Marked (Hostage Rescue Team Series) (17 page)

Her gaze snapped to his. “Y-you have?”

It surprised him that she seemed shocked by that. He bent to place an open-mouthed kiss on the top of her left knee. “Mmhmm. I wanna taste you so bad, babe, you have no idea. So just lie back and relax for me.” He wanted her to come against his tongue so badly his heart was pounding.

She gulped and slowly lowered her arm from her chest, revealing the softy rounded breast he’d tasted just a minute ago. “I just—whoa.” Her arms jerked out to the side, fingers curling into the sheet as he bent and kissed the top of her mound.

He smiled at her reaction. With careful pressure on the inside of each knee he gently pulled her legs apart. She let him, lying back and watching him as she bit her lower lip once more, still shy, a little hesitant. Feeling the lingering tension in her body, the uncertainty in her, Jake suppressed a primal growl at the sight of those tender, flushed folds revealed to his gaze.

Lowering his head he kissed her sensitive flesh, absorbing the jolt that shot through her body. Kissing and nibbling his way down, he flattened his tongue and gave her a long, slow lick that ended in a tender swirl around her clit. Rachel gave a soft cry and released the bedding to plunge her hands into his hair.

Hell yeah.
Jake closed his eyes to better savor the feel and taste of her. Soft, teasing licks over the super-sensitive bud at the top of her sex, then the firm thrust of his tongue as he drove it inside her. Over and over he alternated between the two, finding out what pressure and rhythm she liked best. Soon she was moving restlessly beneath him, her hips lifting into his mouth, unable to hide her need.

“Jake, please.”

God, he loved hearing that breathless plea from her. Much as he’d love to draw this out for a long while yet, he didn’t want to torture her. This was their first time together and he was going to make sure he kept the trust she’d placed in him.

Holding her hip in a dominating grip that commanded her to stay still, he pushed his fingers into her as he flicked at her swollen clit. Rachel mewled in pleasure and arched her lower back, pressing her pelvis against his tongue.

That’s right, babe, just enjoy what I’m doing to you
.

She was so damn sexy and he was so freaking hard, but all the torment was worth it to see her come undone beneath his mouth. Curving his fingers, he found the sweet spot behind her pubic bone, rubbing with a firm pressure while he laved her sensitive bud. Her throaty moan filled the room and he could feel her inner muscles squeezing his fingers, the telltale flutters alerting him that she was getting close.

He kept the pace steady, not wanting to rush her, wanting her to enjoy every second of this. Her hips rocked against his mouth, her inner walls tightening, tightening…

A whimper escaped her, changing into a series of ecstatic cries as she dug her hands in his hair and shattered. Jake kept stroking her until the last pulses faded and she collapsed back against the sheet, breathing hard. Withdrawing his hand, he kissed her thighs and abdomen before getting to his feet and shifting her up toward the headboard.

Rachel murmured something unintelligible and went willingly, eyes closed. Immensely pleased with himself, trying like hell to ignore the brutal throb between his legs, he pulled the covers over her before settling in beside her. His head had just hit the pillow when she rolled and cuddled into him, draping a leg across his thighs and an arm across his chest.

Her hand smoothed over his chest. “What about you?” she murmured drowsily.

“I’ve got everything I need right here,” he murmured back, hugging her close. “Get some sleep.” This wasn’t some game or contest to him and he sure as hell wasn’t keeping score. He didn’t want her thinking she owed him because of what he’d just done.

More importantly, he wanted to show her that he would put her needs before his own whenever he could. All the shit he’d gone through in Afghanistan and Pakistan with the Titanium crew had made him realize just how much she meant to him. Tonight she needed to be taken care of, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

He stroked her hair, enjoying the silky texture of it as it slid through his fingers. Her contented sigh washed over him, the languor in her body telling him just how tired she was and just how satisfying that orgasm had been.

With her cheek resting in the hollow of his shoulder and her weight nestled so perfectly against him, Jake reached over and turned off the light, already dreading having to leave her.

