Always Been Mine (34 page)

Gabe was shocked speechless. Whatever Viktor’s reasons were, he had not expected anything this . . . sappy.

“I need someone I can trust,” Viktor added.

“Then why not pick someone internally?”

“We need new blood, new perspective,” Viktor said. “Why do you think AGS is at the top of its game?”

“You still don’t know me well.”

“Oh, I know who you are. You were a Commander with SEAL Team Six, Sullivan—one of the most decorated and most lethal. You were feared as Dmitry Yerzov.”

“I’m not the same man—”

“I sure hope not,” Viktor fired back. “People who go undercover usually have no ties that bind them, and yes, having no family makes them effective to a certain degree. But you fight terrorists who want to destroy our freedom, you need to have someone at home worth fighting for. You’d kill for Beatrice; you’d kill to protect the life you have with her.”

Their eyes locked. He
had
killed for Beatrice.

“I’ll always choose her above everything else,” Gabe warned. “If she gets put into danger and I have to choose, I will choose her every single time.”

Viktor tightened his jaw. “We have safeguards in place so you wouldn’t be put in such a position.”

“It’s happened before?”

“It had. You become a Guardian, Gabe, you will have access to the best security for Beatrice—information and personnel.”

“Gabe!” Beatrice’s worried voice called from inside. “Rhino, let me pass, boy!”

“I need to discuss this with her,” Gabe said as he made a move to head back into the house. He thought for a moment to invite Viktor in, but fuck if he knew what Beatrice was wearing.
 

“Give it some thought. If you have any concerns, give me a call. Beatrice has my number.” Viktor gave him a chin lift, turned, and walked away.

*****

Eight months later

“Gabe’s here,” Emily’s voice sounded over the intercom in Nate’s office.
 

“You did that on purpose,” Nate accused.

Beatrice smiled sweetly. “You’ve been keeping me past eight p.m. for the last few weeks. My man’s not pleased. You’re lucky Viktor’s been keeping him busy as well, but Gabe’s starting to grumble about my late nights.”

“So, he likes his job?”

“He bitches about Viktor sometimes,” Beatrice laughed. “But I think they thrive on pushing each other’s buttons.”

Gabe had accepted the position as tactical analyst for AGS, and Beatrice couldn’t be happier. It was the best of both worlds. He got to plan and run point on missions from the data center as well as participate in quick-reaction strike operations as needed. Sure there was a level of danger, but her exposure as a security consultant more than prepared her for it. Besides, she trusted Viktor to have Gabe’s back.

Beatrice packed up her laptop and eyed Nate. “You know, you probably need to share some responsibility with Ed and promote someone else to team lead. Or just hire more people.”

Travis had cut back on his work schedule with the arrival of Abigail Blake. Little Abby was so adorable and at almost three months, definitely had her parents, especially Travis, wrapped around her tiny fingers.

Senator Mendoza’s South American trip was a success with no glitches in security whatsoever. BSI received glowing commendations for the outstanding security work provided, and now their company and Beatrice’s were besieged with inquiries and new clients. Also, the escalating threats from ISIS had prominent politicians, dignitaries, and businessmen on edge and beefing up security.

Nate scrubbed his face wearily. “Yeah, you’re right.” He shut his laptop and stood up. “Might as well call it a night. Where’re you guys going? Wanna grab a drink?”

“Um,” Beatrice hedged, “I think we’re heading straight to dinner.” Gabe hadn’t been happy about her spending too much time alone with Nate, and now, walking out with her friend into the reception area, probably wasn’t a good idea. Speaking of not so good ideas, she was thinking that having Gabe pick her up at BSI was a bad one as well.
 

“He still doesn’t like me around you, does he?”

“Well, you do nothing but wave the red flag at the bull,” Beatrice answered.

“He’s just too easy to rile up.” Nate smirked.

Beatrice shook her head and grinned, irritated and heartened at his jealousy-inspiring antics. Even if Nate wouldn’t admit it, she knew it was his way of torturing Gabe for what he had done to her four years ago. It was Nate’s way of letting Gabe know that if he fucked up again, Beatrice would be fine without him.

“We’ve been together for almost a year, Nate,” Beatrice said. “He’s all in.”

