“Everyone calls him Irish.”
“That’s a weird name too but better than Paxon,” he mumbled and then looked into my eyes. “He seems like a decent guy. Tell ol’ Paco what happened.”
I laughed. “Ol’ Paco? What are you, twenty-five?”
“Older than you. Now, quit changing the subject. What happened?”
“It was nothing.”
“Right. That’s why you hid in the storeroom.”
Both Paco and I raised our heads when we heard the dining hall door open again. Paxon walked in, holding up a piece of paper. If I could crawl into a hole and disappear, I would. Now I felt even worse about asking Paco to lie.
“I was going to leave a note.” Paxon’s cheeks were flushed. I was upset with him for humiliating me, but I’d just done the same thing to him.
Paco got up and left the room. Paxon walked over and took his seat.
“I’d avoid me too if I were you,” he said.
I looked everywhere but at him. “What I did was inappropriate, and I’m sorry.”
“I don’t accept your apology.”
I met his gaze. “Why not?”
“Because you did nothing wrong.”
“You acted like—”
“A jackass.”
I shook my head.
He reached over and put his hand on mine. “I really like you, Flynn. In fact, I worry that I might like you too much.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Be honest with you?”
“Explain anything. You already said you wanted us to be friends. I’m the one who crossed the line.”
“Kissing someone on the cheek isn’t crossing the line.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I think I told you that I haven’t exactly lived a normal life the last few years. That includes not having a lot of human contact.”
I wanted to say I’d never had human contact, but stopped myself. I already felt pathetic enough without him needing to know I’d never even been kissed by a man.
He looked outside when two black SUVs drove by.
“Who is that?” I asked.
“Hard to say. There are a lot of people arriving today.”
“Because of your mission?”
“That’s right. We believe we’ve stumbled on two promising leads. We’ll be breaking into teams so we can follow up on both simultaneously.”
“I hope it goes well.”
He let out another breath I hadn’t realized he was holding. “Me too.”
“You should probably go,” I said when I saw three more SUVs drive by.
“I probably should, but first, I want to tell you that I won’t have a lot of free time in the next few days. Maybe longer. But when I do, I’d like to get together and talk some more.”
I pushed my chair back and stood. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Flynn?” he called after me, but I kept walking.
35
Irish
By the time I got to the main house, there was a crowd of people inside and more SUVs arriving. As I walked by people I’d heard of more than knew, several heads nodded in my direction.
“Irish,” said Razor Sharp, stepping away from two others I recognized. “Do you know Gunner Godet?”
“Not until now.”
Gunner joined us and shook my hand. “Shoulda called in K19 a long time ago, Irish. We woulda backed ya.”
“Hey, now,” said Doc. “Let’s not start with that shit. We’re backing him now. That’s what matters.” Doc shook my hand like Gunner had.
As I made my way to the front of the room, my eyes met Decker’s, and he motioned to where he wanted me to sit.
“I heard from Buck. He, Stella, and the rest of the crew should be here in fifteen.”
I stood when Burns Butler approached.
“Sit down, please,” he said, taking the chair beside me. When he didn’t speak, I surveyed the room from a new angle. There were men here I’d read about most of my career and doubted I’d ever meet, let alone work with.
“You ready for this?” asked Decker, approaching with Doc.
“I’m not sure having me in charge of this mission is such a good idea. There are others here—”
Burns slowly turned his head, but it was his hand on my arm that made me stop talking. “There is no one better.”
My eyes met Rile DeLéon’s, who was seated next to Kensington Whitby, his soon-to-be wife, from what I’d heard. I didn’t see Grinder, but Decker had mentioned he was in Italy and his wife was due to have a baby at any moment. She wasn’t the only one. I’d heard Decker’s wife was too. I didn’t see Edge either.
The door opened, and Buck walked in with Stella, who looked as much like a deer in headlights as I probably did. I raised a hand, and she waved back.
Moments later, Ali came through the same door followed by Cope and Money McTiernan. No one had mentioned he would be attending this meeting. I wondered if Cope’s father would be.
Decker stepped to the front of the room, and Doc joined him. I was about to turn around to face them when someone else caught my eye.
“Did you know they were coming?” I asked Deck, motioning with my head to where Lynx and Emme stood just inside the door.
“Affirmative,” he responded, raising a brow. “But I wasn’t aware he was.”
I shifted my body so I could see through what was becoming a crowd. “What the fuck?” I said under my breath when I saw Niven “Saint” St. Thomas walk up and stand beside Lynx.
I turned toward Decker, who shrugged.
“If we could have everyone’s attention, please,” he said a few minutes later. “It might be easier if you all took a seat.”
Decker and Doc remained standing when everyone else sat. “In the absence of two, I’m going to speak on behalf of the four founding partners of the Invincible Intelligence and Security Group,” said Decker, looking at Rile.
“And in the absence of one, I’ll speak on behalf of the four founding partners of K19 Security Solutions,” said Doc, nodding at Razor and Gunner.
“What’s with all the formality?” Razor said loud enough for everyone to hear. “We aren’t getting married, are we?”