Xang jerked awake, his foot slipping off the edge of the bed frame. He shot upright, reflexively raising his pistol and aiming toward the door. His pulse thudded in his ears as he strained to make out the sound that had woken him.

Faint light from the streetlamps outside streamed through the dirty windows set into the top of the warehouse walls. He didn’t hear any footsteps outside, no voices, just the occasional coo of a pigeon that had made themselves at home in here.

Lowering his weapon, he glanced at Brandon. He was splayed out on his back, his cuffed left hand still clutching the bandage on his right even in sleep. The pressure dressing had pretty much stopped the bleeding during the night so the gauze was now dry and a rusty color. His face was still pale, with shadows beneath his eyes.

It was a sight to break any sister’s heart, and from what he’d heard from Brandon, Rachel was more sensitive and loving than most. That was going to work to his advantage.

He got up and walked to the corner to take a piss against the concrete wall. As he was finishing up, the burner phone in his pocket buzzed. He zipped up before pulling the phone out and checked the display out of habit, though he already knew it had to be his someone from his network.

For two seconds he thought about ignoring it, then decided he’d better find out what whoever it was wanted. “Yeah,” he answered warily. Whatever they wanted, it had to be urgent if they were calling at this hour.

“I heard a rumor that you’re planning an operation of your own.”

Xang scowled at the sound of his contact’s voice, ignoring the chill that shot up his spine. The gang member he’d thought was so loyal had freaking tattled on him like a grade schooler and given out his number? Really? “Maybe I am.” He didn’t give a shit what they thought anymore. If they had his number they could have tracked him if they’d really wanted to, and killed him already. So they must still need him.

But if he decided to cooperate, it was happening on his terms. He was taking charge of his own destiny to use to his advantage later. The bigger the bargaining chip he came to the table with later, the better. Adding kidnapping and the murder of Rachel and Brandon to his résumé was just the start.

If the cell leaders didn’t have him killed first for operating on his own.

“This could be to our advantage,” his contact added.

Xang paused, already seeing where the man was going with this. And how Xang could benefit from it. “Go on.”

“Word is that the FBI is getting close to learning what our target is. Taking the woman hostage at the right time will help divert their attention at the critical moment.”

And he could demand a lot more money from them afterward. “I’ve already worked out the details.”

“So change them. We’re willing to lend you our men and our firepower. But you have to work with our schedule.”

His eyes cut to Brandon, still asleep on the filthy mattress. He could stomach working with their schedule—if it benefitted him. “What’s in it for me?” Chances were they’d just kill him once they got Brandon. He had to make sure they’d still need him afterward, otherwise he’d be stupid to consider this plan.

A low laugh. “Pull this off correctly, and you get to live. A well-paid, comfortable life as long as you remain useful to us. Much better alternative than living on the run, staying in abandoned warehouses, don’t you think?”

Anger punched through him, but it was rapidly extinguished by a cold wave of fear. He knew by the edge buried in that taunt that they had his location. Probably had eyes and ears on him right now that he wasn’t even aware of.

Xang cast a furtive glance around, wondering if that’s what had woken him earlier. He knew what the cell did to people who failed to carry out orders. He’d rather die by a quick shot to the head from an assassin than suffer for days on end with what these men did to their enemies. Things that made what he’d done to Brandon look civilized.

He wiped at the sweat gathering on his upper lip. Now it was imperative for him to ensure that he would still serve a purpose after this op. “When do you want this done?”

“This afternoon.”

Xang wanted to laugh, but the man just kept on going. “One of my men will be in touch with you within the hour. He’ll come get you and give you everything you need. Make sure you bring the brother with you, for collateral.”

“Fine,” he said grudgingly, knowing he had no other choice. Besides, the money was the most important thing. With enough cash he could disappear, start over somewhere else where they would never find him and carry on the war his way.

His contact ended the call. Xang pulled out a penlight, stalked over to the mattress and nudged Brandon none too gently in the ribs with the toe of his boot. The man awoke in a rush, his face contorting with pain and fear the moment his squinting eyes locked on Xang.

