Titanium Security Series 4 - Extinguished (14 page)

God. “And what about…” She couldn’t say it.

He shook his head tightly. For a split second his expression became full of torment, cracking the calm facade he was trying his damnedest to hide behind. “No sensation at all from the waist down. They said his spinal cord’s intact but there’s so much swelling from the blast that they can’t tell the extent of the damage yet, or whether it’s permanent or not. We won’t know for at least a few days, maybe more.”

If Dunphy would ever walk again, he meant.

She’d been expecting that while hoping for the best, but hearing the awful possibility out loud made tears clog her throat. She just couldn’t imagine charming, fun-loving and devilish Sean Dunphy confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his days.

“Ah, hell, I know,” Blake murmured, drawing her into the safety of his embrace once again. She shut her eyes and held onto him, trying to get a grip on herself. Crying her eyes out wouldn’t change anything, and Blake was upset enough, no matter how calm and strong he was trying to be. “He’s a fighter, angel. He’ll give it everything he has.”

She nodded, letting the endearment and the deep rumble of his voice wash over her like a balm. Blake was right, she knew he was, but this broke her heart. And she kept thinking that it could’ve been him on that operating table right now, her in Zahra’s place. She clutched at the back of his bloodstained T-shirt and drew a few deep, steadying breaths. When she was sure she had control again she gently pushed away and wiped at her eyes with the heels of her hands. “What do we need to do now?”

A hint of a smile curved his mouth and she saw the admiration in his gaze at her changing the subject. He opened his mouth, closed it, and she knew he was choosing his words with care. When he spoke his voice was low and serious. “What we said on the phone?”

Her face heated, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. Was he going to take it back? Retreat emotionally from her now because he’d merely said it in the heat of the moment? Because she refused to let him. “I meant it.”

He nodded. His eyes shifted to his hand as he reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “I meant it too. I’m just not used to saying it to anyone outside my family, so I’m a little rusty.”

The unspoken apology in his words made her heart squeeze. “You just need practice, that’s all.”

He met her gaze. The look in his eyes changed, heated. The territorial light she saw burning there thrilled her. She didn’t need to hear the words again from him right now—yeah, they’d be nice, but she knew he loved her and she was willing to let him get comfortable with the idea on his own terms. Things had changed so fast between them. She was secure in his feelings for her and wanted to make sure she was there for him, helped support him however she could through this.

He opened his mouth to say something else but the door opened and Tom walked in. The stocky former SEAL gave her a weary smile and ran a hand over his short brown hair before turning his attention on Blake. “Nothing else you guys can do for now, and Alex will want you back in the field soon. Both of you go back to HQ and get cleaned up, get some rest if you can.”

“You sure?” Blake asked, clearly hesitant. “I’d feel better waiting until he’s out of the O.R. at least.”

“Like I said, there’s nothing more you can do here. I’ll update you as soon as I know anything.”

“What about Zahra?” Jordyn asked. “I can stay with her.” And Zahra might be more comfortable with her staying here, another female, rather than Tom.

The Titanium chief shook his head. “You’re probably going to have to help Claire out for a while. Evers is still with the rest of the guys and Zahra won’t be up to working right now so she’s gonna need help. Things are gonna start moving fast from here on in. Everyone’s itching to find out who pulled this stunt today, and hit them hard once we do.”

Jordyn understood that, but she hadn’t thought she’d wind up working on Claire’s side of things. She was a decent mechanic and handy with a long gun. She wasn’t a computer wizard.

“Go on,” Tom insisted, waving them away. “I’ve already contacted Dunphy’s family and the insurance people have things rolling. Everything’s under control. I’ve got the situation covered.”

Jordyn looked at Blake for confirmation. She realized there was nothing they could actually do, but she still felt guilty for leaving Sean and Zahra like this.

Blake gave her his answer by setting an arm around her shoulders and tugging her toward the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

Lang was waiting out in the SUV and drove them back across town to HQ. Blake was up front, her in the back, and no one talked during the twenty-five minute drive. By the time they arrived at the concrete building currently serving as home, Blake had retreated into himself. She knew the signs because she’d seen them all before when Jamie died. He was quiet and tense, lost in his own head, and she didn’t know how to pull him back out again. Or if she even should. Everyone dealt with grief differently.