“We’re already married,” answered Gunner.
“No,” said Doc. “We aren’t getting married. However, we are about to take on our first joint mission. IISG and K19 have been contracted by the CIA, backed by the full support of the Senate Intelligence Committee, to proceed full throttle in a mission designed to wipe every last person affiliated with Operation Argead from the face of the earth.”
“I’m not sure that was the exact directive, Doc,” called out Money.
“You say tomato, I say annihilation,” Doc responded. “Same difference.”
“Irish Warrick will serve as lead,” said Deck, motioning for me to join them.
I waited, stunned when the room erupted in applause.
“Irish,” said Decker, stepping to the side like Doc had and giving me my cue to proceed the way we’d talked about.
“We’ll begin at zero eight hundred tomorrow, if that’s okay with Stella.”
“Um. Sure,” she said, shrugging. I motioned for her to join us at the front of the room.
“For the next three days, we’ll review all the leads we have so far, including those which came out in the most recent intelligence bulletin.” I heard several people muttering and waited until they quieted down. I turned to Stella. “Whenever you’re ready, we’ll also review whatever evidence Barb left that you brought back from New York. Okay by you?” I asked.
“Sounds great,” she responded but only loud enough for those of us close to her to hear.
“Stella, if she agrees, will serve as my second-in-command,” I announced, pausing while everyone in the room clapped a second time.
I leaned closer. “Well? Will you?”
“Yes, Irish. I would be honored.”
“Everyone heard that, right?” I waited for the laughter to die do
wn. “Unless there are any questions, we’ll convene back here tomorrow.”
A hand went up in the rear of the room.
“Yes, Buck?” I asked. “You have questions?”
“Just one.”
“Go ahead.”
He stood. “I was just wondering who Stella works for. IISG or K19?”
“She works for us,” both Decker and Doc answered. There was more laughter, followed by people standing and walking up to those they hadn’t yet greeted.
I stayed where I was, wishing there was another door I could leave through.
“Paxon?” I heard a familiar voice say and turned to look into Emme’s eyes. I didn’t have a chance to respond before she threw her arms around me.
“I’m so sorry I ever doubted you.” It sounded as though she was crying.
I pulled back so I could look into her eyes. “You were set up to doubt me. Everything went according to the plan.”
“Irish,” said Lynx, walking up behind Emme.
“I was just apologizing,” she explained. Lynx put his arm around her shoulders.
“As I already said, there’s nothing to apologize for.”
“I feel as though I should as well,” said Lynx. “I was probably the biggest wanker of all.”
While I laughed, it certainly wasn’t authentic, especially when Saint joined us.
“Irish,” he said.
“Saint.” When the door opened again and I saw Flynn walk in, I quickly excused myself.
“Hey,” I said, rushing over to her.
“Hey, um, I’m supposed to let you know dinner is ready whenever your meeting is over.”
I waved my hand in the direction of the crowd of people. “As you can see, it’s over.”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all.” I whistled. “Can I have everyone’s attention? Dinner is being served at the dining hall for anyone who’s hungry.” I was about to turn and follow Flynn out when my eyes landed on Saint. What I saw, I didn’t like. He was laser-focused on Flynn and heading our way.
“I’ll walk over with you,” I offered.
“You seem…busy.”
“Not at all.” I put my hand on the small of Flynn’s back and followed her outside. “Thank you for making dinner for everyone.”
“It’s what I do, Paxon,” she said, smiling for the first time that I’d seen today.
“It’s a lot more people.”
She shrugged. “Recipes are easy to double.”
“What are you serving?”
“Cord smoked brisket and sausage and barbecued chicken breasts.”
“Are you serving your potato salad?”
“Yes. Baked beans and coleslaw too.”
“It sounds really good, Flynn.” I cleared my throat and stopped walking. “I know I said things were going to be hectic, but our first real meeting isn’t until tomorrow. I was wondering if you would consider stopping by later?”
Unlike me, she hadn’t stopped walking. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Paxon,” she said before going inside.
“Pretty girl,” said Saint, walking up behind me. “Who is she?”
“Buck’s sister. Leave her alone.”
Saint smirked. “As you are?”
I didn’t laugh. “I mean it, Saint.”
He chuckled all the way inside the same building Flynn had gone into.
Two hours later, everyone was still in the dining hall, sitting around and shooting the shit. I asked Buck if we should head out so their crew could clean up, but he said it wasn’t necessary.
A few minutes later, Holt walked in carrying a guitar. He wasn’t alone, either. Ben Rice was with him. I hadn’t noticed the two stools and mics set up near the back of the room until they walked over and set their guitar cases on the floor.
Buck introduced them to the crowd while people from the kitchen came out and moved tables and chairs away so there’d be room to dance. Flynn, though, was nowhere to be seen.
Three or four songs in, people began dancing even though there were very few women in attendance. I kept a nervous eye out for Flynn, hoping that if she did come out of the kitchen, I could get to her before Saint did.
“You okay?” asked Decker, coming to stand beside me.