“Get up,” Xang said, reaching for the cuff he’d locked to the bed frame. “We’re leaving. Got a hot date with your sister I can’t afford to miss.”

****

Jake woke when Rachel stirred in her sleep. He lifted his head to check the bedside clock and saw it was just after two in the morning. He carefully rolled to his side and lowered his head onto his pillow, the digital display of the clock giving just enough illumination for him to see Rachel. She was on her back with the covers tangled around her legs. She’d slept off and on for the past couple hours but she’d been restless, unable to slide into the deep, restful sleep she needed.

Her legs twitched again and she woke. She seemed to start in the darkness, the sound of her indrawn breath loud. “Jake?” she whispered, turning her head to look for him.

“Right here.” He slid a hand around the back of her shoulder and she rolled into him, draping her arm across his chest and her bare thigh over his with a sigh of relief that tugged at his heart. He turned onto his back to wrap his arms around her, nuzzling the top of her head and breathing in the clean scent of her hair. “Can’t sleep?”

She shook her head, her cheek rubbing against his T-shirt. “I’m so tired though.”

He made a sympathetic sound and began sifting his fingers through her hair. It was soft and silky and the touch seemed to relax her. “Don’t force it. If you can’t sleep, just rest.” She exhaled and snuggled into his body, setting off the inevitable reaction of making him harden against her belly. Ignoring it, he continued to stroke her hair while he ran the fingertips of his other hand up and down her bare back. This was all so hard on her and would continue to take its toll until they got Brandon back safely and arrested Xang.

They lay like that in the darkness for a while, Rachel warm and relaxed in his embrace. Her unchanged breathing rate and the alertness in her body told him she was still awake. Then her fingertips began rubbing over his left shoulder blade in a soothing motion. “What did you do during those years we were apart?” she finally asked softly.

The question surprised him. “Worked. Trained. Traveled.”

“I mostly worked too. Didn’t travel much except a couple trips to China to see my mom,” she said. A long pause spread between them before she continued. “I tried to get over you but never could.”

His hand paused on her back, fingers stilling in her hair, but she continued before he could say anything.

“I really missed you,” she said.

God.
He’d never imagined she’d still been waiting for him. “I missed you too, babe.”

She was quiet a long moment. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that you broke up with Linda? You never did in all the time I wrote to you. Not even this last time when you e-mailed me six months ago.”

“The truth?” He sighed. “Right after we broke up I wanted to tell you. I thought about it a lot, about you, but I knew if I told you then chances were good we’d wind up together and it wouldn’t have been good. My training schedule was insane, I was gone more than ever, and I wasn’t in the right headspace to be in another relationship.”

He resumed playing with her hair, reading the lack of tension in her body. She didn’t seem mad or hurt by his explanation so far, which relieved him. “Then I worked on that NSA taskforce on a long-term op and when I was overseas the last time some really bad shit went down and I realized what a complete and fucking idiot I was for keeping you at arm’s length. When I got back I looked you up as soon as I could and you made it pretty clear you’d moved on—which I deserved—so I wanted to respect your wishes and didn’t say anything because I didn’t think it would make a difference.”

“I lied,” she murmured, her breath warm through his cotton T-shirt. “I kept trying to move on, but I compared every guy I dated to you and they never measured up. And then I started wondering if I was just building you up in my mind, spinning unrealistic dreams about you and what it would be like if there ever
was
an us. It was killing me to pretend I was okay with just being your friend and keep hoping for more, so I made up my mind to sever contact and move on whether I wanted to or not.”

Yeah, he’d screwed all that up pretty bad. He was damn lucky she’d reached out to him again. He hated that she and her brother were in this kind of danger now but without it they might never have seen each other again. “I should have told you.” He should have been up front about what was going on and let her decide whether she was still willing to be in a relationship with him at that point.

She nuzzled her cheek against his pec, stirring a shower of sparks under his skin. “Yes, you should have. But at least we have now.”