Ruthless Game (42 page)

Even as she turned away purposefully, intending to stalk her way to the shower, he followed her silently. She got five steps until she was beside an overstuffed chair. He caught her around the waist, pushed her over the arm of the chair, holding her down with one hand on the nape of her neck. With one bare foot, he kicked her legs apart, slipping his hand between her legs to find her damp entrance.

“The first time was for you, Rose,” he said, or tried to say it. His voice had gone hoarse, almost strangled. This was for him. Her body was his. He wanted to fill her up with him. Brand her with him. Leave his scent all over her. Love her until she couldn’t walk or think. Until she knew she would never leave him, never want to leave him alone again.

He slammed home, a hard surge that took him deep, pushing through her sweet, silken folds, until he was completely buried in her, surrounded by all that living, breathing fire. Flames sizzled through his bloodstream, rushing hot to center in his groin. Her soft, breathy moan drove his temperature up another notch, and he lost himself in her. For a few minutes there was only the sound of their bodies coming together, the gasping for air and her sweet, sweet haven, a cauldron of fire burning bright and beautiful surrounding him as her tight muscles clasped him.

He’d had sex, but it had never been like this. He let the sheer pleasure take his mind and he let go, no longer as gentle, pulling her hips back into him as he surged forward, feeling her response, the way she pushed back with him. The fire was already threatening to engulf him, but he held it off as he thrust into her over and over. She seemed to flow like hot silk around him, created for him, the taste, smell, and feel of her wiping out anyone who had ever come before.

Her face was turned partially away from him, flushed with heat, with arousal, her dark hair spilling around her in that disheveled, sexy way he loved. He savored her soft moans and breathy little pleas as he pounded into her scorching embrace.

“I dream about us, Rose,” he whispered, unable to stop himself from telling her the truth. He retreated from that perfect heat and slammed deep and hard again, feeling her body shudder in reaction. “I want you like this, so hot, all liquid heat for me—only me—knowing you belong only to me. Knowing you never want me to leave your body.”

She moaned, that pleading gasp mixed with the sheer music of her need that he craved. She was close—he knew her now, knew all the signs of her body—and he increased his speed, using more force. Power and heat coiled in his body, a bright, hot energy that gathered like pooling lava. Her body locked down on his like a vise as she came, crying out, a sexy sound that was purely erotic. She vibrated, sending ripples of pleasure banding around his cock. He thrust deep again and again, while she pulsed hotly around him, and then his own body bucked and shuddered with absolute ecstasy. He emptied himself into her, pouring out his heart and soul along with his seed.

He staggered, his legs turning to rubber. For a moment the room spun. His fingers bit into her hips to steady himself, and the world went hazy.

“Kane.”

The anxiety in her voice forced him to take air into his lungs and allow his body to leave hers, but for the life of him, he couldn’t move, couldn’t take a single step. He would have fallen into a heap on the floor. Better for his dignity to hang on to the chair and just sway back and forth until his leg muscles weren’t spaghetti anymore.

Well. No. The chair wasn’t going to hold him up, and neither were his legs. He was going down into a very un-graceful heap, no doubt about it. And he’d never live it down. She’d hold it over him the rest of his life, and so would the team—but there was nothing for it. The room spun, his hand slipped from the chair, and his legs just refused to hold him up.

Rose straightened quickly, catching him around the waist, surprising him with her strength again. Her appearance was so deceptive, making him always want to be the white knight, rescuing her. He always allowed the fact that she was physically and psychically enhanced to slip his mind, but when he was reminded, like now, he felt such a rush of heat.

“
Don’t
even think about it, soldier,” she hissed, as she half walked, half carried him the two steps around to the front of the chair. “You just fell on your ass, Kane.”

“No, I didn’t. I never actually hit the floor,” he said proudly, subsiding into the chair. He thought about pounding his chest, but she was glaring at him, hands on hips. “Hell, baby, I just made love to you not once but twice.
And
I totally rescued you from the sea,” he reminded her. “I’m your superhero.”

She sniffed. “You fell on your ass,” she repeated. “My big, strong, white knight fell on his ass. You couldn’t keep up.”

He grinned at her. Happy. “I can keep it up. Just come over here and kneel down right there.” He opened his legs for her in invitation. “You look sexy as hell.”

She rolled her eyes, but her mouth curved into a smile. “I’m sure I do, all sweaty with milk running down my breasts. You’re insane, Kane, but I think I’m crazy about you.” She turned abruptly and left him.

He let himself slide down the chair until his head rested on the back of it, totally spent, drifting between awake and dreaming.

CHAPTER 17

Rose tightened her arms around Sebastian as she followed Kane down the stairs to the second floor. The entire team had assembled in hushed silence. Javier and Ethan crouched beside the stairway and door leading to the outside fire escape, examining walls and railings in an effort to find whatever Eric had left behind. Ethan looked up as they came down the stairs and signaled them to silence.

Is Brian alive?
Kane asked.

Paul and Marc saved him,
Mack answered the question.

Rose was astonished that she was able to hear the master gunnery sergeant’s voice in her mind. She and Kane had a strong connection, something she believed stemmed from Whitney pairing them together. She could initiate telepathy, but it had never been strong, and unlike Mack or Kane, she could never have held a bridge for an entire team.

He’ll be down for a while. Jaimie’s going to take care of him until we can get a nurse we can trust. We could use Rhianna right about now.

Javier straightened to allow them to get past him.

Sebastian stared solemnly at the man and then suddenly smiled, leaning toward him. The move was unexpected and strong enough that Rose had to catch him with a little gasp. Her heart jumped. There was no doubt her son wanted Javier to hold him. She had to console herself with the fact that Sebastian had already shown he could sense and recognize an enemy.