“Why is Saint here?”
“Good question. A better question would be why neither of us was informed he would be.”
“Did Doc know he was coming?”
“Negative.”
“He came with Lynx and Dr. Charles.”
“Dr. Edgemon now.”
“Whatever.”
“Dr. Benjamin’s involvement in this is still a mystery. Perhaps one Saint can solve.”
I scoffed. “I’d like this mission to end before I’m ninety. If we’re looking for help from Saint, I might not live to see it.”
Several things happened simultaneously. The door to the dining hall opened, and Flynn walked inside. As if he were a bird of prey sweeping in to devour his dinner, Saint was by her side in mere seconds. I watched in near agony as he led her out to the dance floor.
“I’d cut in quick if I were you.”
“I don’t think Flynn would appreciate my doing so.”
Decker shrugged and walked away.
I had every intention of doing as he’d suggested, just not right away. Waiting, though, made it more difficult. When one song ended and another began, someone else cut in before I had a chance.
Most didn’t bother me. It was only Saint’s gaze, that never seemed to leave her, that made me angrier by the minute. Flynn was an innocent young woman who he would devastate if he came at her in the way he was known to do. At the very minimum, I had to warn her.
I stalked over and tapped her current dance partner, Razor, on the shoulder. When he took a gentlemanly step back, I pulled Flynn into my arms. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was smiling.
“You’re having a good time,” I said, shuffling my feet from side to side and wishing I was a better dancer.
“To be honest, my feet are starting to hurt,” she said, laughing. “I haven’t had a chance to break these boots in.”
I looked down at the cowboy boots I remembered her wearing the night we went to the Flying R. The first night I held her in my arms.
“You look very pretty, Flynn.”
She looked away. “Thank you.”
“I…um…wanted to warn you about one of the guys here tonight. He’s got a reputation as—”
“Oh my God.” Flynn wriggled from my arms and stalked away, but I stayed on her heels.
“Wait. Please.” Given I was taller, had a longer stride, and wasn’t wearing boots that hurt my feet, it was easy for me to get in front of her before she stormed out the door.
“Paxon, you better just get out of my way.”
“Only if you’ll let me finish.”
36
Flynn
“Why? Why should I let you finish? Don’t you realize…never mind. You couldn’t possibly understand.”
“Understand what?”
I stomped away, but Irish followed. I was almost to the front door of the main house when he grabbed my arm.
“Understand what?” he repeated.
I knew I’d soon be in tears, but what I was about to say needed to be said. “I thought maybe—just maybe—this would be the year I’d finally have a man interested in me. You said I was pretty. You danced with me, held me in your arms.” My eyes filled with tears, and my voice was too clogged with emotion to go on.
He turned my body so my back was up against the porch rail. “I am interested in you, Flynn. I told you that.”
I rolled my eyes and wiped my tears with my sleeve. “Right. So interested in me that when I kissed you, you couldn’t move away fast enough.”
He cupped my cheek with his hand. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I explained that too.”
“I just—” I started crying again, unable to go on.
“Just w
hat?” He stroked my skin with his thumb and rested his forehead against mine.
“I just wanted to know how it felt to be kissed by a man. You wouldn’t do it, and now you’re warning me about other guys—”
When Paxon’s lips touched mine, my mind went blank. He held the side of my face and pressed his tongue against my mouth, and I opened to him.
His kiss was soft at first, then harder when he angled his head. His other arm went around my waist, and he pulled my body into his.
Paxon stared into my eyes. “I’ve wanted to do that since I met you. I should have. I’m sorry I waited.”
Before I could respond, he kissed me again, and it was heavenly. His lips were soft, but the tip of his tongue was hard as it went deeper into my mouth. I pressed my body against his, and the vibration of his moan traveled from his chest into mine. When I tried to back away, he held me tighter.
I got lost in the feel of his mouth on mine, so when he stopped abruptly, it threw me.
“What?” I asked, noticing he was looking over my shoulder. I turned my head and saw someone watching us. “Is that who you were warning me about?”
“Yes,” he said, shifting us over.
“I’d invite you inside, but my brothers…”
Paxon studied me.
“What?”
“I don’t want to say good night, but I don’t want to return to the dining hall either.”
“We could go to your cabin.”
“Would you be comfortable going there?”
For a second, I thought he was joking, but the look on his face hadn’t changed.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Being there alone with me?”
“I’ve been there alone with you before, Paxon.” I reached into my pocket, pulled out the key to my truck, and put it in his palm. “Let’s go.”
I kept my head down as we walked from the porch to my vehicle, so I didn’t know if the man was watching any longer or not. When Paxon opened the passenger door but kissed me again before I could climb inside, I guessed he probably wasn’t.
“Come over here,” he said once he got in the driver’s side. I scooted to the middle, loving that my old truck didn’t have bucket seats. Paxon draped his right arm across my lap and pulled me even closer. Before putting the truck in gear, he kissed me again. He pulled back. “Am I making you uncomfortable?”
Irished (The Invincibles Book 7) Page 15