Her Fierce SEAL: Midnight Delta Book 6 (16 page)

He would continue to have eyes and ears on Finn.  He’d be back.  In the meantime, he was really worried and really happy about the stuff going on between Dasha and the general.  Worried because Vlad was a scary bastard, and Declan guessed this could get really ugly, really quickly.  He was happy because, at his core, Finn was a protector and a warrior.  Having a mission to focus on was perfect to help heal Finn’s heart—at least temporarily.  Declan still intended to get him into therapy and at least one ‘share circle’ with sex being optional. 

Declan’s phone vibrated for the forty-seventh time.  He knew Brannon had things under control so he could ignore it.  He’d check his messages when he got to the airport.  He was itching to get back to Paraguay.  He and his team were on the cusp of making real headway, and considering how utterly wretched the conditions were, he was thrilled. 

Before his visit with Finn, Declan had been debating whether to call Mason Gault.  Then he realized he didn’t have to because Finn had reached out to Clint Archer.  He wondered if Midnight Delta had gone soft or stupid when they let Finn leave until he had heard the conversation between Finn and Clint.  It was obvious the SEALs had respected Finn’s request for distance and had given him the space he desired.  They probably would say it was unethical that he had listened to Finn’s conversation.  Well, he hadn’t gone soft or stupid, he would push a whole slew of boundaries to make sure the people he loved were safe. 

He had liked it when Clint said that they could have gotten ahold of Finn within an hour if they really needed him.  That satisfied Declan.  Because he had a plan.  He always had plans.  There was the hourly plan, the daily plan, the weekly, the monthly, the yearly, the current mission plan, and then there was the long term plan. 

The long term plan was for all of Midnight Delta, and their women, to one day belong to him.  The Shadow Alliance needed these men and women.  In the meantime, he’d keep an eye on his friend from afar.  If there were any signs Finn’s state was getting worse, he’d be back in an instant. 

––––––––

A
ngie had been exhausted by the time he got her to the apartment. 

“I can’t wait to tell you about the meeting.” She yawned again.

“It sounds like it went great.”

“I can’t believe I fell asleep in the car,” she said for the third time as he helped her sit on the couch.  “I don’t need your help anymore.”

“Humor me.”  She slumped against the pillows.  He could see gooseflesh on her arms, and grabbed the afghan off the back of the couch to place over her.

“Seriously.  I’m not.”  She yawned again.  “Okay, maybe a short nap.” She laughed. 

“That gives me time to get the vegetables prepped for dinner.”  She was already stretching out against the pillows with her eyes closed.  She looked gorgeous.

He went back to his computer and called up the information on Big Bad Vlad.  He was currently in the United States getting ready to give a speech and attend some meetings.  It seemed like a weird coincidence to Finn. 

The ever detailed Declan had also provided information on the baby daddy. He looked so young, while Vlad looked like someone’s worst nightmare come to life.  He was in charge of the Russian Special Forces group for most of his career.  While he had been part of the Russian Army, it had been rumored he had decimated a Chechen village, and some of his officers had reported him.  Those officers were never seen or heard from again.  Vlad had a long scar over his left eye, it was said to have been the result of an assassination attempt by one of his most trusted men.

Now that he had the information on the general, it was far past time to face the music of his actions.  His fingers actually trembled as he typed the message to Lydia asking for updates on the girls from the farmhouse.

Instantly there was a reply.

What do you want?  Who do you want information on?  Penelope?

His fingers froze above the keyboard.  He didn’t want to mention Liliya as well. 

All of them.

Beth and Sophia have been sending me updates.  They are doing great.  Well, except for one.

Finn shut his eyes, imagining the worst.

What’s going on?

I’ll just forward you their e-mails.  You can read it all.

He thanked her and waited.  Less than a minute went by, and he had all of the information he needed on the girls.  Sophia was ridiculously thorough, she kept a daily diary.  Beth had chatty letters going on between her and Grace Preston. 

Penelope and two other girls were staying at the ranch in San Antonio.  Grace had arranged for a tutor to come over daily to teach them English, as well as a psychologist.  The three girls were flourishing. 

