Ghost was frowning when they finished. “HOT can’t go after a scumbag for making a threat, but if you boys happen to make yourselves busy finding out where the Kings of Doom are trying to set up operations this time, I won’t stop you. Keep me informed of any new developments.”
“Sir, yes, sir,” Neo replied.
“Carry on, men,” Ghost said.
After he was gone, Viking grinned. “You heard the man. Let’s start tracking down Dal Gentry and find out where he’s living and who’s with him on this one. And let’s get the security camera footage from the salon and the street outside. Maybe we can get a plate number.”
Blade and Money didn’t move as the others walked away. They looked at each other, then at Neo.
“You know Ella and Quinn set up a foundation to help women recover from abusive relationships, right?” Money asked.
“Yeah, I know,” Neo said. Both women had inherited fortunes, though you’d never know it to hang out with them. Both were down to earth, kind, and giving.
“Either one of them would give Kayla the money to pay off Gentry,” Blade added. “I think you know that too.”
Neo’s throat was tight. He loved these guys. “Yeah, but you know it won’t be enough. You know he’d keep coming back for more. If he got the idea he could use her like an ATM, he’d do it. She’d never be free and neither would Ana. I can’t let that happen.”
Blade put a hand on his shoulder. “Understood. I know what Ghost said, but you know we’ll do what it takes to stop those bastards from hurting Kayla and Ana. I got no problem doing some off duty ass-kicking.”
“Me neither,” Money said.
“Thanks, guys. I appreciate it more than I can say.”
“You know,” Blade said, turning back once he’d taken a couple of steps, “I could get the cash from Quinn and we could put a tracking device in the bag. Might be a good way to make Gentry come out from under his rock if we don’t track him down before the deadline.”
Neo hadn’t thought of that. Mostly because he’d never ask either of these guys—his brothers—for that kind of dough. “That could work. If we don’t find him, I’d be willing to try it.”
“Let me know,” Blade said.
“Hey, you trained killers getting to work or what?” Dirty called out. “We’ve got some biker assholes to find.”
“Copy that,” Blade replied with a wink.
“Hold onto your shorts,” Money drawled. “We got this.”
Neo sucked in a breath as he watched his teammates grab computer terminals and get to work. His eyes pricked and he blinked in surprise. What the hell was what? Tears? He shook his head to clear them. No fucking way was he crying over these guys and their help.
But, damn, this was what it meant to be a family. He wanted to give that feeling to Kayla. She’d spent her entire life believing that relationships weren’t permanent and life was meant to be complicated and unpredictable. He didn’t know what the future held for them, but he knew he was going to do everything he could to make her smile every day they were together.
She needed that in her life. And she deserved it.
At eleven o’clock on Friday, Kayla and Zach stood in front of the courthouse and waited for Alexei and Bailey to arrive. Ana was staying with Ella McQuaid again today. Zach had wanted to bring her at first, and Kayla loved him for it, but they’d ultimately decided it would be easier to do things without her since they had to go to the base after the ceremony and fill out paperwork.
Kayla worried the inside of her lip, but Zach had a firm grip on her hand that kept her grounded. She hadn’t seen Bailey since she’d called her sister last night and told her about the wedding, but Kayla couldn’t forget the long silence on the other end of the phone as her sister processed everything.
“Are you sure this is the right thing, Kay-Kay?” she’d finally asked.
“Yes,” she’d said with a confidence she didn’t quite feel. Not because she didn’t want to marry Zach—because she did—but because it wasn’t a wedding that was happening for any of the usual reasons. “I love him, Bale. I want to marry him.”
So much it scared her. And now they were here, about to walk inside and say vows that legally bound them together. For better or for worse….
“You okay?” Zach asked.
She glanced up into his handsome face and her heart squeezed. “Yes. You?”
“I’m fine. They’ll be here, Kayla.”
“I know. I can’t help but feel like Bailey doesn’t approve. I hated that we had to tell her about Dal Gentry.”
But at least Bailey hadn’t gone into disaster mode over it. Kayla couldn’t help but think that had everything to do with Zach’s involvement.
He squeezed her hand. “I know you wanted her to get through her wedding first, but it’s just not possible any longer. She needed to know what the danger was.”
A minute later, Alexei and Bailey came striding up the sidewalk. Bailey was wearing a cotton summer dress and looked vibrant and happy, her head thrown back to laugh at something Alexei said to her. He stopped and tugged her into his arms, kissing her thoroughly, and then dragged her toward them while she laughed some more.
Kayla felt like she’d been launched into an alternative reality as the woman approaching them smiled broadly and threw her arms around Kayla. Where was the worrier and planner she knew so well?
“Honey, you look fabulous! Did Chloe do your hair?”
“Um, yes,” she said, squeezing her sister gratefully.
Kayla’s hair was a mass of fat spiral curls that flowed over her shoulders. She’d chosen to wear a simple sheath dress in a creamy white color with little blue flowers sprinkled over the fabric. She even had a small bouquet clutched in one hand because Zach had brought it for her.
Bailey stepped back, still smiling. “You are so beautiful, baby girl.”
“So are you, Bale,” Kayla said, her throat closing up with so many emotions.