Nate’s expression softened. “I know, Bee, and I know the man’s crazy for you. Old habits just die hard.”

“I know,” Beatrice said, “but I see his point. If I saw a woman sitting on his lap, and if that same woman was spending too much time holed up in an office with him, I’d be jealous, too.”

Nate gripped his chest dramatically. “Oh, God, he’s brainwashed you!”

“Don’t be a dickhead,” Beatrice retorted. “I’m still the same me. You just need to find a new girlfriend to spend time with instead of sticking your nose in my love life.”

“No one wants me,” he deadpanned.

Beatrice rolled her eyes. “Because you can’t commit. You know how many of your girlfriends were jealous of me because you did more for me than for them?”

Nate shrugged. “Can’t help it. The more they demand things from me, the more I push back.”

“Because you knowingly go for gold-diggers,” Beatrice grumbled. “You go for the surgically-enhanced bimbos when you obviously can’t stand them outside the bedroom.”
 

“It works for me,” Nate muttered under his breath and his steely gaze told her he was done with the conversation.

He opened the door to the reception area, gesturing for Beatrice to walk ahead. Gabe was leaning against the sprawling curved reception counter, chatting with Emily. He usually wore tees and cargo pants to work, but he had gone home this time to change and walk Rhino before they headed out for dinner.

Now standing before her in dark slacks and a slate-blue dress shirt, she was struck with how equally hot he looked dressed-up or casual or nude. Warmth suffused her cheeks as an image of him all naked, all stacked muscles . . . all hard, flashed through her mind.

“Hey.” He walked up and brushed his lips on hers lightly. His gaze went past her shoulder and narrowed at the man behind her. “Reece.”

“Sullivan.”

“You leaving, Nate?” Emily asked. “I’m about to head out.”

“Yup, might as well since Bee, here, is slacking.”

“I’m not. You’re just OCD about contracts.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” Nate shot back.

Gabe cleared his throat. “We’re going to be late for our dinner reservation, Beatrice. We need to get going.”

A hand settled on the small of her back, firmly guiding her to the door.

She had a feeling she was going to get the caveman treatment from Gabe later. Her man controlled his jealousy in public in deference to her reputation, but the signs were there. A narrowing of the eyes, a hardening of his jaw, and the most obvious of signs, a seemingly calm tone. It was when he got her in private that he let her have it, reminding her to whom she belonged. She wasn’t complaining; she just didn’t want him feeling needlessly jealous.
 

A delicious ache between her legs caused her steps to falter.
 

It was going to be a long dinner.

*****

Dinner was an enjoyable affair as usual. Between discussions of their work and home improvements, the renovation of Beatrice’s home office took up most of the conversation. Gabe was tired of Doug walking in on them in the mornings, especially when Beatrice was feeling frisky and her man had to take a cold shower because of an unfulfilled hard-on. He was redesigning their home so there would be a separate entrance to her office, which was in the back of the house anyway. It would have been simple enough, except Old Town Alexandria was a historic neighborhood and every exterior change had to go through the City Council and the Board for Architectural Review. Tonight was a celebration of the approved plans.

However, Beatrice noticed that Gabe was a bit off, distracted even. He had grown quiet around dessert time, and on the drive home, he barely spoke a word. Their vehicle was an AGS-issued black Ford Explorer. Gabe never replaced his wrecked SUV from that mess with Ryker, and since he was working on the house anyway, he used the Silverado pickup.
 

“You’re okay to walk a few blocks or do you want me to drop you off at the front of the house?” They had circled twice for closer parking, but since it was late, the ideal spots were taken.
 

“I’ve walked blocks in heels before, Gabe,” Beatrice quipped.

“Next project will be off-street parking; at least for one of the cars,” Gabe declared.

Zipping into an empty space, Gabe muttered for her to stay put as he quickly exited and rounded the vehicle to her side.

“Pulling out all the stops tonight, Sullivan?” Beatrice teased.

“I want it to be perfect,” Gabe replied simply.

Suddenly, her heart thumped wildly under her breastbone.
Oh, God
. Was it what she was thinking?

Gabe smiled at her almost boyishly, which was a feat, because boyish Gabe was an oxymoron.
 

Silence fell between them as he took her hand in his and started walking toward the house. The annoying click-clack of her shoes echoed on the pavement. Gabe, as usual, maintained a stealthy gait.

