Savage Secrets (Titan #6) (12 page)

“Looking good.” She jumped back into the front seat and handed him two handguns plus a package with activated listening and tracking devices. “Here.”

He tucked a Glock into his back, stuck the other into his leg holster, and looked over. Caterina held a serrated blade between her teeth as she held secured a 9mm into her waistband. Forget
Fantasy Island
, and screw porn. That was about the sexiest thing he’d ever laid eyes on.

Her cheeks pinked again. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Words wouldn’t come. A blade between the teeth turned him on far more than anything soft and see through, not that he would complain about that either. The whole image was just something else. “I’ve never—you’re freakin’ badass, Kitten. Hot as hell.”

She took the blade out of her mouth and sheathed it. “And don’t you forget it.”

He reached across the drive shaft, grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her sweet body into his lap, kissing her until he couldn’t think straight. There. He’d needed that. Maybe now he could breathe. “Goddamn, you drive me crazy. Let’s roll.”

They tumbled out the car, a mess of arms and legs. His heart beat heavily, and dread tapped him on the shoulder. Suddenly, he wasn’t thrilled that Caterina was within a click of a terrorist known for offing families for fun.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The gray sky misted. Rocco studied Caterina’s face. Her eyes were bright, searching down the road they would take to El Mateperros’s British HQ. According to the reports they’d read, the ACG hadn’t spent much time here until recently.

With a suspected attack imminent, the terrorist leader had been making waves, though no one could pinpoint from where. Well, they were about to blow the lid off that intelligence blockage. If they could accomplish their job today, intel would feed straight to Parker’s room of bitchin’ binary shit. Jared would make sure analysts got their hands on every piece of data they found. All in the name of justice.

That fucker-in-hiding—going around the world and blowing crap up while pumping up the ACG’s reputation—would have his day of reckoning soon enough. Rocco couldn’t wait to drag him out of his little country bumpkin estate and sling him up. How many countries would fight over who got him first?

He double checked that their Audi was out of sight. It was. “Ready?”

Caterina nodded and was already moving toward El Mateperros’s place. It took them five minutes to reach the outer perimeter. A stone fence. Good look, but poor defense. Give Rocco a charge and a few blocks of plastics, and he could make the fence fall like stacked dominoes. It’d be quite the show. Cat would like it, but impressing her wasn’t on the agenda. Nor was making a scene. But still… she’d like it.

Really
? He rolled his eyes at himself. Between wanting to impress her and wanting to have her tucked away safely, Rocco’s attention was distracted at best. He cleared his mind but still smelled her perfume. Shit. With her an arm’s length away, he considered recalibrating their plan. They had to slip in, scout the scene, plant a couple of bugs, and get back to the car. But the idea of separating from her didn’t sit well. He looked at his watch. Their goal was in and out in forty minutes, and they were already ahead of schedule. He frowned, mind clouding with thoughts of her. They could get in and out and home before—

A hotel room isn’t a home
.

“I don’t see anyone,” Cat whispered over her shoulder as they slunk closer.

She’d taken their forward position. A cutesy-fancy country house came into view. Couldn’t the ACG find a manlier place to call British HQ? This place looked like his grandma’s dream come true. It screamed doilies and banana bread, not international terrorist. But Rocco had to give credit where it was due. This was a great cover.

Caterina looked equally unimpressed. “You sure this is the right place?”

“Coordinates match.”

“Maybe your boy Parker is wrong.”

Rocco laughed. “Yeah, nope.” A smaller stone fence surrounded the two-level house. Ivy grew up the walls, and there were outbuildings behind—probably a barn, though it didn’t look in use.

“Same plan?”

Unless she decided to call the job off, his mouth was sealed, no suggestions for her to hike it back to the Audi. He nodded. “You take right, I’ll head left. Meet you in the back.”

Caterina took off before he could tell her to be careful or watch her back. It would’ve made him an ass, but a little name-calling didn’t hurt. Besides, what would he say?
I don’t like you running around with a couple guns and a knife the size of your forearm
.

