Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
T he security complex looked like a barn, but it was anything but. Inside, the tech was more sophisticated and advanced than what he had at the CIA. Then they went downstairs to the state-of-the-art gym.
“Hey, Cass. Want to spar?” A shirtless Rahmi soldier asked from where he had just pummeled another soldier.
“Not today, Kori, but thanks. Blythe and I are sparring today.”
“A little girl-on-girl action,” Blythe said with a wink that left Kori giving them a look Warrick didn’t appreciate.
“Kori, this is Warrick. Warrick, meet Kori.”
Kori lifted the ropes and stepped from the ring. “Bro’s big, I’ll give him that. But he’s no Ahmed,” Kori said, ignoring Warrick and speaking to Blythe and Cassidy.
“You want to fight? How about I show you how I compare to Grandpappy Ahmed,” Warrick finally snapped.
Kori laughed as Blythe helped take off his gloves. “He’s so funny,” Blythe said to Kori as if Warrick wasn’t standing right there. “But, can he do field surgery on himself with a pocketknife?”
“Of course I can,” Warrick snapped. “See, right here.” Warrick lifted up his athletic shorts to show a scar.
“I thought you got that in the military?”
“Technically I was in the military, but I was hunting down a lead and was cut with a knife that was filthy. I got a massive infection within two days. I had to use my pocketknife, a bottle of vodka, and a fire to cut out the infection and then sear it to stop the bleeding. That’s why the scar is oddly shaped.”
“Okay,” Kori said, using a towel to wipe down his sweaty face, “but, can you not pass out during child birth?”
Blythe shook her head. “That doesn’t count. Ahmed’s getting better at that if he doesn’t look down.”
“I’ve delivered three babies in a rural Ukrainian community on my way into Russia following another lead,” Warrick told them.
“Bullshit,” Kori said with a laugh.
Warrick ignored him and pulled out his phone. He scrolled through his photos and then turned his phone around. Cassidy, Kori, and Blythe all leaned forward. “There they are. Two girls and boy,” he said of the photo he’d had taken with the mothers while he held all three babies.
“Okay. Gotta give the man credit,” Kori said to the group.
“Hmm,” Blythe said, as she went for the boxing gloves. “This will be fun to watch. Maybe you won’t cry within the first five minutes after all.”
“I say he can last for fifteen before crying,” Cassidy said with a wink at him.
“Thanks for supporting me, sweetheart,” Warrick said dryly.
“No problem, snugglebug.” Then she turned to Blythe. “Let’s MMA this thing today. Just hand wraps. No punches to the face though.” Blythe shrugged and put the gloves back. “Oh,” Cassidy said and she pulled her rings off her fingers. “Do you mind taking your ring off? Last time it scraped the hell out of me.”
Blythe took her ring off and set it next to Cassidy’s rings before Warrick helped wrap Cassidy’s hands and Kori helped wrap Blythe’s.
“I’ll ref,” Kori said, jumping into the ring and leaving Warrick standing by the jewelry. He leaned back, felt for Blythe’s ring, and then slipped it into his pocket.
“I’m going to check out the computers for a couple of minutes. I’ll be right back down,” Warrick said as the women faced off in the ring.
They didn’t pay him much attention as he slipped from the room, measured the ring, and used a pen to mark the spot on the string to indicate its size. Then he headed upstairs to where a middle-aged man and a man in his thirties stood talking. He recognized the younger one as Nash. He was married to one of the long lists of Cassidy’s cousins.
“Hey,” Nash said, catching his eye. “This is Nabi. He’s the head of security here. Nabi, this is Warrick.”
Nabi grinned. “I don’t know, Nash. He might be able to beat Ahmed if we can manage to tie Ahmed’s feet together.”
Warrick sighed. “Look. I get you think he’s some super soldier, and maybe he was in his time. But it’s no longer his time. He’s not twenty anymore. He’s like, old.”
A knife was suddenly on his neck, pressing into his stubble.
“So old I was able to sneak up on you... again.” The low growl came by his ear.
“So old you pass out during childbirth,” Warrick snapped back, upset at being caught off guard again.
“I’m getting better at that,” Ahmed said as he removed the knife.
“Warrick’s delivered three babies, Ahmed,” Nash said, having clearly listened to the conversation in the gym over the security system.
“But has he done surgery on himself with a pocketknife?” Ahmed asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Right here,” Warrick said, rising to the challenge.
“But look at this,” Ahmed said, ripping off his shirt. “Lashings during interrogation where I didn’t spill a word.”
Warrick stripped off his shirt and turned so Ahmed could see his back. “Shotgun to the back when I escaped... uncaptured.”
Suddenly the kind of thumping bass music heard at strip clubs began to play. Ahmed and Warrick spun around to find Ahmed’s wife standing there with a smile. “Don’t let me stop you two. Keep going. I know Ahmed has a scar on his upper thigh. Take it off!”
“Wife,” Ahmed growled possessively, stepping between them to block his wife’s view of Warrick. “You know you’re the only one who gets to see that scar.” Then he kissed his wife in such a way it made Warrick look down the hall to where Cassidy was. What he’d give to be able to walk up to her and kiss her like that.
Maybe he could... “I gotta get back to Cassidy.”
“This isn’t over,” Ahmed called out.
“Imagine if the two of them worked together instead of competing against each other,” Nabi said to Nash.
“Then whoever was behind that attack on the embassy would be caught and dealt with within the week,” Nash replied, giving Warrick a lot more to think about.
