From Sanctum With Love (Masters and Mercenaries Book 10) (50 page)

His future was already here.

* * * *

Case turned off the shower and grabbed a towel, running it over his hair to dry it. The hot water had done wonders for his aching muscles, but nothing for the weariness he felt.

The joy of holding his nephew for the first time was utterly drowned out by the misery that he hadn’t been able to bring TJ’s father home. Theo had missed the birth of his child and it was all because Case couldn’t find him. Theo had always been the smarter one. Once more he wished he could change places with his brother.

He stared at himself in the mirror, not quite recognizing the man who looked back at him. He could smile all he liked. He could go into work and pretend that he was the old Case, the Case who laughed and joked, but that piece of him was gone. When he was alone and there was no one to pretend with, he saw the hollow shell that had been left behind.

Theo had been shot, but he wasn’t the only dead man in the family.

A vision of a blonde with the sweetest smile ever crossed his mind.

He ruthlessly shoved it out of his head. Mia Lawless was nothing but a scheming brat who’d used him to further her own agenda. Mia Danvers. Her legal name was Danvers. Damn. That girl had more aliases than a super villain. Another reason to stay away from her. He wasn’t thinking about her. She didn’t get to fuck up his life a second time. She was the reason he’d stayed out of his brother’s schemes with Drew Lawless. They were currently trying to use Drew’s position as CEO of a billion dollar corporation to infiltrate The Collective and find information on Hope McDonald. Once that happened, Case would be called on.

He was nothing but muscle after all. Theo had gotten all the brains, all the charm.

Now Theo’s kid had been left with the lesser brother as his father figure.

Case sighed and moved into his utilitarian bedroom. Sometimes he missed the efficiency of Naval life. When he’d been in the Navy he hadn’t had to worry about babies or meddling family members. He’d woken up, done his job, gone to sleep with the knowledge that he’d been useful.

He was so useless now. A gun without a bullet.

He had to get dressed and go over to Erin’s where he would put on his mask and pretend to be alive. His brothers would be there. He loved them, but he wasn’t truly one of them. Ian and Sean had a language of their own. They’d grown up together, survived together, understood each other like no one else.

He’d only really ever had Theo.

Now he only had revenge. That was what got him up in the morning. The idea of putting his hands around Hope McDonald’s throat and squeezing had become his reason to live.

But briefly, just briefly, he’d thought he had another. He’d met a girl at Sanctum and for a few days, he’d thought of something other than killing. He’d felt like a dumbass kid the minute Mia had smiled his way. He’d thought about asking her out.

He’d wanted so badly to talk to his brother because Theo had always been better with girls than him.

And then he’d found out she was a fucking spy. Oh, they’d all turned out to be on the same team, but she’d lied her way into his life.

It was better to be alone.

The doorbell chimed and he sighed. It was likely Sean. Ian was on his way to Erin’s to meet them all for dinner. They would all meet up at the house Theo had bought shortly before his death. Case could still remember ribbing him about the three-bedroom ranch in the suburbs.

Sean always rang the bell and then used his key to come in anyway, so Case sat on the bed, trying to put off the inevitable moment when the mask had to slide back into place.

He couldn’t help thinking about the conversation he’d had with Kai earlier. He’d meant it. He couldn’t feel Theo anymore. Maybe it had always been his imagination, but since they were kids, he’d had a connection to his twin. He’d known that night that Theo was in trouble. He’d been sitting having a drink with Ian and Sean and he’d felt his stomach turn and he’d known.

The bell rang again and he cursed under his breath. He schooled himself, standing and taking a deep breath so he could face his brother with a smile.

Clothes would have to wait a minute because Sean could be impatient. And apparently forgetful since he wasn’t using his key.

He was halfway to the door when he heard it. It was nothing more than a little scratching sound, the kind metal made when it came against more metal. The living room was dark, night having just fallen. His blinds were drawn so he couldn’t see out. He could get his computer and check the security camera, but by then whoever was there would either get in or go away.

Case went still and then moved very quietly to get his SIG. It was never far away, a constant companion.

His body calmed, his whole being slipping to a place he’d trained for his entire adult life. Most people would feel their heart rate speed up at the thought of confronting someone trying to break into their home, but Case’s slowed. His movements became methodical and silent, his every sense focused on one thing.

Taking down whoever was trying to get him.

Yes, he could use this. He hoped whoever it was didn’t go down without a fight.

He very quietly moved to the wall so he would be hidden when the door came open. There was a snick and then his front door swung in an arc.

Before his intruder could fully walk into the room, Case moved in. He slammed the door and had the intruder against it. He shoved the muzzle of his SIG against the intruder’s head and then he let himself process.

His intruder was face first to the door, having been turned around during the brief struggle. Shorter by at least a half foot, his thief had blonde hair, and that was when the smell hit him.

Citrus. Grapefruit. It was sweet but with a bite. Like the woman herself.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Mia?”

“I thought I was being clever. I…god, Case will you please put the gun down?” Her voice was breathless. “And the other…you know…I can feel it against my back. Unless that’s another gun.”

Nope. It was his dick. Damn thing only worked around her anymore, and he kind of resented her for it. “I think I’ll wait until the police get here,” he lied, wanting her to panic. Six months had gone by and this was how she renewed their acquaintance? Had she been trying to show him what a dumb fuck country boy he was? How much smarter she was? “You stay right where you are.”

