CHAPTER TWELVE
Maya might not know it yet, but Jeffrey still cared about her—even though he thought he’d managed to stuff those feelings away forever—and the urge to protect her was powerful. Being the independent woman she was, she would probably push back at the thought of that, but she was the mother of his child and worth protecting.
After his first wife cheated on him with his commanding officer while he was deployed in Afghanistan, he’d locked his heart down tight. At only twenty-four years old, he’d learned women exacted an emotional toll he was unwilling to pay. Then Maya Corbett and her long, sexy legs and brilliant mind sauntered into his life and managed to open his heart to the possibility of love.
What all of that meant to the two of them now—if anything—was something he couldn’t think about until their daughter was safe.
“Let me give you a quick tour.” He headed toward the kitchen and opened a door to a pantry that was about eight feet by eight feet, with floor-to-ceiling shelves all the way around. “Back here is a hidden door.”
He stepped inside, reached to the back of a shelf to lift a can of corn, and the entire wall swung away from them.
“That’s a nifty little trick,” she said.
“These stairs lead down to the basement, where there is another door to the outside that takes you out to the woods behind the cabin.” There was also an access to a tunnel that led to the far edge of his property, but she didn’t need to know about that just yet.
He placed the can in a certain spot, the door swung shut, and they stepped back into the kitchen.
“How much land do you have here?” She took a sip of wine and followed him toward the other side of the house.
“About twenty-five acres, and every bit of it is secured and monitored.” Thanks to Caleb O’Halleran.
“As we both know all too well, it pays to be cautious,” she said, her voice somewhat introspective.
“I’m only telling you that because I want you to know that you’ll be safe here, Maya.” And once he got their daughter back, she would fall under his protection as well.
“These stairs lead up to a loft, two bedrooms, and a full bath.” He pointed to an area that looked down on the wide main space, then proceeded to the hallway. “This first room is my office. This is a guest bath and then bedroom here.” He clicked on a light, then turned it off. “Down there”—he pointed to a closed door at the end of the hall—“is my room, which also has an attached bathroom.”
He was careful to keep distance between them and his bedroom. Even though it had been twelve years, he was certain he couldn’t be that close to her and a bed at the same time and not want her naked and beneath him. Their sexual chemistry had always been strong, and it didn’t seem to have diminished over the years.
“Your home is incredible.” Her chin lifted to scan the beamed ceiling. “And it is so … you .” She turned and smiled at him.
Memories of that smile flashed through his mind. He’d always been awed by her ability to find things to smile about, even though her work had plunged her into a world full of the ugliest parts of humanity.
Had she been able to smile while on the run, or had it been just one more thing she’d been forced to sacrifice, along with her freedom to be her true self?
“The guy who built it for me about four years ago brought in truckloads of logs, stripped them, and cut them on-site.” It had taken longer than he’d anticipated but had been worth the wait.
Michaleen O’Halleran, the patron of the family, made his fortune as a commercial real estate builder and developer. He’d been the perfect person to work with to ensure the house met Jeffrey’s exact specifications. He also recommended an excellent builder and even performed the final inspection. Having someone with his level of expertise in design and construction oversee and approve the build was a definite bonus. Michaleen could also work magic with a set of woodworking tools.
He was a giant of a man with the soul of an artist and the heart of a lion. He loved Molly deeply and would do whatever was necessary to protect his family.
“I’m going to throw something together for us to eat.” Jeffrey rolled his sleeves up his forearms. By no means was he a master chef, but after years of living alone, he could hold his own in the kitchen. “Why don’t you freshen up, maybe take a nap in the downstairs bedroom.” She opened her mouth to say something, and he cut her off. “I promise, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“If you don’t mind, I think I’ll take a quick shower and perhaps lie down on the sofa.” She lifted her backpack from the hook. “And I’d like to check in with Nigel.”
“Whatever you want. There are washcloths and towels in the hall closet, just outside the bathroom.” He grabbed a cast-iron skillet from a lower cabinet. “How does chicken sound?”
