Page 22 of Kyle

“Patience,” Dec growled, cutting me off. “I don’t wanna see that shit anymore than you. And I don’t want to even think about what’s going on. Detach, Kyle. We have to play this smart. We also have to figure out how and where the payoffs happen. There’s no fucking way that’s happening out in the open like that without serious greasing going on. Someone’s on the take for sure. And I’d bet it’s more than the Defense Force.”

Goddamn, he was right. But I didn’t like it one fucking bit.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead and turned to the back seat where Anaya was silently sitting. She looked pissed-off and shell-shocked.

“You holding it together?” I asked.

“Barely.”

Her candor surprised me. I thought she’d try to cover up her revulsion and say she was fine.

“You did great tonight.”

“That was horrific. I hated it. Every second of it. I can’t stop thinking about—”

“You can’t think about it. It’ll tear you up inside. Because of you, in a few days those girls will be saved.”

“Days, Kyle. Days. I hate this!” Her tiny hands were clenched into fists.

Declan made the last turn off the main road and cut the headlights.

“I’m gonna let you two off here, and go return the car.”

He rolled to a stop in front of the driveway and waited for Anaya and me to exit the car. I pulled my sidearm out of my holster and scanned the area.

“Stay right next to me while I clear the house.”

Without argument she plastered herself to my side and damn if that didn’t feel good. And not only her trust but the feel of her. Every few steps her tits would graze my arm and I couldn’t deny my cock liked it, too. All of it. I could honestly say, I’d never found a woman’s trust arousing, but knowing Anaya gave it freely, woke something deep inside of me. It stirred to life a need to protect, to cherish. Things I’d seen in my teammates but had never felt.

By the time we’d made our way back to the living room, Declan was walking in the front door. But I still hadn’t found a way to tamp down my racing thoughts. Thoughts that included Anaya in my bed. Under me. On top of me. Curled safely next to me.

“Perimeter is clear,” he told me.

“I’m gonna take a shower,” Anaya announced and headed down the hall.

I fought back a groan thinking about Anaya naked in the shower, warm water sluicing over her skin. Her rubbing soapy hands over her body, washing away the day’s grime. How sexy she’d look with her hands above her head, washing her hair. I wanted to—no, needed to know—how sweet her nipples would taste. Christ, I could spend a good amount of time exploring her tits. Hours. By the time I’d get to the treasure between her legs I’d have her begging for more.

“What happened outside earlier?” Declan asked.

Five seconds ago, I would’ve said nothing could’ve pulled me out of my fantasy of a slippery and wet Anaya. But Dec’s question did it. Gone were all thoughts of me tasting Anaya and watching her fall apart with my mouth latched onto her pussy.

Goddamn, I was a jackass.

Even though I told her I needed to talk to Dec about what happened, it still felt like a betrayal as I told him.

When I was done, Dec had a stony expression that said it all, but he still muttered a curse.

“She didn’t fight me,” I told him. “She didn’t yell out, but she was jackhammering so fucking hard I was surprised her teeth weren’t rattling. We’re gonna hafta handle that with care, if either of us need to touch her.”

“I saw you holding her hand on the plane,” Dec said. There was no accusation in his tone, just curiosity.

“I didn’t know she had issues then. I saw her pulling into herself and grabbed her hand on instinct. She told me she couldn’t remember the last time someone had held her hand and she left hers in mine.”

“It’s good she seems somewhat comfortable with you. I’ll keep my distance.”

“I don’t think that’s what she wants. Hell, she didn’t want me to tell you in the first place. But if something happens and one of us has to grab her, you have to know.”

Dec nodded. “No, I get it, man. There’s something inside of you that breaks when you’ve never been handled with kindness. It makes even the smallest touch hard to bear. Couple that with what happened to her. Can’t say I blame her for keeping herself walled off.”