Delta Salvation (Phantom Force, Book 1) (22 page)

“Well, that’s just great. Mommy and daddy are coming home,” Coyle snarled.

Kai placed his hand on Coyle’s shoulder. “Dude, you need to chill. These people are not mom and pop to anyone. We don’t know if they are friend or foe, only that they are supposedly Alexa’s parents. For all we know they are part of the terrorist organization we took out a couple years ago. The same one that Tyler was working with.” Kai breathed out.

He hated the hurt his friend still showed glimpses of. His mother gave up on her oldest child, leaving him in juvie for the last eight years of his youth. The dark eyes and smiling man hid scars that Kai was sure no child should have faced.

“Whatever. They are dicks.” Short and succinct was Coyle.

Rueful amusement filled his eyes at the other man’s words. “I agree, but let’s not forget, even dicks get...”

Jaqui stopped him with a hard glare. “If you even think of saying something stupid I will bean you on the head with the closest thing possible, which would be a shame, cause I’m mighty fond of this baby.” She hugged her computer.

Holding up his hands, Kai thought better of voicing his statement. “Have we checked out what’s for dinner?”

“I’ll make spaghetti. I saw the makings for it in the pantry, if you don’t mind store bought sauce. There’s spices that can be added, and you’ll never know it’s not homemade,” Coyle promised.

“Sounds good. I can’t cook to save my life. Microwaves and I are best friends. Or the take out menu.”

While Coyle made do with what they had, Jaqui continued her search. Kai went to the room Rowan had set up for security. If the men who’d taken Alexa last time were using the same blocking material as before, they’d be in for a treat with the Iron Wolves roaming the grounds. His phone vibrated on his belt. At the sign of no caller ID, he immediately plugged it into the system.

“Swift here.”

Silence greeted him. Long seconds passed, then a series of beeps. “Ah, you have a blocking on your phone. That is good.”

Kai didn’t recognize the voice, nor the accent. “I’m assuming you have a reason for calling and it isn’t for small talk. Who is this and what do you want?”

“You have something I want, and I have something you need. I think we can make a trade that will be beneficial for the both of us. No?”

He kept his tone level. “First off, you didn’t answer my question. Who are you? What do you have that I’d want?”

A few clicks on the computer alerted Jaqui and Rowan to the call, but he knew they wouldn’t be able to trace it back to its source. However, he could make out sounds in the background, which meant they may be able to identify where they were.

“I thought you were smarter than that, SEAL,” he tsked. “You don’t need to know who I am to know what I have. How would you like to know where Tyler is?”

Not willing to give this terrorist anything Kai kept silent.

“You need proof I understand. How about I send you a little picture of the man you thought was on your side. A recent picture of him closer than you thought?” Will that work to convince you to make a trade with me?” Smug challenge lit his voice.

“What do you mean, closer than I thought?” Kai’s head jerked in the direction of the door, seeing Sully standing there with his finger on his lips.

“I’ll send you proof and then call you back. Stop trying to track me, SEAL. It’s useless.”

Kai stared at the phone. Without thinking twice he took the battery out before looking at Sully. “What are the chances he can track me through my cell?”

Sully shook his head. “How the hell did he get your number in the first place would be a good question.” Sully took his phone out and removed his battery. They went into the kitchen, explained what went down and had Coyle along with Jaqui’s cell phone and batteries separated.

“This is not good, brother.” Coyle stopped stirring the sauce. “What did he say he wanted?”

“I think we all know what he wants,” Kai grunted. “Over my dead body will he get his hands on Alexa.”

“Good to know. I’d cut your nuts off if you even thought of using her as bait. Now, you need to go in and put your battery back in and see what he sends you. If he has the technology and was tracking you, he done knows where we are. You were on the line with him long enough for him to get a lock on you, unless the owner of this place has some sort of energy field blocking satellite frequency that I don’t know about. My theory is he was fishing. He’s hoping you are willing to trade a tit for tat.” Jaqui’s voice hardened.

“We all want Tyler, man.” Sully sat down with a heavy sigh.

“We’ll get him,” Kai agreed.