She swallowed hard and made her first attempt at accepting Kane’s family as her own.
Sebastian wants you to hold him.

Javier’s smile flickered for a moment in his eyes and then faded away. He held out his arms for the child.
Top, have Gideon give it a try. I can’t spot anything, and I want to hold my nephew. It’s time we got acquainted.

As if testing her, Javier cuddled the baby close and, moving in his silent, fluid way, turned his back and strode out of Rose’s sight behind the tent. Rose’s pulse thundered in her ears, and she literally had to twist her hands together to hold herself in place beside Kane.

Kane dropped his arm around her shoulders and moved her closer beneath his broad shoulder. He bent his head, turning his body partially, shielding her from the stairs. He brushed a kiss along her hair. “Javier’s taking Sebastian away from what we believe is Whitney’s camera or some sort of monitoring device.” The words were barely audible.

She let her breath out and turned her face toward his, needing to kiss him, uncaring if any of them saw her. She was grateful he was the kind of man who read and cared about her feelings. He nearly lifted her off her feet, his larger frame completely shielding her, reminding her of when he had gotten her pregnant. He had not only destroyed Whitney’s cameras and recorders, but he had kept his much larger body positioned over hers to protect her from the guard’s prying eyes.

It was silly, really, to think that she needed a white knight, but he made her feel protected, cherished even. There was something to be said for a man who was so willing to offer a woman his own body to use as her armor and shield. She slipped her arms around his neck and clung, unashamed, allowing herself a moment of weakness. It was difficult to trust her son to anyone out of her sight, let alone the most dangerous of all the team members.

He keeps smiling at me.

The moment Javier spoke inside her mind, she felt herself settle, the wild churning in her stomach subsiding. There was awe, maybe even a hint of joy in the tone.

He’s so little I thought I might crush him, but he’s strong, isn’t he?

She recognized an uncle’s pride, and something hard inside her broke open. Javier was a man dedicated to his team and his country—but everyone else was an enemy. She could hear in his voice that Sebastian was family and always would be.

Rose blinked rapidly and tightened her arms around Kane’s neck for courage. She made herself laugh softly in her mind.
He’s very strong. He pushes up off the floor already. Sometimes when he’s kicking, I have to duck very fast, because he’s got quite the kick.

Javier’s laughter slipped into her mind. Kane urged her forward, and she moved toward the hospital tent. She knew it was impossible for someone like her—someone with her background—to trust the people around her, but they were soldiers, and they knew their jobs. They worked well together, knew one another. They were offering her the opportunity to have everything she’d ever wanted—a family—and to be able to serve her country as part of an elite unit. She spent nearly every waking minute of her life training to be what these people were—a GhostWalker—and she wanted the chance to use her skills again.

She smelled bleach and blood as she skirted the makeshift hospital.
Is Brian going to be able to recover fully?

Kane had to have been holding a bridge to allow the others to communicate telepathically with her, because once again, it was Mack who answered.

Yes. It will take some time. We were fortunate that we’d already arranged to have surgical equipment here. The “hospital” was going to be set up in the second building up the block, but we haven’t fully renovated it yet. We’ve only set up security.

Gideon winked at her as he slipped by, taking Javier’s place at the stairs.
If something is here, Top, I’ll find it,
he said with confidence.

Gideon’s eyesight is enhanced,
Kane explained.
He can see things we can’t, and if Javier didn’t find anything, then Gideon’s our last hope.

You swept for bugs?
Rose asked.

Mack nodded. They had moved around the tent now, out of sight of the stairwell. “Found several in your living quarters and two up here where Eric planted them while his physical therapist was doing his best to kill Kane by overdoing it. Jaimie’s checked their every movement with all the surveillance tapes frame by frame. We’re confident we were able to find them all.”

Rose was listening, but her gaze had jumped to Javier, sitting in a rocking chair, Sebastian in his arms. The man had a big grin on his face.

“Thank you, all of you, for getting Sebastian back,” she said simply. Emotion was nearly overwhelming, welling up so fast it was impossible to hold it in check. “You all risked your lives for us . . .”

“You’re family,” Javier dismissed her stammering thanks with a wave of his hand. “You’d do the same.”

The confidence in his voice warmed her. “Nevertheless, I wouldn’t have survived if Whitney had managed to get his hands on Sebastian.”

Kane threaded his fingers through hers and brought her hand to the warmth of his mouth. “Yes, you would have, Rose. We would have gone after him.”

“And we’d never stop until we had him,” Mack confirmed.

“The thing I don’t understand,” Javier said, inhaling the baby’s scent, “is why Whitney thinks we would stop. He knows us, or he should know us.”

“He can’t know our bond,” Mack said.

“Javier has a point, Mack,” Kane agreed, “He knows us as individuals.”

“Which is why he had you assigned to the compound, Kane,” Rose said. “He read all about you, what you were like, and he knew you would appeal to me.”

“Then he has to know if he took you from me, I would never stop looking for you unless I was dead.”

“And then we’d continue,” Mack added. “I think there’s a part of him that likes to see if we’ll win. Like playing a game, only with human beings for game pieces. He sets up a battlefield and throws the players onto the board and amuses himself watching what will happen.”

“That’s pretty sick,” Javier said. He smiled at the baby, his tone softening. “And Whitney thinks I’m a psychopath.” The baby wrapped his fingers around Javier’s index finger as if in response. “For future reference, a psychopath is considered very bad.”

Rose glanced at him. Javier had sounded hurt, yet when she looked at him, he was bending his head to kiss the baby’s fingers.