Chapter 18
18
CADEN
T here was just silence.
Awkward, awkward silence.
All eyes were on her. Holden was glaring. Reid was muttering to himself, going over every battered inch of her. Nathan was grinning stupidly at her knees. The unknown was smiling widely at her.
It was unnerving as fuck. Inwardly, she was noting exits and using her peripherals to check for the lumps of her confiscated armory. They, the knife and gun she’d made them surrender, were still there. An arm’s length away. Outwardly her face was fixed in a placid expression she saved special for interrogations.
Nathan wasn’t helping the awkward silence at all. He kept grinning at her knees like they’d up and sprouted cancer-curing flowers. The silence stretched. The awkward intensified and Caden was two seconds from bolting. She wanted to swat the grinning idiot. He wasn’t pumped full of morphine. His green eyes lacked that glazed-over drugged quality they’d had the day before (Was it just a day? Who the hell knew how long she’d been out?). So all that happy was just him being Nathan.
Weirdo.
Grinning, ridiculous, finely toned, idiot.
Holy Christ, she wanted him.
That thought shut down her whole brain for a good ten seconds. She’d known before that she wanted to kiss him, feel him up a bit, and maybe get in his pants. But this was a whole other level of want.
Reid’s unceasing mutterings brought her back around. She had to focus on the current situation and not be plotting on how she was going to get in Savage’s pants. It probably wouldn’t be too hard. He seemed like the easy kind. It didn’t hurt that he seemed to already have their next ten years mapped out.
Weirdo.
Unabashed, smiling, muscle-bound male whose pants she was going to get in.
“You alright there, Nate?” The unknown one spoke up and slapped Caden right back into defense mode. “You look like... you’re high as a kite. You gonna pass out?”
“What—no.” His head jerked up to swivel towards Reid, caution in his eyes. Like those words would trigger the ‘only goddamn certified doctor in the room so they had better listen to him by god or there would be hell to pay’ into some kind of rampage. “I am fine. The painkiller is kickin’ in.”
“You sure? ‘Cause you look like you could use—” He shifted in his seat and glanced towards the leaner meaner version of Nathan with a small grin.
“I am fine, Maddox. Thanks for the moving and heartfelt concern.” Nathan was glaring now, and the giant was smirking. “Now if you’d like to see yourself out?—”
“What, so you two can make out while we’re in there slaving away over a hot stove?” This was a new voice that came from the door. Caden recognized the guy as the one she’d broken, her toes breaking his ribs. More men, big men, stood behind him trying to shove past into the room.
Alarm bells clanged in her mind. Her heart kicked into overdrive, and Caden positioned herself so that the weapons were within reach. And then immediately felt foolish for responding like they were the enemy. They were his family.
“ You cook?” someone said; Caden lost track of who was speaking. There were too many threats to contend with. Too many giants filling the room.
“My right fuckin’ ass cheek you cook.”
Well, anyone that hit six foot and beyond made giant status in Caden’s eyes. Why did anyone need to be that tall? What was the point? It had to be a southern breeding thing.
“You’re safe here, Caden,” Reid muttered in her ear. His thumb was on her pulse and his eyes were on her strategically placed good arm.
First, Caden schooled her expression and carefully moved her arm out of his reach. She didn’t need anyone, especially someone she didn’t know, reading her that easily. She’d learned a time too many that blind trust was something only idiots and victims gave. Reid didn’t take offense. He only moved on to the next battered part of her with the same scary single-minded resolve he seemed to do everything with.
“I can cook. You just can’t eat it.”
Someone laughed. Probably the smiley one. The room was full now. All seven brothers were in attendance. One was scowling. Another was glaring. The smiley one was smiling. Another one, the one with the scarred-up face, was stoic and staring at her. Nathan was staring at her knees again.
“Not if you don’t want to get food poisoning. Jesus, my stomach was fucked up for days.”
Caden wanted to grip his collar and drag him out the open window with her. Everything in her was screaming to bolt. They were all too big, too threatening, and she was too weak. She couldn’t fight off a cadaver in her current state, let alone six healthy, possibly hostile, combatants.
“Fuck you; Nate’s the one who starts fires if he even walks into a kitchen. At least I’m not that level of incompetent.”
They were his family, she reminded herself again. They weren’t going to attack.
“That was one time. Two at most.” Nathan was all indignant. He glanced sideways at her, his neck and ears pink. Christ, she wanted to rip off his clothes.
“No, actually, it was more like seven.”
They were his family, not her family. Which meant only that they wouldn’t attack him. She was free game.
“You still owe me a new microwave.”
There was a groan. The scarred one kept looking at her. The olive-skinned one shifted closer. Someone else giggled.