He entered the gym to find Cassidy flipping Blythe through the air. Blythe hit the mat and rolled so she could leap to her feet. Warrick put her ring back and then watched the two women. They were deadly art in motion. They also fought completely differently from men. They didn’t go for big knockouts. They were more a surgical laser than a wrecking ball.
“Time!” Kori called out.
Warrick clapped. That’s all he could do after their impressive display. “You both are fierce and intelligent fighters. It was a pleasure to watch you.”
“Thanks, Viking.” Blythe looked at the clock. “I’m going to take a quick shower here before I meet Vee. Thanks for the workout, Cass.”
“Any time,” Cassidy said as they watched Blythe grab her ring and head to the showers. “Let’s go.” Cassidy grabbed Warrick’s hand and sprinted from the gym to the main house.
She called out her hellos to the guards and to Prince Zain as she dragged Warrick to a closed door. She didn’t even knock. She just threw it open and rushed inside. Veronica looked up from her desk with surprise.
“I don’t have much time. Let me see your ring,” Cassidy said, holding out her hand.
Veronica took off her ring and handed it to her. “Why?”
Cassidy turned to Warrick and held out her hand for the string. He handed it to her and Cassidy used the string to compare it to Veronica’s. “How sweet. You both wear the same size. Just take your ring to the jeweler. They’ll easily be able to size it off your ring. Much better than showing up with a tattered string,” Cassidy said, handing Veronica’s ring back to her. “She’s on her way, so we gotta scoot. But on Friday you’re to say you want to go to the café for dinner. I’ll find a way to get you to stop before you reach there and that’s when we’ll take you to the location. Got it?”
“Got it. I knew I could depend on you. Thank you, Cassidy! I owe you.”
“You don’t owe me anything. You’re my friend and I’m thrilled for you both. Come on War, we gotta go before Blythe gets here.”
Warrick was once again chasing Cassidy out of the house. She made it back to the security center right as Blythe was exiting. Cassidy didn’t look around as she held out her hand. “So much fun getting a workout in with you,” Cassidy said with a smile, pressing the string into Blythe’s hand. “Use the mark on the string. It’ll tell you her ring size,” Cassidy whispered.
Blythe hugged her, shoving the string into her workout bag. “Oh my gosh! Thank you so much. I don’t know how you did it, but thank you!”
“You’re welcome. Now hurry and get that to your jeweler. We’ll see you on Friday.”
Warrick took Cassidy’s hand in his as they walked off toward the guest house. “Now, that’s a new kind of mission for me.”
“And you were perfect.” Cassidy rose up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks for the help. Now, my cutie patootie, what are you going to do if you catch me?” Cassidy winked at him then took off at a sprint.
His brain was the last part of his anatomy to catch up with what she said. He was off like a bolt of lightning chasing after her. He heard her laugh and he smiled as he pursued her.
A realization hit him just as he reached the house and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, and placing his lips over hers. He was happy. He was in love. He was suddenly a part of something more than himself—he was in a relationship and he was about to share a piece of himself he’d never shared before. Not his body but his heart because while having sex with her was going to be hard, sweaty, and loud, he was going to hold nothing back from Cassidy. He was lowering his walls and opening his heart and his body to her. In this moment, revenge didn’t matter. The outside world didn’t matter. Only the woman in his arms mattered.
Cassidy’s laugh was taken from her by Warrick’s lips. How had she not seen all these different sides to him when she worked beside him for the past couple of years? She’d sensed there had been more to him, but she’d never expected him to be the man who helped her little sister prank Ash, someone who defended her with a dildo, and someone who helped pull an engagement surprise together for her friends.
Warrick had always been a lone wolf, but now he was part of a pack. Her pack. And she loved it. She loved him. She loved the way he seemed to relax when he had her in his arms. The way he was in a not-so-serious battle with Ahmed, yet he took the joking they dished out.
Warrick was so much taller than she was, that she was on her tiptoes as they kissed. With a quick jump, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he easily caught her. She angled her head and the kiss deepened. Warrick had always been so reserved, but she felt the restraints he wore at work breaking under her kiss and with every push of her hips against his.
The last restraint was broken when she moaned, “Warrick,” as he moved his lips to her neck, gently nipped, and then kissed.
She hadn’t realized they’d made it to the bedroom until she heard the door slam and she was lowered onto the bed. Clothes went flying as they feasted on each other until they were both breathless. Warrick stood up, reaching for the box of condoms in his bag. She’d seen bits and pieces of Warrick, but seeing him fully nude in full daylight took her breath away.
“Damn, you’re beautiful,” Warrick said, his voice raw and deep with emotion as he stared down at her.
She felt beautiful. She didn’t feel small or tomboyish. She felt sexy, beautiful, and desired under Warrick’s gaze. She crooked her finger and Warrick’s lips tilted up into a sexy grin. “Does my sex kitten want her kitty to purr?”
Cassidy laughed and rolled her eyes. “Does my Viking want to plunder to find some treasure?”
“Hmm,” Warrick said, crawling up the bed until he covered her completely. “And what treasure would that be?”
“My heart,” Cassidy told him, suddenly feeling that this moment meant way more than any of her past experiences.
“A treasure worth fighting for.” Warrick kissed her, slowly, drugging her mind and her body before he slid into her. Her body stretched to full as they both groaned. Warrick stopped moving. His hand brushed her hair from her face as he looked down at her. “I love you, Cassidy.”
Looking up into Warrick’s eyes, they made love until the slow, romantic, loving pace turned into a frantic climb to the top of a mountain where they clasped hands and took the leap together.