing back. Drake performing a miracle between my legs, culminating in a mind-bending orgasm that left me wrung out. Drake tenderly dressing me and tucking me into bed before he’d gotten up to take a shower. And finally when he came to bed and pulled me close. It was a toss-up on which was best, my head on his chest, his arm around me resting his hand on my hip, or the orgasm.

  The orgasm won out but just by a smidge. That’s how good it felt to be in Drake’s arms.

  Then I’d fallen asleep. I didn’t remember waking up with a single nightmare.

  Now we were in the same position we were in when we’d fallen asleep and it was the hair on his thigh, tickling mine.

  “I’m awake,” I muttered and tried some deep-breathing techniques my therapist had taught me.

  Not because I was going to lose my mind in a fit of madness. Because I was going to lose it for a different reason—I was in Drake’s bed, in his arms, after he’d given me the second-best orgasm of my life. The first being against the wall in the shower.

  “You good?”