“Lovely, actually.” She finished the last of her wine, set the empty glass on the counter, and looped her backpack over one shoulder. “I’ll be quick.”
“No rush.” Jeffrey watched her disappear down the hallway .
She must’ve been absolutely frantic to seek his help, if all she brought with her was a backpack.
He listened for the sound of the shower and slipped his phone from his pocket to call one of the only people he trusted to help him get his daughter back.
The phone rang twice before Beck picked up.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“I need your help again.” He sprinkled salt and pepper on the chicken.
“Name it.” His friend’s response was quick and unquestioning. “Sammy informed me about Al-Mansoori’s arrival in the States and how he wasn’t alone.”
“That’s correct.” Jeffrey brought him up to speed on everything they knew so far. “Maya needed to eat and get some rest, so we’re at my place.”
“Wait. Did you say you took her to your place?” Beck asked. “Interesting.”
“It was the simplest solution.” He rarely brought anyone to his home, but he’d needed to get her here, where he knew she would be safe.
“So you think Al-Mansoori is holding Isla in the embassy?” Beck was one of the most protective guys he knew. He would understand Jeffrey’s unspoken need to keep Maya close.
“I do.” Casey was monitoring the embassy cameras with instructions to notify Jeffrey if anyone came or went from the property. “The video of Isla on the bed was taken with a cell phone, and the metadata shows it was timestamped after his arrival in DC.”
“They used a cell phone?” Beck scoffed. “Their ignorance of technology is about to bite them in the ass.” Even a first-year NSA tech knew that cell phone videos or photos left behind digital footprints. “Go ahead and send the video to me, and I’ll have Andi take a look at it. She’s been inside the Qadiran embassy before and might recognize the room.”
“Good. I’ll text Casey now and have him send it over.” Jeffrey put the call on speaker and tapped out a text to his tech guy.
“What are you thinking?” Beck asked.
“I’m thinking I want to get her the hell out of there.” Now. He also wanted to burn the embassy to the ground with everyone in it who played a part in hurting his daughter. Right now, though, his priority was getting Isla back.
Jeffrey drizzled olive oil in the skillet and waited for it to heat up while he seasoned the chicken. The oil sizzled and popped when he placed the chicken breasts on the hot cast iron, then he covered it with a glass lid.
“I’ll have Sammy pull the blueprints for the embassy buildings.” Beck’s strategic brain was already clicking. “If Andi can determine with some level of certainty where they’re holding Isla, we’ll put a team together, go in, and retrieve her. I assume you want to be included. ”
“You assume correctly.” The people who took his daughter had made a huge fucking mistake. Their actions had resurrected the killer the Marine Corps had trained him to be. The killer that always lurked just beneath the surface. “The embassy is considered Qadiran territory. If they catch us, they have every right to shoot to kill.”
“Then we won’t let ’em catch us.” Some might think Beck was being cocky, yet nothing could be further from the truth. His confidence was the by-product of hundreds of successful OSI missions in places far more dangerous than the Qadiran embassy.
“We’re not sure what kind of drug they’re giving Isla, so it’s critical we do this sooner rather than later.” Jeffrey had tried to maintain his infamous professional stoicism, but this was personal.
“The Dark Ops team in Virginia is closest, but I know a few of our folks here are going to insist on being a part of it.”
“I figured Andi would want in.” Jeffrey had recruited her right out of college to come work for him. She’d proven to be one of the toughest, smartest people he’d ever worked with.
There was a time when he’d been worried about Andi. She’d been deployed to the front lines for several years and had begun to feel more comfortable in a war zone than back home. To preserve her soul, he’d ordered her back to the States and sent her to consult with the O’Hallerans on a case. After a contentious beginning with Jonathan, she’d ended up falling in love with him and adopted his baby girl, Ashling.
“Not just her, Jeffrey,” Beck said. “Like it or not, you’re family.”
