Page 92 of Thaddeus

“So damn good to be home,” he murmured against my lips. “Love you, Emmy.”

Thaddeus set a slow, gentle pace and it took a moment for me to answer, but when I finally found my words, the ability to speak was short-lived. So much love was shining in his eyes I was again lost in them.

It would be a long while later, after he’d brought me to the sweetest orgasm and he spilled himself inside of me moaning my name, that I was finally able to voice how much I loved him, too. Though, I’d hoped that while he’d been making love to me, he could feel my adoration.

Thad

“I gotta go, agápi mou.”

“Okay,” she muttered, but didn’t let go.

We were standing at the door and what was supposed to be a short goodbye kiss had turned into a full-on make-out session. Now even though I didn’t want to go, I had to because I was late.

We were all meeting in Declan’s hotel room to go over the intel we had on the industrial park where tonight’s dog fight was taking place. Faith had called Declan earlier and confirmed the fight was still taking place and word on the street was it was gonna be huge.

“It’ll be late when I get back,” I reminded her. “And none of us will be available. You have Garrett’s number if you need anything. And I left you Zane’s direct cell number.”

“I know. I’ll be fine.” She smiled. It was fake but I appreciated the effort. “Tatiana’s working and I don’t want to bother her so I’m just gonna sit here all night and binge watch TV. Something I haven’t done for years.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too. Now go to work and come home to me safe and sound. We’re getting married tomorrow so don’t take too long. I don’t want you falling asleep while we’re taking our vows.”

That was cute.

But I could’ve been coming home from SEAR school and had a week’s worth of sleep deprivation and still wouldn’t miss a second of marrying her.

I took a chance and brushed my lips against hers one more time. With great effort I pulled back before she could deepen the kiss.

“Lock this after me,” I told her as I walked out of the room.

I watched her close the door, heard the lock click, and dread hit my gut.

And the farther I got from the hotel room that held my heart, that dread turned into fear.

* * *

“That was a good call, bringing in SDPD,” Brooks told Declan.

“Didn’t have a choice. I get why Faith asked us to check into the breeder from Long Beach, and I’m glad she did, because that assmunch is whacked. But there’s nothing we can do on U.S. soil. It’s not like we could just shoot the fucker, as much as I wish we could’ve,” Declan returned.

At first contact, the San Diego Police Department was understandably put off by Declan’s approach. However, after he’d laid out the intel from Faith, what Tex and Garrett had found, and the recon Kyle and Max had done that morning, the SDPD had been impressed by Dec’s Op Order and SITREP.

This afternoon’s briefing had lasted three hours, during which time, the SDPD had their Criminal Intelligence Department vet our intel. After the CI department came back that the information was legit, a SWAT, Special Response Team, and a Narcotics unit were assigned.

They’d allowed us a secondary role in the operation, only because the SWAT team leader was a former SEAL, and he’d pretty much demanded us to tag along as backup. Apparently they were intimately aware of the numerous dog fighting rings in the area. One recently had been so vicious a female vic was actually placed in the ring with the pit bulls.

Who in the fuck did that?

The woman lived, and I hoped like hell the men who’d brutalized her were in the ground where they belonged.

I’d heard Sidney and Gumby’s warnings. I’d even taken Declan, Kyle, and Brooks’ experience to heart, but I still hadn’t been prepared when we’d entered the warehouse.

Chain-linked fencing proved a makeshift ring for the animals to kill each other. And that’s what they were doing, two pit bulls tearing at each other, with so much violence there was no way one would come out victorious.

It’d been cruel, ruthless, and bloody.

It would also take a long time for the visions of the dogs’ merciless attacks to leave my mind.