“Case, I came here for you. I came straight to you because you know they’ll both leave us out. We can do all the work, but big brothers will leave us behind when it comes time. We have to stick together,” she said.

He could feel how soft she was. The round curve of her ass rubbed against him as she squirmed in his arms. His left hand was right under those nicely shaped breasts of hers. All it would take was an inch upward and he could cup one. He could haul her back to his bedroom. She’d been the one to break in. She’d poked the bear, and the bear could give it to her hard and then maybe, maybe he could stop dreaming about her at night. Maybe he could work up the will to find another woman, a woman who really made sense for him.

He took a step back because she was already fucking with his head. Two minutes of Mia and he was thinking like a caveman, tossing out all reason. He couldn’t handle her. He flipped on the light because the dark was far too intimate for this discussion. “If this is something about the op my brother is running with yours, then talk to Ian. I don’t have anything to do with that.”

She was obviously flustered when she turned around. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair mussed as though she’d just gotten out of bed. Or been manhandled for intruding. Her eyes went straight to his towel. “Really? You walk around like that?”

Naturally he had a hard-on. There was zero chance he was letting her know it was for her. “Darlin’, I just got off the phone with my girlfriend. She’s good at getting me revved up, so to speak.”

Her eyes flared briefly, but that stubborn look he’d come to know so well settled over her features. “I didn’t come here to talk about your love life. I came here because we need to work together.”

“So you decided to break in?”

“I didn’t know when you would be back. And I kind of thought it would prove to you that I can be a good partner. I have skills, too. I thought if I was waiting here for you when you got back from whatever you were doing, maybe you would take me seriously for once.”

She had no idea how he took her. He took her in his dreams about once a night. Took her hard and woke up sweating. “Oh, I take you seriously. You seriously annoy me and now you can leave.”

She stood her ground. He would give her that. She had a set of balls on her like no one he knew. “I’m not going until you’ve listened to me. Drew told me to stay out of this and I have for the most part, but I never stopped looking. I never stopped trying to find him.”

Case went still again, his every instinct on high alert as Mia pulled a folder out of her massive bag. “Who?”

“Theo.” Mia handed him a grainy printout. “I found Theo and we’re going to get him back together.”

Case stared down at the photo. It showed two men, both holding AK-47s. One still had a mask over his face, but the other had slid it up so his features could be seen. His brother was looking up at a security camera.

What had he told Kai only hours before? His brother would find a way. His brother would let them know he was out there.

This was Theo’s way of saying it’s time.
Come get me, brother.

“Where?” He couldn’t seem to form whole sentences.

Mia seemed to understand. “It’s from a bank heist in Colombia.”

Then that was where he would start.

Case, Mia, and the entire McKay-Taggart crew will return in
Dominance Never Dies
.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

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DOMINANCE NEVER DIES

Masters and Mercenaries, Book 11

By Lexi Blake

Coming June 21, 2016

A loss he can’t forget

Since losing his twin brother, Theo, in the line of duty, Case Taggart has felt dead inside. The former Navy SEAL has dedicated himself to his family and their business but he can’t help but feel stuck as he watches everyone else move on with their lives. Only meeting the beautiful Mia brings Case out of his misery, until he discovered she was just a reporter looking for a story. Betrayed, he turned his back on her and never looked back.

An attraction she can’t deny

Mia Danvers can’t get Case Taggart out of her head. Though they hadn’t been lovers, she’d felt more for him than for any man she’d ever met. Growing up in the shadow of her over-protective, older brothers, she felt free when she was with Case and she longs to feel that way again. She knows that if she can find any trace of Theo Taggart, Case will be forced to let her back into his life. Months of searching have finally paid off and she knows this is her second chance.

A desperate search

Case and Mia follow the clues they hope will lead them to Theo and the villainous Hope McDonald, but the search becomes increasingly dangerous. From Dallas to South America and beyond, dark forces work against them and threaten their lives. With each step forward, Case and Mia are pulled closer together and forced to confront their mutual attraction. But when the truth about Theo is revealed, Case may have to make a choice between his brother and the only woman he’s ever loved.

DEVOTED

A Masters and Mercenaries Novella

By Lexi Blake

Coming April 12, 2016

Click
here
to pre-order

A woman’s work

Amy Slaten has devoted her life to Slaten Industries. After ousting her corrupt father and taking over the CEO role, she thought she could relax and enjoy taking her company to the next level. But an old business rivalry rears its ugly head. The only thing that can possibly take her mind off business is the training class at Sanctum…and her training partner, the gorgeous and funny Flynn Adler. If she can just manage to best her mysterious business rival, life might be perfect.

A man’s commitment

Flynn Adler never thought he would fall for the enemy. Business is war, or so his father always claimed. He was raised to be ruthless when it came to the family company, and now he’s raising his brother to one day work with him. The first order of business? The hostile takeover of Slaten Industries. It’s a stressful job so when his brother offers him a spot in Sanctum’s training program, Flynn jumps at the chance.

A lifetime of devotion…

When Flynn realizes the woman he’s falling for is none other than the CEO of the firm he needs to take down, he has to make a choice. Does he take care of the woman he’s falling in love with or the business he’s worked a lifetime to build? And when Amy finally understands the man she’s come to trust is none other than the enemy, will she walk away from him or fight for the love she’s come to depend on?