Explosive Passion (6 page)

T
he first bit of turbulence had hit their relationship in spades and Boom unconsciously tried to push her away. It didn’t matter that he did it for a valid reason, it still hurt her just the same. His family was so screwed up he didn’t want anyone else to have to deal with that, not if he could help it.

“Damn it.” He dragged his hand over his buzz cut. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” She kept her tone hard, hiding her emotions.

“The call was from my mother.” He clenched his fist, just thinking about the call made him angry. “My father was in a car accident…it’s bad.”

“I’m sorry.” She shot off the bed, came to him and pressed her body against his, holding him tight.

“I’ve got to go to them. I’m sorry. Our weekend will have to be rescheduled.” He ran his hands up her back, needing to feel her against him while he gathered the strength to deal with the curse he called family.

“Don’t worry about the weekend, we’ll do it later. Your family is more important.”

“No, sweet cheeks, you’re wrong there. You’re more important.” He kissed the top of her head. “They’re an obligation I must deal with. It’s worse than a deployment, at least then I know what I’m getting into. My family is a whole different can of worms.”

“We’ll get through it. I’ll be right by your side.”

Every muscle in his body went stiff. “No. You’ll stay here.”

“What?” She looked up at him, her eyes filled with uncertainties. “I thought you’d want my support.”

“I do, but not there. You don’t understand my family or what you’d be getting into.”

“I don’t care about them. I want to be there for you. What’s wrong with that?”

“You’ll have to deal with their hatred toward me. I had planned for you to
never
have to deal with them.” His mother’s cruel tongue had already been wagging enough on the phone, degrading him. He didn’t want her to have to deal with that.

“I want to be there for you.” She ran her hand up his chest. “You have no idea what you’re about to walk into or if your father will make it. If you’re going home to a hostile environment then you need me. If you’re worried things will change between us because of your family, don’t be. They have nothing to do with what’s between us.”

“You have no idea what you’d be walking into. They won’t curb their hostility just because you’re there. It could be worse and I have no doubt that they will try to take some of it out on you. You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

“I’d walk through fire for you, aggression from your family is nothing compared to that.” She ran her finger over his cheek. “Where are we heading?”

“Minneapolis.” Saying his hometown sent dread through him. He didn’t want to go there or see his family. Though if his father was actually dying, as his mother claimed, then it was his duty.
Fourteen years.

“Guess that means I should make plane reservations while you pack. If we have time I need to go to my condo and grab a few other things before we leave.” She rose up onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“I’m going to owe you big for this.” He hugged her tight, not willing to let her go yet. “Leave the dates open, we’ll fly back as soon as we know how my father is. If he’ll live we’ll be on a plane back tonight.”

“However long you’ll need,” she reassured him. “Where’s your laptop? I left mine at home.”

“On the coffee table in the living room, my credit card is in my wallet.” He nodded at the dresser, trying to get his thoughts in order.

“I’ll deal with it. Are you okay?”

“Going home after fourteen long years of having little to no contact with any of them makes me sick.” He leaned his head back against the wall, making a solid thump as it connected. “One of the men on the team said going home always makes him feel like a child again, but for me it’s sickening. They call and I jump, even after all they’ve said and all I know they’ll do when I arrive.”

“You go because even through all the shit they’ve put you through, you still care about them. I’ll apologize for saying this upfront, but everything you told me about your parents…they’re assholes and don’t deserve shit from you, yet I support you going because I would do the same in your case. You’re better than them and this shows it.” She cupped the sides of his face and their gazes met. “This right here, how you feel…it’s only going to get worse when you arrive. That is why I’m going with you.”

“I don’t deserve you.” He hugged her tight to him, lifting her slightly off the ground.

“Don’t think this won’t cost you,” she teased. “I still want that boat trip out to the middle of the water where you’re going to make love to me under the stars, just like you promised.”

“When this is done I’ll do that and so much more.” When she started to move away to go make the reservations he pulled her back until she was pressed against him. “Wynn…I love you.” He had felt it for a while now, but had kept it to himself so he wouldn’t scare her away, at that moment it just felt right.

“Oh, Jared.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing their faces as close as their height difference would allow. “I never thought I could feel like this, but I love you.”

Her declaration gave him the courage he needed to face his family. It was funny, but fighting terrorists was easier than going up against his family and their disapproval. With her by his side, he’d take them and the world on single-handedly.
Watch out, here we come…

A
cool breeze cut through the air, spraying a white powder mist of snow into the air from one of the many piles still littering the area. While the weather had just begun to turn cold in Virginia, it was already cold and occasionally snowy in Minnesota. There was nothing there that Boom missed, his hometown had too many skeletons that needed to stay in his past.

“Miss Diamond?” A man in a suit came toward them, his hand outstretched.

“That’s me.” She accepted his hand. “The car?”

“Right there, just as you requested.” He danged the keys in front of her. “If you should require anything else…”

“I’ll let you know, thank you.” She looked back at Jared, who remained silent. “If you’re ready?”