Once inside, Blake muttered something to her about cleaning up and headed into the barracks. Lang went back outside to join Wright, so Jordyn went to see if she could help Claire.

The blonde cryptologist stood when she saw her. Her gentle gray eyes were puffy and red as if she’d been crying a lot. “How is he?”

“Should be out of surgery soon, but we won’t know about the spinal injuries for a while at least.”

Claire nodded and lowered her gaze to the floor. She chewed on her bottom lip, seemed to be struggling to maintain her composure. At last she looked up at Jordyn again. “Gage was almost killed not long ago on another op with the team.”

She hid a wince, didn’t say that she already knew about the incident. “I’m sorry.” This had to be bringing up all kinds of demons for her. God knew it was making Jordyn even more afraid for Blake.

Claire drew in a breath and wiped at her face. “He said he’d be phasing out of field work after this. I just pray he…” She trailed off and shook her head, clearly unable to finish that thought. “God, poor Zahra.”

“Tom’s with her.” That sounded so stupid and lame, but it was all she could say to reassure her. “He told me to check in with you and see if I could give you a hand with anything.”

Claire’s face brightened. “Yes! God, yes. More intel comes in every minute, I swear.” She reached out, grabbed Jordyn by the hand and dragged her over to Zahra’s open laptop, still sitting on the table. “Know anything about accessing satellite feeds?”

“Uh, no. You’re gonna have to walk me through everything. And use small words while you do, okay?”

Claire let out a quiet laugh as Jordyn sank into Zahra’s chair. “Okay, no problem. It’s not that hard once you get the hang of it.”

Jordyn did her best to keep up and follow instructions. Claire’s fingers flew across the keyboard at lightning speed. Soon some aerial shots of the region they were interested in showed up on screen.

“There’s the village Alex flagged for us earlier,” Claire told her, pointing to the group of dun-colored mud brick buildings in the center of the shot. “There’ve been men coming and going from there for a few hours now. Here are the close-ups. See if you can find any matches in this facial recognition database.” She brought up another screen, her fingers a blur on the keys. Jordyn was utterly lost.

“What’s the latest?”

She breathed out an audible sigh of relief at that deep voice coming from the doorway. Blake crossed the room to stand behind Jordyn’s seat. She was acutely aware of the way he leaned over her, his muscled arms braced on either side of her chair. The clean scent of soap and shampoo surrounded her, telling her he’d just taken a shower in the one tiny cubicle they had.

“We’re trying to pair the men at the meeting in the village with matches from NSAnet,” Claire told him, still focused on the screen as she typed in more commands, brought up the other program and entered her username and password. “Alex and the others are headed toward this location now. They’re hoping we’ll get a hit to confirm this is the right target before they head out from their current position on foot.”

Jordyn glanced up at Blake’s strong profile as he studied the terrain with expert eyes. “What’s their position now?” he asked.

Claire sighed, her frown broadcasting her worry. “About six miles southwest, last I heard.” More typing, and a satellite map popped up on screen. “Here,” she said, pointing. “That’s their last known position.”

Only a few miles from the road where Dunphy had been hit, by the looks of it. “They’re moving in there in broad daylight?” Jordyn asked, shocked by the very idea. Why would Alex risk it, especially after they’d just lost Dunphy and his passengers to an enemy attack?

Blake made a negative sound. “Just getting into a good observation position. Once they confirm the target, they’ll move as soon as it’s dark.”

Claire’s phone pinged. She grabbed it from the table, read the message and looked up at Blake. Her gray eyes were wide, anxious. “It’s Alex. He wants you out there ASAP and asked you to bring more weapons and ammo.”

Because a lot of it had been destroyed when Dunphy’s SUV was hit, and without the wounded and Blake the team was suddenly down to four guys instead of eight. She hated the thought of him going out there, being outnumbered and exposed in enemy territory. A lead weight settled in the pit of Jordyn’s stomach. Her fingers tightened around the mouse.