When they reached the wrought-iron fence of their home, he unlocked the gate and guided her through, keeping a firm grip on her elbow as though he was afraid she would escape. He didn’t waste any time with his objective. It was evident in the look he cast her when he came for her in the car.

He dropped to one knee.

“Gabe. What?—Here?” Beatrice breathed, partly in panic and partly in elation. He was holding on to her hand.

His brows scrunched in a frown. “Proposing? Yes.”

“Uh—”

His eyes drilled into hers even when he was the one in a vulnerable position. There was a stubborn set to his jaw. “You are going to hear me out before you start panicking.” His grip tightened on her hand.

“Okay,” she whispered. She was going to tell him to go ahead and ask her, but hey, if he intended to go all bossy about it, she wasn’t going to stop him.

Gabe pushed out a deep breath. “The start of our relationship had not been ideal. In truth, I was afraid I could never get you back. But I think we have what it takes to make this work. This”—he waved to the house—“I’ve always meant for you to have this whether you took me back or not. Even with everything that separated us—the distance, the years, and the hurt, you’ve always been mine, Beatrice. I may have let you go then, but in my heart, I never did. All my life, I’ve never felt an emotion this intense. I. Fucking. Love. You. You are my oxygen; you are the heart of me, poppy.” His voice thickened. “God knows you’ve suffered too much because of me.” His fingers shifted from her hand and trailed up her forearms, his thumb caressing the smooth expanse of skin where her scars used to be. Cosmetic surgery, at its finest, took care of all the physical evidence of torture. “And yet, you’ve accepted me as your man. You’ve taken me at my darkest and brought me to this dream. I’m almost afraid if I don’t bind you to me now, I will lose you. I can’t lose you. So put me out of my misery. Be mine in every way. Marry me, Beatrice.” He reached into his pocket and took out the most gorgeous diamond ring Beatrice had ever seen. Three carats at least, her discerning eye told her.
 

She must have stared at the ring for too long, and made Gabe nervous. He visibly swallowed. “I took the liberty of choosing the ring, but if you don’t like it—”

“Yes.”

“You don’t like it?” His face fell.

“No, you silly man. Yes, I’ll marry you.” Her laugh was choked because her heart was almost beating into her throat and she might also be crying. She didn’t care. She had the most perfect proposal given by the most perfect man. She loved him so much; it frightened her sometimes, but knowing without a doubt how deeply Gabe loved her, made such fears inconsequential. “Don’t you dare return the ring. It’s mine.”

A roguish smile broke through Gabe’s face as he slipped the ring on her finger. He stood up and immediately swept her into his arms, crashing his lips on hers and devouring her like a man starved for too long.

“I love you so much, Gabe,” Beatrice managed to say when he stopped kissing her, which was a while. “Words cannot describe how happy you make me.” She brushed her lips lightly on his and felt him shudder, closing his eyes as though strongly affected by the slight contact. “You never gave up on me.”
 

Gabe’s face turned solemn. “And I never will. You’re it for me, poppy.”
 

Beatrice snuggled closer and buried her nose in his neck, inhaling his musk, feeling secure in his tight embrace.

“God,” he whispered. “Who knew proposing could be so nerve-wracking.”

“You didn’t seem all that nervous.”

“I was. And it’s only because it’s you.” His hands slipped to her ass and squeezed. “Dismantling an IED would have been less stressful.” He smiled wryly. “You’re the most unpredictable, infuriating, and independent woman I’ve ever known.”

“And you want to sentence yourself to a lifetime with me?” Beatrice teased.

“You bet,” Gabe muttered. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re my unpredictable, infuriating, and independent woman. Make no mistake. All mine.”

“Hmm . . . that goes the same for you, my cocky, bossy, and infuriating man.”

“Speaking of cock . . .”

Beatrice snorted and leaned away, but Gabe molded their bodies together, making her aware of, well, his cock, which was presently springing to life.

His warm breath fanned her ear as he whispered, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you need some hard fucking to be reminded just how mine you are.”

“But—”

His mouth hit hers, stilling her protests, not kissing her, but murmuring further, “You’re walking inside, stripping your clothes off, and laying on our bed, legs spread and ready for my mouth.”