The truth would earn him a piece of her mind, most likely in Spanish, which would get him all bothered and make him want to leave her someplace safe. Or someplace they could be alone. Their circle of banter would commence. But his reasoning was well thought out. Hand-to-hand battle wasn’t her specialty; breaking a man’s mental barriers was.

Rocco continued to watch her instead of moving to his first location. Fuck, man. That Spanish beauty was giving him heartburn. She was out of sight in seconds, and he was still squatting behind the fence, wasting time. Ducking, he ran to the first of the three spots that he needed to check while dropping listening bugs and location trackers.

First, he hit the Jaguar in the driveway. No cover, but it would only take him a hot second to stick the homing device in the wheel well. He activated it, sidled up to the exterior wall, and waited for Caterina to take her position opposite him. If she gave a thumbs up, he could plant the device. Thumbs down, he had to move on.

What was taking her so long?

Seconds ticked by. Anxiety built in his chest. Something had happened to her. Someone had seen her. Captured her. Hell, if someone hurt her, Rocco was going to go ballistic. Maim and kill. What the fuck? Where was—

Dressed in all black, sexy and stealthy, she appeared in her designated spot, arm out and…thumbs up. He had a go. He dove to the Jaguar, slipped the tracker onto the dirty underbelly near the tire, and busted ass to his next location. Looking over his shoulder, he couldn’t see her anymore and decided he should’ve kept her with him. They could’ve swung through the property together. It’d take twice as long, but why did that matter?

The next twenty minutes were a blur. One location to the next. He set the listening and tracking devices then hauled back toward their rendezvous spot. She was there waiting, and soon as he set eyes on her, he ran faster. His heart pounded, not from exertion but anticipation. A cherry-colored, megawatt smile and exertion-flushed cheeks painted her absolutely gorgeous. But that didn’t matter. Unneeded risk on her part jumbled his mind. Honestly, he didn’t need a thumbs up or down. He could get to that Jag without her help, and even if he couldn’t, they didn’t
need
to have a tracker on El Mateperros’s vehicle. They could survive without it.

“Let’s go.” He moved past her, leading the way this time. If a threat was jumping out, he was taking it down.

“Job well done to you, too.”

Over his shoulder, he glanced at her pretty pout. “Come on.”

“What’s your problem?”

“Nothing.”
Everything
. If his freakin’ hallucinations weren’t a problem enough, now he had a chick messing things up in his head. He’d thought he left girl problems back in the States.

She’s your partner. Act like it
.

She’s a woman you’re digging. Protect her
.

The two lines of thought battled, and he ignore Caterina’s barrage of questions as they jogged back to their hidden Audi. He opened the driver’s door and got in, turning over the ignition. They could disarm later. They were far too close to the ACG for comfort, and he wanted to hit the road. ASAP. Caterina stood outside his door, hands on hips. Not moving.

“Come on.” He rolled his hand. “What’s up?”

Her damp hair was smoothed back, and her skin glistened from the falling mist. “Out of the car, Rocco.”

Dropping the name. She meant business. Too bad. “No time, Kitten. We gotta roll.”
And I have to get your cute butt farther away in a hurry
.

“Get out of the car, Rocco Savage. Now.” Oh, first name, last name, she was pissed.

He had zero idea what could’ve gone wrong or what he’d done, but an anxious pressure weighed on him. If he appeased her, they could leave sooner. Rocco got out. It’d only take a second. Maybe. “Cat—”

“What the hell is your problem?”

Maybe longer than a second…

“Nothing. Let’s go.” He turned back to the door, but she snagged his arm and bent it back. The woman was a pro. Kind of made him proud of her. “Seriously, Kitten. What—”

“You first. What’s your problem?”

He could overpower her, break free. But—hell, that wasn’t the point. “I don’t have a problem. Cut it out.”

She turned up the heat, wrenching his arm further up. “Spit it out, big boy.”

“Okay already. Don’t make me drop you, Cat.”

She let go, and he turned around to see her pace a tight, angry circle. “Rocco.”

“I wasn’t thrilled you were out there. That’s all.”