Chapter Fourteen

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A
lexa’s heart shattered. They vowed to protect her, but at the first opportunity to get what they wanted, she was dispensable. She shoved her fear down, and moved back toward the safe room, looking around wildly for something, anything to protect herself with.

If they gave her back to Pascal, or Basile, she knew she would die. Panic threatened to overwhelm her, making her stomach roll. The heavenly scent of Italian spices from moments before sending her into the bathroom, losing what little she had in her stomach until dry heaves wracked her.

“Aw, sweetheart, here,” Kai murmured holding her hair.

She wanted to swat his hand away, but didn’t have the energy. On weak legs she stood, staring into his liquid brown eyes. They were eagle sharp and fierce. Alexa couldn’t look at him a moment longer. The small bathroom too intimate. Having him help her while she tossed her cookies, too much. She needed a moment. A second to breathe. Her throat was raw. Betrayal burned in her gut.

“I need to brush my teeth.” Truth. He’d know if she was lying.

Her lungs were having trouble working, as was her heart, the fast racing beat made her breathless. Pain still resonated through every fiber of her being. What did she expect? Him to vow to love her forever?

“Come out when you’re done. Coyle’s made some spaghetti.” His hand brushed her back.

She wanted to weep for the loss of what might have been. What should have been. Waiting until she knew he was gone, she turned the water on and let the tears fall, wracking sobs silently shook her.

Her lips parted on a gasp as warm callused hands pulled her into a hard chest. “What’s wrong, luv?”

She shook her head. How could he hold her like she was precious, and plan to give her to monsters? “I think it’s finally catching up with me.”

Kai leaned back. “That’s understandable. When this is all over, you and I’ll go out for a nice, normal dinner and movie date.”

Alexa frowned. “You want to date me?”

He stared down at her, his arms tightened. “Do you think I sleep with every woman I rescue on a mission?”

Her gaze flickered away. “I don’t know.”

One of his arms came up, making her look at him. “No, I don’t make it a habit of sleeping with women on a mission. Now, that’s not to say I’m celibate during one, just that I’ve never wanted to make love to one like I do you. With you I broke all the rules. With you, all the rules went out the door except keeping you safe above all others.”

She snorted, making him frown at her. “Why did you make that noise?”

“Let me go. I can’t think with you so close.” Alexa wiggled to be free.

“Not on your life, baby. Explain,” he ordered.

Fine. The chances of her getting away were minimal at best. She wouldn’t make it easy for them to hand her over to madmen. “I heard you,” she stated.

“Heard what?” he questioned, his brows creasing.

“I heard you talking about trading me for the traitor you all want so bad. Well fine. If you do it, I will fight you every step of the way.” Her voice cracked.

“Alexa, you didn’t hear the entire conversation, baby,” he said softly. “If you had, you wouldn’t have been in here making yourself sick. I’d never allow anyone to touch one more hair on your head while there is breath in my body. Don’t you know I’m in love with you?”

“You can’t love me. I’m unlovable,” she whispered, hope rising in her.

The naked truth was there on his face. “Oh yes, but I can and do, Alexa Gordon. I’m going to start by showing you just how much.” He backed her up to the bed, stripping his shirt off when her knees hit the edge.

“Sex doesn’t equal love, Kai.” Breathlessly she took her own top off, loving the sight of his tanned chest.

“You love me too, don’t you, Alexa?” His hands stopped at the button on his camo pants.

She nodded.

“Say it. Tell me you love me, and that you know I love you.” Her hands shook, the need to touch him made her clumsy.

He stood before her gloriously naked. “Undress for me,” he growled.

Her shorts and panties came off easily. “You are so beautiful.” And he was. Her lips parted on a gasp as Kai pinched one nipple then the other.

“I love how responsive you are. Look at these sweet little berries,” he said lowering his head, suckling one tight bud into the wetness of his mouth, and then transferring the attention to the next hard point.

Alexa knew she should protest, but it felt so good to be touched by this man. To hear him say he loved her, melted all her reserves. His mouth and tongue was so good, and wicked working her flesh. She wanted to do the same to him. If he continued on the same path, she would be a boneless mass of goo, and he’d be deep inside her.

She could feel her body preparing for him, the evidence coating her thighs.

“I want to blow your mind like you do mine.” Alexa ran her nails down his chest.

