Chapter 18 #2
She tightens her hold on me, everywhere, her arms, fingers, legs, until her body spasms around me. “I’m coming,” she calls out. “Oh, I’m coming,” she says again like she can’t believe it.
It’s a fucking sight to see. Her unraveling. Her complete and chaotic orgasm wracking her body. I watch in fascination, completely gripped by her.
“That’s it, sweetheart. Come on me. Milk my cock ‘cause I’m so damn close.” I keep pushing, filling her up completely as my body grows closer toward the inevitable. “Oh, fuck,” I groan out as I move inside her, in and out, my orgasm crashing through me, hijacking my body completely.
As I gaze into Briar’s soft green eyes, I know I’m royally fucked. But only in the best way possible.
My phone buzzes on the kitchen counter, and I glance at it, heart already thudding in my chest. Dean. It’s gotta be important, or he’d wait until morning.
Fuck.
“Orion,” he says the moment I answer. “Good news, bad news situation. We’ve got the restraining order in place—just came through. But Jason’s gone dark. No sightings for twenty-four hours. brAVO Team’s tracking him, but so far, nothing.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, tension tightening my shoulders. “All right. Keep me posted.” I suck in a breath. “Hey, let me ask you something.”
“What’s up?”
I probably shouldn’t be asking this, but I no longer give a fuck about decorum. Dean met his wife, Sophia on a job. “How did you know Sophia was the one?”
Dean doesn’t answer right away, and I’m about to backpedal before he sighs. “I think I knew the moment I first laid eyes on her, but when I knew a hundred percent was when she had a knife to my throat, telling me she was going to kill me.”
“Wow,” I breathe out. “How about for her?”
“Same time. She tells me when she had that knife to my throat, telling me she wanted to end my life and I tugged her closer and told her to do it, she just knew.”
They’d been through some shit, but in the end it had all worked out. They went undercover to take down a crime boss, and honestly, I never thought Dean was the type to fall in love. But here we are. He’s married.
“Thanks,” I say, ready to get off the phone before he questions me about asking.
However, I’m not quick enough. “You got it bad?”
I hang my head low, cursing myself for breaking protocol, but I’d never tell Dean that. “Just keep me updated about Jason.”
“Will do.”
I end the call and toss my phone onto the counter with a soft clatter. Damn it. No sign of Jason could mean he’s lying low, plotting his next move. And that’s worse than him skulking around, at least from where I stand.
Briar’s in the other room, having just put Jeb to sleep.
I find her curled up on the sofa, knees drawn to her chest, staring out the window at the dark yard beyond.
She glances up as I walk in, expression weary.
My chest squeezes at the sight of her like this—worn and worried, carrying a burden she never asked for.
“You okay?” I ask, settling beside her.
She exhales, hugging her knees closer. “I’m not sure. I’m tired of being stuck in this... limbo.” Her voice trembles just enough that I notice.
I rest a reassuring hand on her arm. “Dean called. The restraining order’s official.” When she looks at me with a flicker of hope, I continue, “But Jason’s vanished—hasn’t been spotted for a full day. Dean’s got our brAVO Team looking for him.”
She bites her lip, eyes searching my face. “So… he’s still out there,” she whispers, voice tight with apprehension.
I shift closer, draping an arm around her shoulders. “Briar, we’re on high alert. If he tries anything, we’ll know. But I need to ask—does he have anywhere else he’d go? A hiding spot, family, or friends who might help him lie low?”
She hesitates, pressing her lips together. Then a frown creases her brow. “He has a brother in Magnolia Ridge. I remember Jason mentioning him once, said he owed him a favor or something.” She lowers her gaze. “I never met him, though.”
I nod, tucking that information away. “Magnolia Ridge. Got it.” I fish out my phone again and tap off a quick text to Dean, relaying the new lead. As I type, Briar shifts, leaning into my side. Her warmth is a jolt of comfort in the otherwise tense atmosphere.
My thumb hovers over the screen for a second before I hit send. The message zips away to Dean, and I set the phone aside, sliding my arm more firmly around Briar. She turns her face into my shoulder, eyes squeezed shut, and I can feel the slow, uneven rise and fall of her breath.
I let my hand rest lightly against her arm, rubbing in soft circles. “Hey,” I say gently, “we’ll find him. And until we do, you’re safe here with me.”
She nods, the movement barely there. “I know. It’s just… part of me wonders if I’ll ever go back to normal. My job, my friends… everything’s on hold because of him.”
My fingers curl around hers, giving a gentle squeeze. “You will. That’s a promise.” The words feel heavy in my mouth, but I mean them. “We’ll get him off your back one way or another.”
She lifts her head, our eyes meeting. In that moment, the worry swirling in her expression tugs at something deep inside me.
This isn’t just a job anymore—hasn’t been for a while.
Protecting Briar feels personal. Too personal, maybe, but I can’t help it.
I care about her, more than I probably should.
I catch my breath, drawing her closer. She settles against my chest, and I wrap both arms around her, letting her rest her head under my chin.
She breathes out, a slow, shaky sigh that resonates in my own chest. For a while, we just sit there like that—her heart beating a staccato rhythm against my rib cage, the hush of the night enveloping us.
My phone buzzes again, and we both tense. She leans back enough for me to reach it. Dean’s text reads: Got it. Sending brAVO to Magnolia Ridge. Keep her calm. We’ll find him.
I show it to Briar, and she nods. “Thank you,” she murmurs, glancing up. “For… everything.”
For a beat, neither of us speaks. My gaze drifts to her lips, and I remember the taste of her kiss. It’d be so easy to get lost in that again, to shut out the rest of the world. And maybe, for a moment, that’s exactly what we need—to find a little solace in each other.
I brush a hand over her hair, clearing a stray strand from her cheek. “You don’t have to thank me,” I whisper. “Just let me protect you.”
Her eyes, luminous and filled with vulnerability, meet mine. She nods once, a simple acceptance. And with her in my arms, I’m more determined than ever to ensure Jason never gets close enough to hurt her again.
I tug her closer, so she’s straddling my lap as I kiss her lips. Her mouth is soft, fuckable, and more than anything I don’t ever want to stop kissing her.
This is so wrong on so many levels, but I no longer care. What’s right, anyway? All I know is the feelings I have for this woman are unlike anything I’ve ever felt in my life. Is it love? Quite possibly, but all I know is that when this is over… she’s staying with me.