Alexei produced a tissue. Bailey dabbed at her eyes. “Sorry. My little sissy is getting married. I can’t help myself.”
Kayla glanced at Zach, who was exchanging knowing looks with Alexei. Kayla didn’t know how Alexei had done it, but Bailey wasn’t behaving quite the way Kayla had expected. She’d expected a modicum of worry at the minimum. What she got was a laughing, emotional, teary Bailey instead.
“Are you okay, Bale?”
Bailey sniffled. “Of course I am. I mean I didn’t expect this on top of you moving out, and I know there are reasons and etcetera, but I’m still happy for you because I know—I know—that Zach will take care of you. He loves you and you love him and that’s what matters. Isn’t that right?”
“Of course it is,” Kayla said.
Bailey looked at Zach expectantly and Kayla experienced a moment of apprehension. But Zach never hesitated.
“That’s right, Bailey. Love is what matters most.”
He lifted Kayla’s hand and kissed the back of it, and shivers of pleasure rippled down her spine. But doubt wasn’t far behind. He didn’t say he loved her, just that love was what mattered most. A subtle difference, but a huge one in terms of how it made her feel. Her heart pounded and her belly twisted, but she didn’t have time to dwell on what he said or what it meant when they were about to step inside and be legally bound together.
She’d do that later. Obsessively, no doubt.
“You ready, beautiful?” he asked her, and she lifted her gaze to his, struck as always by the warmth and the utter confidence in those green depths.
“I’m ready.”
Zach smiled “Me too. Let’s get married.”
Chapter Sixteen
“I wanted to get you a diamond,” Neo said in Kayla’s ear as they sat together in Dirty and Chloe’s living room while the SEALs and their ladies gathered for an impromptu reception. “But I thought you’d want to pick it out.”
Kayla glanced down at the small band on her ring finger. “Honestly, I didn’t even expect this. I didn
’t think of rings. I don’t know why.”
He stroked her cheek and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She hadn’t thought of rings because she was accustomed to living her life in disaster mode, expecting little and fearing it would all be taken away if she got too comfortable. He noticed she’d been a little wistful since the ceremony today. Or maybe he was wrong about that and she was just overwhelmed. There’d been a whirlwind of appointments on the base afterwards so they could complete the process of making her and Ana his dependents, and she was probably tired on top of everything.
“It’s only silver, because I didn’t know if you’d want gold or platinum for your diamond. I didn’t want to commit to something you might not like.”
She smiled softly. “It’s perfect.”
She put her fingers around the ring on his hand. He was still getting used to it, but it wasn’t as weird as he’d thought it might be.
“I’m really touched you thought of it,” she said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, beautiful.”
She leaned into him, and he put his arm around her. He liked that she trusted him enough to do so.
“I wish we could go home and watch television together. I didn’t expect a party.”
“I didn’t either. But we couldn’t say no after we sprung getting married on everyone.”
“You’re right, we couldn’t. Besides, there’s Chloe’s cooking to consider. I know you love her food.”
His stomach didn’t rumble, but it perked up at the thought of food. “Yeah, she’s got that Southern stuff down. It’s pretty awesome.”
“You know, you should have asked me if I could cook before you said yes to my proposal. You might not like the answer.”
“Nah, doesn’t matter to me. I can cook some stuff, nothing like Chloe can though. Besides, we can eat out or we can learn to make what we like.”
She leaned back to look up at him. Around them, the room buzzed with talk and laughter. Nobody intruded on their conversation though. Bailey shot them glances from time to time, but she seemed happy enough.
“We? You mean we’ll cook together?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
“I guess I thought you might expect dinner on the table when you got home. That kind of thing.”
Neo shook his head. “Kayla, baby, shouldn’t we have talked about this before we got married?”
He said it with a laugh and she relaxed against him again.
“Probably,” she said. “I think there are a lot of things we didn’t talk about. Important things like if the toilet paper goes under or over. However will we manage?”
He snorted. “I think we’ll figure it out. For the record, I don’t care which way the paper goes.”
She looked at him in mock horror. “Zach, for the love of God, it’s over. Always.”
He shrugged. “Fine. Over. Got it. Anything else?”
“I’ll have to let you know.”
He ran his fingers up her arm, enjoying the fact he got to touch her like this. Openly. Freely. No more hiding his interest or denying it.
“I wish I’d met you a long time ago,” she said so quietly he almost didn’t hear her. “I wish you were Ana’s father.”
He didn’t quite know how to process the wave of emotion that assailed him then. It was sweet and profound and it touched him deeply. Fiercely.
“I am now,” he said, and meant it more than he’d ever meant anything.
“Dinner’s ready,” Dirty called out. “Come eat!”
Kayla was overwhelmed. Chloe had cooked some sort of delicious casserole with chicken and dressing and cheese that was to die for. She also made a beautiful lemon cake with a sugar glaze that followed up the meal perfectly. There was champagne and wine and coffee, and everyone ate on real china plates at Chloe’s dining room table and another table she’d had Ryan set up in the living room. Kayla had no idea how she made it work, but she seated everyone and performed her hostess duties flawlessly. Chloe had the kind of grace and class that Kayla aspired to.