Finn was astounded to read that Penelope was taking a leadership role over the girls, coaxing them to ride horses and work in the garden.  Then like a bolt of lightning in a clear blue sky it occurred to Finn that of course, she would be the leader.  She was the one who had tried to escape from the farmhouse.  What’s more, she had tried to escape again when they were at the mansion for the auction.  Drake had told him that this girl was a fighter, and he had never realized it until now.  He had only seen her as a victim.  She would hate for him to picture her that way.  He was an idiot.

He eagerly read through the other e-mails, wanting to see how Liliya was doing.  Praying she was not the one having a hard time.  He soon saw that Liliya had been sent back to her home in Russia where she was living with her older brother and sister-in-law.  Thank God. 

He vaguely remembered the pretty, shy brunette who was not doing well.  She wasn’t speaking.  Sophia had her staying with some friends of hers in San Clemente.  Finn knew the older couple that had taken her in and knew that they would offer a great deal of love and attention.  Finn whispered a prayer that she would soon be doing better.

Then a text came in.  He smiled grimly.  This was a call he needed to take outside.  He went over to the couch and made sure Angie was still doing okay.  He tucked the blanket closer around her and stepped outside so he could call Lou.

“When will he be there?” Finn asked.

“What, no hello?” the old man complained.

“Hello Lou, how are you doing?  It’s been pretty hot lately, hasn’t it?  Now when will he be there?”

“I’m not sure this is a great idea.”

Finn laughed.  “That is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard, Marine.  You’re just upset you’re not doing it.”

“He goes to the strip club on payday, which will be this Friday.  He and his friends usually get kicked out because they get so out of control.  The bartender calls them a cab.”

“This should work.  I’d take you with me, but he’d be able to ID you in a line-up.  He doesn’t know me.”

“Thanks for doing this Finn, I owe you one.”

“Lou,” Finn said warningly.

“Oh, it’s like that.  Got to say, I was kind of hoping.”

“We’ll see if your granddaughter feels that way.  But I’m planning on convincing her.”

“I didn’t raise a stupid girl.”

“No, you certainly didn’t.  Stubborn, but not stupid.  I need to get back inside.”

“I’ll text you the time and place.”

“Thanks, Lou.  You’ll need to come up with a diversion for Angie on Friday night.”

“I’ve got it handled.”

“Thanks.”

“No, thank you, son.”  Finn hung up and went back to the apartment.

He opened the door and went directly to the couch. Angie was muttering in her sleep.  She looked beautiful, and she was smiling.  Maybe she was having happy dreams. He hoped so.  She’d been killing him lately.  But he was pretty sure the feeling was mutual based on all of the boulder-sized hints she’d been dropping. She wasn’t any happier sleeping alone than he was.

Once again, he smoothed the afghan on her, then went into the kitchen to prep for dinner.  He always found cooking soothing.  And, he had gone to the dumpster and thrown out the damn bottle of hot sauce.  Maybe that made him a pussy, but he needed more bombshells in his life like he needed a hole in the head.

***

A
ngie stretched, and for the first time in days, it hardly hurt at all.  Okay, it still hurt like a bitch, but she wasn’t going to admit it.  She had plans. Admitting she was hurting was not going to get her what she wanted.  She threw off the blanket and meandered into the kitchen.

“That smells really good, what is it?”

“Chicken stir-fry and noodles.”

Her mouth watered.  She slid by him, a lot closer than necessary, to grab a water glass out of the cupboard. 

“Let me get that.”  He handed her the glass, and lightly touched her waist in the process. 

She put her hand on top of his.  “You can press harder. I’m not made of glass.” She grinned.

Finn frowned.  “Are you trying to tell me you’re not in pain still?  Because I’m not buying it. I’ve had broken ribs.”

“Just one rib is broken.  One,” she reminded him.  “And my waist is fine.”

“I saw your hip.”

Angie pressed her finger to his lips.  “I just wanted some water.”  He raised an eyebrow.  “Okay, and to brush up against you.  I
am
doing better, except my neediness level is off the chart.” 

He gently cupped her hips and brought her closer.  She felt his heat, his strength, his desire.  She wiggled against his erection.  He hissed in a breath.  “My neediness level is pretty damn high too.  I think it needs to be measured.”