“You do,” he croaked, stroking his thumbs over her sensitive nipples.

Alexa’s breath caught at the action, sizzling need raced through her from there to her core.

“Oh, you like that don’t you?” he whispered.

She nodded, unable to say anything for the electric sensation his touch created.

“I want to know everything you like. Everything that makes you moan,” he whispered, lips feathering down her neck as he spoke.

If she allowed him to continue she would never get to be the one in control. She scratched her nails across the flat disk of his nipples. His hand lifted from her breast, threaded through her hair and tilted her head back. His gaze, one of hunger, and if he were to be believed, love.

Licking her lips, his tongue swept inside, drawing against hers, making her cry out.

When Kai lifted his head away, she tried to pull him back to her, greedy for more. She parted her lips and bent, licking across his chest. Powerful muscles rolled, flexed beneath her kisses. As she moved lower, using her nails, testing the firmness of his skin, she tasted his flesh.

Kai’s ass hit the bed, and then a pillow was on the floor before her knees could land on the hard wood. The erotic act had moisture seeping from them both.

She looked up, gauging his expression. Pure, unadulterated need looked down at her, an echo of what she felt.

Swiping her tongue over her lips, she gripped his shaft in her palms, leaning forward she took the engorged head of his cock into her mouth. Utterly fascinated at the way he tasted, she moved her hand up and down the satin-over-iron flesh. She parted her lips and took the swollen head inside, filling her mouth with him and his salty, all male taste she could easily become addicted to.

“Damn, that’s it,” he groaned, making her mouth tighten on the hard head. “Like that, Alexa. Harder.”

She used her hands to work the shaft, sucking him down as far as she dared, working in counterpoint to her fingers. She lashed at the underside, rolling her tongue against the sweet spot, and was rewarded with his heavy groan. His hands gripping her hair pulled harder, his hips flexed forward, a sure sign he was losing control.

“Hell fire, you’re gonna make me come.”

She drew harder on his flesh, wanting to make him lose his cool, becoming lost in her own pleasure. She wanted to taste him. The heavy throbbing vein running down the length jerked in her mouth, his cock head flexed, his strokes became shorter.

“Baby, you better stop unless you want me coming down your throat, and as much as I want...damn, I really love your mouth,” he groaned, pulling on her hair. “I want to be inside you when I come,” he growled.

The wide crest throbbed under her tongue. She knew he was close. Working him with her mouth, she licked a slow path back down, and then up. She wanted to please him. To be pleased by him.

Firm hands gripped her, lifting her from her kneeling position and then rolling with her onto the bed. “You, are a bad bad girl.” Wicked eyes, the color of melted chocolate they almost made your mouth water, grinned down at her.

A grin tugged at her lips. “I’m not into spanking, but I could be persuaded for a little payback.” She wiggled against the throbbing length of him.

Kai chuckled. “You are so perfect for me.”

Alexa was at the point of begging him to enter her.

He lowered his head, blocking everything but him from her view, capturing her mouth in a heated kiss. A shift of his body, and then he was where she needed him. Their bodies moved in perfect accord, hers straining to meet the downward thrust of his, arms wrapping around his shoulders.

Arching her back, she couldn’t stop the agonizingly sweet pleasure of having him over her, in her. Her muscles tightened, locking onto him. White light flashed as waves of ecstasy shuddered through her. Her body jerked, and she cried out his name.

“Oh, yeah, squeeze me.” His thrusts sped up, withdrawing and coming back inside, driving her higher again.

His pistoning strokes seared her with more pleasure, a never ending stream determined to destroy her with ecstasy. Driving her toward another precipice, this one higher than the last.

“Move with me, luv. Just like that.” His hand moved between them zeroing in on the little bundle of nerves at the top of her mound, flicking his finger around and around until she splintered into a million little pieces.

Above her, Kai yelled her name, the sweet sound came out hoarse. She could feel his release jetting inside her as he continued to pump, and she collapsed boneless, utterly spent.

Long moments passed while they caught their breath.

“Love you, Alexa. Never doubt that. Anything else, you can question me on, but not my feelings or loyalty for you. I will never allow harm to come to you while there is breath in my body.”