“Aww, look at that. You’re embarrassing the wee lamb.”
At the very least, the one she’d beaten in Russia would want some kind of revenge. Nathan stiffened beside her and started throwing glares around the room. Caden watched his jaw tense and his eyebrows furrow.
“Then we definitely shouldn’t mention the adult diapers.”
Nathan turned a slightly brighter shade of pink and someone giggled. Finally, after an annoyingly thorough examination of her cuts, Reid quit his hovering and pushed through the throng of males to get to the other side of the bed where his tools were. Someone shifted closer again and the hair on her neck stood on end.
“Oh, thanks ass-wipes, but she already knows and loves me all the more for it.” Nathan attempted to put an arm around her but quit mid-movement when he discovered his injured arm wouldn’t cooperate.
“I do?” How very presumptuous of him. Not wrong, but still presumptuous. Someone laughed outright, and Nathan started smirking.
“Yes, you do. Remember the part in the cell when you said.” He straightened his posture and, in the highest falsetto he could manage, started lying through his teeth. “Oh Nate, pissing your pants in public wasn’t your fault—you heroic, lone wolf, bit of tasty man flesh. If anything, it makes you more attractive.”
She couldn’t keep herself from grinning when he coughed and eyed her like it would be madness to debate him on that solid bit of evidence he’d just pulled out of his ass. Someone was snorting. Someone else was chuckling.
“Oh yeah.” Caden rolled her eyes and successfully restrained the ridiculous giggles trying to burst out of her. “I forgot.”
“Nate, you’re supposed to change your voice when you’re doing an impression of someone else. Otherwise, we all get confused.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He turned to stare down his brothers. “Now, if you would all fuck off, that would be great.”
“Nathan Albert Savage!” Someone was all pretend outrage and gasps. “Language! What would Mom say?”
Albert? Why did that little revelation make her want him even more? There was something wrong with her.
“Since Nate here seems to have forgotten his manners, I’ll help ya out.” The scarred one was suddenly in front of her.
Oh yeah, there were other people. Other dangers still in the room. There were threats she had yet to contend with and here she was mooning all over that bit of tasty man flesh.
Automatically, Caden took the scarred one’s measure. Face ingrained. Every little tidbit she could get memorized and analyzed.
Olive skin. Hazel eyes. Sharp features. The left side of his face and neck were scarred. Deep, long scars that roughened his skin. His voice was deep and too gravelly for it to have been natural. Had the bomb that went off in his face torn up his voice too? Damn. Jackson was how he’d introduced himself before. One or two inches shorter than Nathan. Led with his right foot. Knife in his right boot. Glock on his right hip. Right-handed.
“We didn’t get properly introduced before. I’m Jackson. Nathan’s older brother.” He extended his hand.
Caden flinched on reflex and watched his arm hang in the space between them. She tried to analyze the type of hit that was coming and attempted to brace for it. But he just left it there in the space between them, like he wanted to get her opinion on the thing. Slowly, embarrassingly slowly, she realized that he was offering to shake her hand. Heat rushed to her face and someone cleared their throat.
“Oh.” One arm was out of commission, the other one was positioned to grab a gun. They were his family. They were Nathan’s family. Caden could trust Nathan. “Caden Quinn.” She gave him her hand.
“Nice to meet you, Caden.” He gripped her hand with both of his. “Thank you for bringing Nate back alive.”
“Er...” He gave her hand back, unharmed, and nodded. Off balance, the mercenary grappled to form some kind of reply. “I... it was a two-man effort, actually.”
“Caden, I was conscious long enough to get shot. You did all the work.” Nathan smiled at her, and it was Caden’s turn to go pink.
“Maddox.” The smiley one maneuvered around Jackson to shove his hand at her. This time Caden took the proffered hand and shook it like she did that kind of civilized thing all the time. “I’m the handsome devil Nathan’s probably told you all about.”
Maddox was brown-skinned, brown-eyed, brown-haired, and beautiful. Full lips, square jaw, wide eyes, broad-shouldered and tall. Tall as Nathan and beefier, with crinkles around his eyes and mouth like he did nothing but smile. He led with his right foot, but his gun holster was on his left hip—ambidextrous?
“Nice to meet you.” Caden mentally channeled Julie Andrews. She could do this. She could be polite and all civilized-like.
“You ever been to Texas, Caden?” His palm was rough, and he was smiling, brown eyes bright and happy.
“Er... no.” Was he smiling flirtatiously at her?
“Maybe I can show you around sometime.” He grinned wider when Nathan sputtered.