“As ready as I will be.” He laid his free arm at the small of her back as they made their way to the sleek black car that waited for them. “Do I even want to know how you managed to do that and avoid the rental car agencies?”

“His brother has a shop in the Mall of America, and I do custom work for it occasionally. I made a deal with him if he could have a car waiting for me outside the airport. I figured it would save time. He also has a rental apartment downtown that we’ll be staying at, it will allow us to avoid a hotel and have some privacy.”

“You shouldn’t have had to call in favors on my behalf.” He tossed their bags into the trunk.

“Don’t.” She leaned into him. “It was nothing and allowed us to get out of here quickly. You still have time to see your father before visiting hours are over.”

“How did I get so lucky?” he whispered, his lips hovering just above hers.

“I’m the lucky one.” She closed the distance, pressing their lips together, and set the keys in his hand. “You drive; you know where we’re going.”

“How about we go to the apartment instead?” The apartment sounded good, but what sounded better was going back into the airport and catching the first flight back to Virginia. He didn’t want to be here or deal with this family shit.

“That’s your choice, but we came here to see how your father is doing. If you put it off it’s only going to make you more anxious than you are now.”

“Okay. Let’s get this over with then we’ll find a quiet place to get something to eat.” He opened her door for her before going around the other side of the car and getting behind the wheel. “I hope you’re ready to visit hell on earth, because that’s what it will be like.”

“Maybe your mom will be more concerned about your father and it won’t be so bad.” Her voice held a tone of optimism.

“Not a chance. I’ve already had her spew venom at me on the phone, it will be worse in person.” He wondered again why he felt any obligation to his family; after all, they never felt anything for him. It had been fourteen years since he signed the papers to join the Navy, which was the turning point in his family dynamics. Any anger he received as a child from his parents when he didn’t do what they wanted him to do was nothing compared to what was unleashed the day he told them he joined the military.

She gently caressed his leg, pulling him back to reality. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I hope so.” He glanced in the side mirror until it was finally clear and he could pull out of the loading zone. The famous line,
you can never go home again
ran through his mind. Very true in his case, he had made his decision and the consequences be damned.

W
ynn left her hand on Boom’s leg, giving him what comfort she had to offer as she stared out the window, taking in Minnesota as he remained silent beside her. The last few hours had been tense and she just kept hoping it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought it would be. Not for her sake, because she didn’t care what they thought of her coming with him, but for his. Despite all his family’s faults, he still cared for them even if they refused to accept his life and career.

She was there to give him the support he needed, to help in any way, and she’d do what she could to keep the family drama at bay. Hopefully then he could focus on his father, instead of flinging venom with the rest of his family. She expected his mother to be an issue, but the wildcard in all of it was his younger brother. In fourteen years they had barely spoken, so neither of them were sure how that would go. Maybe it would be the calming point of this whole mess, or maybe he’d been brainwashed by their parents’ hatred and things would be worse.

Her plan was to be supportive and, not wanting to make things worse for him, she’d try to keep her mouth shut when it came to drama. With that in mind, she also knew there would only be so much she could take. She loved him and that wouldn’t allow her to stand by idly while someone tore him to shreds, no matter who it was. Maybe it was the Diamond family trait coming out in her. None of them could stand by while someone was being hurt. Plus, she understood what it was like to have someone not respect your choices. Things weren’t this bad for her and she never thought it would be the case, but if things were reversed she hoped he’d back her.

“I’m not very good company, but you’re being awful quiet.” He laid his hand over hers.

“It’s fine. I was giving you time to get yourself mentally prepared.”

“I’m as prepared as I’ll be, plus, that’s the hospital.” He tipped his head forward to the large brick building as he pulled into the turn off. “Ready or not…”

She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and nodded. “I’m ready, but I don’t know about you.”

He pulled into a parking spot and shut the car off. “I should have forced you to stay home but my own greed wanted you here by my side.”

“I’m a grown woman and I wanted to come. You couldn’t have forced me to do anything. Now let’s go, you only have forty minutes until visiting hours are over.” She opened her door and stepped out of the car, hoping he’d do the same because she didn’t want to drag him out.

“You’re worse than Ace,” he bitched as he came around the car.

“It’s a Diamond trait.” She slipped her arm around his waist, letting her fingers travel under his shirt for skin contact. “You’re here for your father. Try to ignore everything else, and let their attitudes fall where they may because they don’t change who we are or what’s between us.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“I know.” They made their way across the hospital parking lot, but before they could enter the front door, she tugged on the belt loop of his jeans, bringing them to a halt. “Before we go in…I just wanted to let you know I love you.”

She wasn’t sure those three little words would help, but something inside her told her that he needed to hear it. It would remind him someone was in his corner, watching his back. Just as she had Ace and Lucky to help her when their parents got out of hand, she’d be there to do the same for him. They were a team. One that understood the power words held but wouldn’t let that defeat them from their goals and aspirations.