Blake set a hand on her shoulder, squeezed gently. “Help me get everything ready?”

“Sure.” She pushed the chair back and rose to follow him downstairs.

The large walk-in storage closet they’d turned into a loadout room was at the end of the garage where she’d been working. Jordyn flipped on the light, stepped into the room with Blake right on her heels and immediately went to the wall of lockers at the opposite end. Opening one, she reached for the boxes of ammo on the top shelf. The sound of the dead bolt sliding home behind her startled her.

She turned. “What—” The words died in her throat.

Blake stood with his back to the door. He was staring right at her with such an intense, hungry expression that the air locked in her lungs.

The sudden rise of pressure in her chest cavity kicked her heart into high gear. She couldn’t move, could only stare back at him as arousal pulsed through her body. Jordyn licked her lips. With him facing uncertainty in the field for God knew how long and the intensity of the current situation facing the team, they both needed this. Need roared through her, hot and urgent.

Blake’s nostrils flared in response, his eyes all hot and molten. His gaze raked over her like he wanted to devour her. Jordyn was more than willing to be his prey.

She blindly set the box of ammo back on the shelf.

Before she could take a single step, Blake erased the small distance between them, took her face in his hands and brought his mouth down on hers in a voracious kiss. Urgent, desperate. Her gasp was lost in his mouth as his tongue drove between her lips to taste her. She grabbed hold of his hard biceps and gave as good as she got, meeting every stroke of his tongue with frantic need.

Blake made a low, rough sound of approval in the back of his throat and gripped her hips. He hauled her up and drove her backward until her shoulder blades hit the wall. Her legs automatically wound around his waist, bringing the ache between her thighs in direct contact with the rigid length of his erection. A soft cry spilled free at the feel of him, so hot and hungry against her. Blake’s hold tightened on her hips as he kissed her senseless and rubbed himself against her in slow, delicious circles that lit every nerve ending in her body on fire.

Her nipples were beaded into tight points against the cotton of her sports bra. She rubbed against him like an animal in heat, desperate for more friction. For whatever he would give her. She’d been longing for this for so long and now she finally had the chance to show just how much she loved and wanted him. She didn’t care that it was happening in a storage closet, only that she was going to have him inside her soon.

His lips broke away from hers to blaze a fiery path down her neck. He found that sensitive spot where it curved into her shoulder and licked at it, scraping the very edge of his teeth against her skin. Jordyn gasped as she threw her head back to give him better access and rubbed the hot glow between her thighs against him. She was reeling, so wet already, her body empty and aching for him.

One strong hand left her hip to shove at the hem of her T-shirt. She helped him peel it over her head and tossed it aside, shivering in anticipation when those gold-flecked eyes locked on the outline of her nipples visible through her bra. Without hesitation he grabbed the bottom of it and yanked upward, tugging the fabric up and off as she raised her arms.

Cool air washed over her heated skin, making the sensitive points throb unbearably. Blake let out a low, possessive growl then bent to take a nipple in his mouth. Streaks of lightning shot through her from where his lips and tongue tormented her, arrowing down to where he rubbed against her needy flesh so seductively.

On fire and uncaring about anything other than assuaging the terrible ache inside her, she grabbed hold of the back of his head to hold him where he was and arched her back, demanding more. Pleasure swelled and twisted inside her, a hot, unbearable throbbing that only he could ease. He nipped at her tender flesh before switching to the other nipple, driving the heat higher until she was panting, writhing, rubbing wantonly against his hard body. The teasing friction wasn’t nearly enough. She needed him inside her, filling and claiming her completely.

Without warning he released her breast, set her on her feet and spun her around to face the waist high cabinet set against the opposite wall. She barely had time to throw her hands out to catch herself before he was on her again, this time pressing one hand between her shoulder blades as he pulled her hips back with the other. His arm locked around her hips. Mind spinning, muscles shaking, Jordyn didn’t even think of protesting. The raw urgency in his hold only pushed her arousal higher. She bent forward and let the cabinet support her, the cool metal surface chilly against her nipples.