“Thanks, Beck. I’ll be waiting to hear from you.” He hung up the phone, grabbed some tongs and turned the chicken over. “Did you catch all of that, Maya?”
He’d practically felt the tension vibrating off of her from across the wide space as he’d spoken to Beck. He returned the lid to the pot, lowered the flame, and turned to face her.
Her hair was wet, and she’d pulled all of it to one side. It hung in front of her shoulder, where water soaked into her light blue T-shirt. She had on a pair of blue jeans that looked soft and, if the wear was any indication, were a favorite of hers. Socks covered her feet. The heat of the shower had made her cheeks pink, accentuating her large, blue eyes and the dark circles beneath them.
“I’m going with you.” She dropped her backpack on the couch and moved over to sit on one of the barstools at the peninsula separating the main room from the kitchen.
“That’s not going to happen.” He leaned back against the edge of the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “You haven’t slept or eaten in days. You are in no condition to be a part of an operation.”
“But— ”
“Let me ask you something. And I want you to give me an honest answer.” More than anyone, he understood her desire to go in after Isla, but she needed to face the truth. “Would you be an asset or a liability?”
Already knowing the answer, her shoulders visibly sagged, and her chin dropped with a sigh.
“Jeffrey, while I have the utmost confidence that you will get her out safely, I can’t just sit here and do nothing while you’re risking your life to save our daughter.” She moved around the counter, stood in front of him, and gripped his arms. “I know you and I are not … that we’ll never …” She gave her head a quick shake. “You don’t trust me, and I understand that, but I just cannot fathom the thought of anything happening to you.”
Something about the raw fear and desperation in her voice fractured the mistrust that had been lodged inside him since she’d walked away. Nothing could’ve stopped him from kissing her, so he did.
Her eyes widened when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. He slowly lowered his face to hers, giving her plenty of time to protest or push him away. And, holy shit, he was shocked by the level of relief he felt when she did neither. Instead, she raised up on her toes, looped her arms around his neck, and met him halfway.
Their lips met, and the chemistry he’d suppressed and tried to forget roared to the surface. Electricity crashed through every cell in his body and shot straight to his dick. Jeffrey reached up, framed her face with his hands, and tilted her head until it was right where he wanted it. Her deep, sexy moan vibrated against his chest, and she held him tight before her tongue dove into his mouth. That was all the invitation he needed to do the same.
The pent-up passion between them exploded and was as powerful as always. Their breaths quickened, and his dick threatened to burst through his pants. He backed her up until she was wedged between him and the counter and pressed his crotch against her. She tore her mouth from his, panting, lips parted, and her head fell back.
As if from habit, his mouth moved down to the side of her neck, licking and sucking that sensitive spot he’d discovered all those years ago. He wrapped his hand in her hair, tilted her head to the side and dragged his tongue up and up until he nibbled her earlobe.
“Jeffrey.” The husky whisper of her voice spurred him on.
He pulled her face down and took her mouth once again. His hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, and his fingertips dragged against the soft skin over her rib cage. The simple feel of her silky skin almost had him embarrassing himself like some teenager with his first hard-on.
Jeffrey cupped her butt in his hands, lifted her up, and plopped her onto the counter. She immediately wrapped her legs around him, grabbed his face, and slammed her mouth to his .
The oil beneath the chicken popped and sizzled in the background.
“The chicken is going to burn,” Maya whispered against his lip.
He lifted her from the counter, and without hesitation, she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her across the kitchen and turned off the burner.
“Where were we?” He leaned in to kiss her and stopped when she tilted back from him.
“Jeffrey, I—” She looked away from him, and he was certain he’d gone too far. “I know my timing is atrocious, but I can’t go another minute without telling you something.” She placed her hands on his cheeks. “I love you. I have loved you since our first night together in that hotel suite. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before or since, and every day away from you has been like death by a thousand cuts.” She seemed to muster her courage. “I know it’s too late for us, that you don’t trust me—”
“You don’t know anything.” He crashed his mouth down on hers and carried her out of the kitchen, down the hall, and into his bedroom.