When Ella and Money arrived with Ana shortly after everyone was seated, Kayla got up and took her baby, fussing over her sweet little daughter who hugged her neck and babbled happily. Chloe had made a little portion of the casserole for Ana where she left out some of the chewier things. Zach had brought Ana’s high chair across the street earlier, and Kayla put her in it. She was between Kayla and Bailey, and they both took turns feeding her.
There were speeches, toasts, and a lot of laughter. Kayla didn’t know what to say, but Zach did. Everything he did was so natural. No one looking at them could suspect that up until a week ago they hadn’t actually been speaking to one another much. He made it seem like they’d always known they were meant to be together.
She appreciated that he did that even if everyone in attendance knew about the threats she’d gotten. His team members had to know that getting married was part of the plan to protect her and Ana, but no one listening to him would ever doubt their feelings for each other.
Kayla caught herself dreaming about what life with him was going to be like before dragging herself firmly back to the present. Because she didn’t really know, no matter what she longed for. She knew she loved him so much it hurt, and she knew she wanted them to be a family like he said they were.
She wanted him to be there for Ana as she grew up. Wanted him to do the things that daddies were supposed to do, like bandage their little girl’s boo-boos and take them fishing and tell them bedtime stories and all the other things she’d never had. She wanted it so badly for Ana, and she wanted it with this man.
But always, always, she had that stupid voice in her head telling her not to get too comfortable, not to blindly count on him, not to give up her vigilance. She had to be ready to act. To take her daughter and go, if that’s what was necessary.
She hated that she felt like that, but life had never shown her any different. People abandoned you, either mentally or physically, and you had to take care of yourself. She trusted Zach as much as she could, but she would also be ready for disappointment.
By the time the evening was done, Kayla found herself alone with Zach as they walked across the street. Bailey and Alexei had insisted on taking Ana for the night, to give her and Zach some time alone. She had mixed emotions about that, mostly because she didn’t know how to behave with him tonight. Which was stupid because the only thing that had changed was they’d gotten married. They’d been living together for two days now, and he’d slept beside her all night long both nights even though they hadn’t made love. She knew he’d do it again tonight if that’s what she wanted from him.
The neighborhood was quiet, at least compared to the raucous time at their impromptu reception. She could hear the frogs croaking in the pond, and a dog barked in a yard. Someone laughed and voices floated to them on the night. Happy voices enjoying a Friday night together.
Zach held her hand. He didn’t take her to the side door, however. He went up the front steps and unlocked the door. Then he turned to her.
“You know I have to do this the right way, don’t you?”
Kayla tilted her head. “What are you talking about?”
Before she knew what he was doing, he scooped her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck with a little squeak. Then she laughed. “The threshold. I didn’t think about it.”
Zach nuzzled the sensitive skin of her throat. He had a little bit of stubble and it scraped deliciously along her nerve endings. “You forgot a few things to do with getting married, didn’t you?”
He said it teasingly, and she laughed. “Rings and being carried over the threshold are only two things, Zach.”
“Fine, two things.”
He carried her inside, but he didn’t set her down. He shut and locked the door, then carried her into the master bedroom and set her down carefully. Kayla gasped as she took in the room. The bed was different, and someone had lit candles and sprinkled rose petals on the sheets. The soft scent of flowers
hung in the air, and a scarf draped over each lamp shade to diffuse the light.
“Is that your bed?” She was pretty certain it was, though she’d only been in it once and that was over two months ago.
“Yeah. Blade, Money, and Dirty swapped the beds earlier. Since Ana’s room is up here, it made the most sense. I didn’t tell them not to because it needed to happen at some point anyway.”
That was certainly true. She hadn’t expected him to stay in the basement. Hadn’t wanted him to either. Especially not after the past two nights beside him. His presence comforted her, made her feel safe.
His hands slid along her hips, brought her gently to him. He dropped his mouth to hers and kissed her lightly.
“I can think of something else that happens after you get married, Kayla. Do you know what it is?”
She nipped at his bottom lip, her heart hammering. Her body was already preparing itself, her limbs loosening, her pussy growing hot and wet. “You mean the wedding night?”
“Yeah, that’s it. But I told you I wouldn’t push you, and I mean that. I didn’t ask Camel and Bailey to take Ana, by the way. And I didn’t ask Chloe and Dirty to put rose petals on the bed or anything. I mean it’s romantic and I would’ve if I’d thought of it. But I didn’t.”
She looped her arms loosely around his neck. She liked the way he held her. How big and strong he was, and how small and safe she felt in his arms. She liked how honest he was, too.
“It is romantic, and I like it very much.”
His forehead pressed to hers as they kind of swayed together, bodies making delicate contact, excitement heightening with every brush of fabric against fabric. The swell of his growing erection excited her, created a buzzing in her veins.
“Nothing needs to change tonight, baby. We don’t have to rush a thing. I want you, but I can wait until you’re ready.”
Her heart skipped and her belly dipped. She loved that he would wait for her. But she didn’t want to wait any longer. “Kiss me, Zach. Please.”
HOT SEAL Devotion Page 15