Her mouth gaped, and she stared at the sprinkling, spitting sky. When her gaze leveled back, her eyes were narrowed damn near to slits, and she was ready to kill. “You cannot be serious.”

“What?”

She rubbed her temples. “Tell me that you would’ve said that twenty-four hours ago. That you would’ve pulled this crap
yesterday
.”

What was she talking about? “I don’t—”

“Tell me that you didn’t conjure up this uber-protective junk because we had sex this morning.”

Bull’s eye. She’d nailed it, and he hadn’t even known that was dead center of his issue. Kissing on her seemed a lot better than working with her.

“I don’t know if I can, babe.”

“Yesterday afternoon, you would’ve told me to go after El Mateperros.”

He nodded “Yeah, well, that was yesterday. Life changes.”

Fire exploded in her eyes. The browns went nearly black. Anger. Fury. Passion. They collided on her face. Her arm roared back, and her fist slammed into his jaw.

“As you Americans say, this sucks.”

She had a hell of a right hook.

Working his jaw side to side, he had to give her credit. That surprise packed a wallop. He ran his tongue along his teeth and rubbed his cheek, tasting a hint of blood.

“Fine. Sleeping with you was a game changer. Get over it.” Soon as it came out, he knew it was the wrong thing to say.

“Get over it? No I will not.” She stormed to the rear car door, shucking off her weapons. Holding that blade in her mouth again, she opened the car. He watched as she stripped down to her bra and underwear. Mother of God, did that woman have a body he’d kill to touch. Lick. Kiss. Worship. She stood in the drizzle, wearing silky, lacy underthings that were perfectly see-through. “Too bad, girl.”

“Too bad?” She growled at him, pulling her dress back on. “Too bad?” That time she screamed. “You sexist, chauvinist piece of—ugh!” She tore her hands into her wet hair. “You have no idea—
no idea
—the hell that bastard has caused me. And one time in bed with you? You’re all of a sudden going to try and change that? No. Hell no.”

What
? “El Mateperros is…what? Personal?”

Red-faced and pacing, she blew out a breath. “It doesn’t matter if he is or if he isn’t.” Her hands went back into her hair. The light rain caused her hair to curl. She stared into the sad sky. He watched while she stood still, her dress beginning to soak and cling to her curves. “Why, Roc?”

Now he was beyond confused. “Why, what?”

Confusion, hope, anticipation—he didn’t know—crossed her gorgeous face. “Why’s it a game changer?”

Well, shit. He asked for that one, didn’t he? “Come on now, Kitten. We’re married and all. I have to protect you. My role’s going to my head.”

“No. Answer me.” Rounding the backside of the Audi, she wobbled in the gravel and mud until she hit pavement. It wasn’t nearly enough time for him to come up with an answer. “Sleeping with me was a game changer.
Por que
?”

That Spanish of hers was like a truth serum. “Because you’re beautiful. And in my head.” The thick beat of his heart pounded. He craved her body against his. “I’m liking you a lot, and I never know what will come out of your mouth. Half the time I don’t understand it, but every time, I’m dying for it to happen again.”

“Roc…”

He grabbed her around the waist and pinned her against the Audi. She gasped, and he loved it. While he was still in camo and armed, she teetered on ridiculous heels and wore a fancy wife dress. Didn’t matter. He breathed her in. Spiciness wrapped around him, making the air hang heavy with a sensual aroma that he craved.

Possessive need strangled him. “Tell me you want to be kissed.”

She nodded, her eyes wide. “I do.”

“By me. Say it.”

“I want you to kiss me, Rocco.”

He crashed his mouth against hers. Couldn’t taste her enough, couldn’t get as close as he needed to. On her, around her, in her. His mind rushed. His cock jumped. The world tilted, listing to a halt, waiting for him to sate an urge, a craving that he couldn’t describe, with only a simple kiss. He pulled back, and his heart pounded, punching his lungs, tightening his throat. There wasn’t enough oxygen, and he didn’t care about breathing, living, dying. He cared only for the woman whose sweet taste lingered on his lips.