Jeffrey tore his lips free.
“Tell me you want this, Maya.” He stood next to the bed, hard and needing her so badly it hurt.
“I want this.” She gave him a deep kiss, unwound her legs from around him, and slid down his body to stand in front of him. “I want you . ”
She grabbed the bottom of her T-shirt, yanked it up and off and dropped it on the floor at their feet. She undid the front clasp of her white bra and it ended up with the shirt. Her jeans were next. She popped the button and slid them and her panties down to pool at her ankles. She stepped out of them and kicked them to the side. It was all done so quickly, he didn’t have time to help.
His gaze traveled over her like a hungry lion’s, taking in every inch of her fair skin.
She looked away and fidgeted, even tried to cross her arms over her body. “I know I’m too thin and my breasts are not—”
“Don’t you dare cover yourself up.” Jeffrey circled his fingers around her wrists and gently lowered her arms to her sides. “You fed our child with these breasts, and they are perfect.” He reached out and ran the tip of his finger over the top of each globe. “You’re beautiful, Maya.”
Her chest rose and fell, and her head dropped back on a sigh.
“I have dreamt of your touch so many times.” Maya’s voice was a whisper.
Jeffrey set his hands on her waist and backed her up until her knees hit the edge of the bed. She dropped down to sit on the mattress and looked up at him.
He cupped her chin in his hand and bent forward.
“I don’t ever want you to disparage yourself again.” He smoothed his thumb over her jaw. “Got it? ”
She nodded.
Jeffrey kissed her, dragged his lips from her mouth, and nibbled on that special spot just below her ear that he’d discovered twelve years ago. After a last nip at her earlobe, he straightened, slid his tie free of his collar, and jerked the bottom of his shirt free of his waistband. He reached for the buttons, and she put her hand over his.
“Let me help.” She stood and began slipping the buttons free until his shirt hung open.
She flattened her hands on his chest and skimmed them over his nipples, her thumb stroking them with each pass.
He ground his teeth together to keep from grabbing her, throwing her onto the bed, and driving into her.
Maya slid her hands up to his shoulders, then pushed his sleeves down until his shirt dropped to the floor with her clothes. She stepped closer and dragged her tongue from the center of his chest to his nipple, then repeated the action on the other side.
His dick pulsed against his pants, and he felt her touch all the way to his core. He speared his fingers through her hair and slammed his mouth down on hers. He turned her head for the best possible angle and drove his tongue deeper into her mouth.
How had he survived so many years without her touch? Without tasting her, feeling her move against him?
She yanked her mouth free, looked down, and grabbed at his belt. Her motions were borderline frantic as she tugged and pulled to unbuckle it. She unbuttoned his pants and dragged the zipper down one fucking tooth at a time. Her hands tucked into his waistband on each side, and she shoved his pants and boxer briefs down in one swift motion. The buckle hit the hardwood floor with a solid clank .
His dick sprang free, and he took hold of it as he kicked the pile aside.
Maya’s eyes widened, and she dragged her tongue over her lips.
He peeled off his socks, grabbed a handful of the comforter, and hurled it off the bed. The dark blue duvet landed in a heap on the floor. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her down on the middle of the big king-size bed.
Seeing her there, naked and ready to trust him with her body again, sent a flurry of memories flashing through his mind. A surge of lust and something deeper coursed through his body. An intense combination of protectiveness, possession, and most of all, love.
Truth be told, he’d loved Maya since their first night together but had been too much of a coward to tell her. He’d let old betrayals stand between him and the woman he loved. All because another woman had hurt him.
When she’d walked away from him, he’d tried to convince himself she was no better than his cheating ex-wife. He’d done everything to forget her, to hate her, even. To no avail. The feelings they shared were too enduring, too strong to be discarded so casually.