Angie blinked, and threw back her head and laughed.  He moved, thrust his fingers into her hair, and drew her in for a kiss, the likes of which she had never experienced.  His lips were a hard, hungry wonder making her open and beg for more. 

His tongue thrust in, and her head spun with carnal bliss.  She sucked him deeper, scraping him with her teeth, enjoying the growl that sent ripples to her core.  He plunged in again, and she nipped his tongue. His large hand gripped her ass causing her nipples to harden and her pussy to weep.  She jerked away, her eyes wide.

“Bedroom.” Was that husky purr her voice?

Her Boy Scout kissed the top of her head and turned to make sure all the burners were off.  Then she was in his arms, and he was striding to her room.

“It smells like a strawberry field in here, but I know one thing that will smell even better.”  She froze.  Oh, he was not going to be like any of the polite Southern boy lovers of her past.

He set her down beside the bed.  She crossed her arms in front so she could take off her blouse. 

“Oh no, I get to unwrap my present.”

“Faster this way.”  Then she did a stupid thing and tried to hurry, wincing in pain as she pulled off her top.

“Dammit, Angie,” came the muffled roar.  “We do this my way, or not at all.  Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir.”  Would he stop if she saluted?  No, he wouldn’t, not with the way he stared at her cleavage.  Thank God for the power of boobs.

“You’re beautiful.”

“You’ve seen me before.  As a matter of fact, I wasn’t wearing a bra.” 

He looked up at her and shook his head.  “That can be easily rectified.”  Finn unclasped her bra and peeled it down her arms.  Then he knelt in front of her, and cupped both breasts, and licked a nipple.  Her legs lost all strength, and she would have fallen except for his fast action.  He had her lying on the bed and stripped out of her slacks and panties in under a minute.

“Beautiful,” he reiterated.

Angie was still trembling from the one caress.  He pulled his shirt off with that manly over the back, one armed tug, and she finally got to see the most gorgeous chest she had ever seen in her life.  She held out her arms.

***

A
ngie still had bruising on her hip, and her ribcage was still wrapped with tape.  In no way, shape or form did it detract from her beauty.  But it did make him very conscious of the fact that the formidable Angie Donatelli needed to be treated like spun glass. 

“Now, Finn,” she commanded.  That stopped him.  What?  She expected him to climb on board?  What kind of lovers had she had in the past?  He cupped her ankle and then trailed the backs of his fingers up the inside of her leg.  Higher and higher, closer and closer to the bare mound that beckoned like a candle at midnight.

She squirmed, and parted her legs further so he was tempted, and finally, he was there.  Just a touch and she gasped his name.  Delicate flesh he had to taste and savor.  He needed this closeness like he needed his next breath.  Finn nuzzled, and licked, as she shuddered and sighed.  Carefully, he coaxed her over the edge, exalting in her cry of pleasure.

“Now, Finn,” she pleaded.  He stepped off the bed, shucked off his jeans, and grabbed a condom.  He laid down beside her and gathered her close.  She was trembling, and so was he.  For the first time in months, he was close to finding something he needed, something clean and pure.  She turned in his arms.

All pleading was gone.  Her fingers traced his cheekbones.  She kissed his forehead.  His eyelids, his lips.  She was killing him.  “You’ve given me so much, Finn.  You don’t see it.  But I’ve never had someone stand beside me and want to protect me before.”

“I don’t understand,” he whispered.  Her skin was so soft as he touched the shell of her ear. 

“Of course, you don’t.  Because you’re just being Finn Crandall.  You’re the man I’m coming to love.”  Finn froze, and she immediately felt it.  “Damn, too much, too soon, wasn’t it?  How about the man I’m coming to lust?” She gave him a cheeky grin, and his heart lurched.  Ginger had made love a four letter word, he needed to reclaim it. 

“Love, Angie.  I like the word love a whole lot better.  Lust is good, but love is what’s happening in this room—in this bed.”

“Then why did you tense up?”

“Bad memories.  But you’re chasing them away.” 

“I’m glad.  Do you want to talk about it?”  Her brown eyes a soft liquid brown.

He needed another kind of intimacy right then.  “Later, I want this kind of love, first.”  He bent down and parted her lips with his.  The flavor of strawberries exploded across his senses.  She stroked him with one hand, while the other pulled the condom wrapper from his hand.