“Over my dead goddamn body, you whore.” Nathan pointedly unhooked their joined hands and shoved the opposing giant away. Maddox only threw his head back and laughed. “Trust me,” this he directed at Caden but made sure his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear, “you don’t want what everyone has had.”
“Hey.” Maddox retook his chair across the room. “I love love and love loves me.”
“I’m Daxley.” Another body took position in front of her. “Thank you, really. Nathan gets into all kinds of trouble. Thank you for looking after him and bringing him home alive.”
Daxley was shorter than Nathan by about four inches. His features were smaller and more pointed than the rest of the clan. Lean, built like a swimmer. Pretty green eyes, dark scruff, defined cheekbones, and brown hair that curled over his ears. Lefty. Two knives in his belt. Hand cannon on his left hip. He searched her face like he expected to find someone else. Odd.
“Nice to meet you, Daxley.”
Her danger barometers were slowly decreasing. It was marginally safer somehow now that she had their names. The hair on her neck no longer stood on end. Which was something.
“You can call me Dax.” He smiled warmly at her and released her hand and went to punch Nathan. “You had me worried, you son of a bitch.”
Then the one she’d had every intention of killing at the compound stepped up and put his hand out.
“We didn’t officially meet before—maybe you remember me?” He was smiling like they were already old friends. Black skin, bright blue eyes, square features. He was as tall as Nathan but lean with cords of muscles under his shirt. He was a lefty.
“Yeah.” Caden cringed and took his hand. The side of his hand was rough. “Sorry about that.”
“Nah, I would have done the same in your position. I’m Kade, by the way.” He took his hand back, but settled his stance beside her. Like he was planning on staying right beside her for the rest of the day. “You’re pretty skilled, Caden. Where’d you get your close-quarter combat training, if you don’t mind me askin’?”
“Nope, no, there will be no bonding until she is stitched up and her arm is set! I let you all meet her, but now you all have to get out. Out!” Reid was suddenly in front of her, his hands up, and his voice firm. “Everyone out.”
Slowly, the males moved to comply, but not before putting her through the torture of their gratitude once more. They all had to reiterate how much of a trouble magnet Nathan was and how much they appreciated her keeping him alive and bringing him home. Which was just so very awkward. What the hell was she supposed to say? Finally, they eventually all trickled out. She got two parting smiles, one nod, a smirk, and a particularly suspicious glare from Holden.
“Maddox’s a big flirt, and Holden is just naturally suspicious of everyone. Don’t let it get to you.” Nathan glanced sideways at her again, a rueful smile on his lips. “They’re all a bit... overwhelming all at once like that.”
“Nah, they are nice.”
“I’ll be right back.” Reid quit his muttering to glance up at the both of them and then glare. “Do not stress your wounds. Do not even move. You especially, Caden, I should have taken care of those cuts when you were sleeping. Nathan was on top of you, though, and he’s a little hard to move.”
“Can I shower first?” Caden didn’t particularly like the thought of him, or anyone for that matter, stitching her up, but it had to be done. She’d like to be a semblance of clean when he did it.
Reid scowled at her and folded his arms across his chest, obviously not liking that request. He sighed after a moment and rubbed his face like she was a perpetual thorn in his side. Like they hadn’t just met. He’d been her hostage, and he was treating her like they went way back. The casual acceptance and familiarity was almost alarming. Maybe it was a doctor thing.
“Fine, but it has to be quick and lukewarm, so you don’t swell.” He unfolded his arms and turned on his heel. “Stay there. I’ll be right back.”
Reid strode out and silence fell again. This time, however, it was a hell of a lot less awkward. Caden watched as Nathan carefully maneuvered himself so his back was resting against the headboard and his long legs stretched to the end of the bed. He was still smiling, but he was no longer staring at her knees.
“So...” She could do femme fatale. How hard could it be?
He glanced sideways at her when she didn’t finish her sentence. His face was busted up, and all bruised and his lips were chapped and split in the middle. His beard was thick and there was still some blood caked in by his ears. He should not have been appealing to her.
No, she couldn’t fuck him.
There were reasons, a whole list of reasons, why she should not do what she was most likely going to do, anyway. Caden tried to find her resolve. She had to not look at him and not think about those muscle-bound arms wrapped around her. Or those big, calloused hands touching her.
Fuck.
Reason number one: he had her real name. He had her dead sisters’ names. Which hadn’t mattered when she’d given them to him, but now that she was not in fact dead—she was fucked. And not in the way she wanted to be.
Reason number two: she was technically a thief, and he was a former G-man. He’d arrested her a grand total of two and a half times. Which she could forgive because the arrests never stuck, but he had intentionally and with malicious glee (the malicious part was only speculation but there had definitely been glee happening) ruined many heists.
Reason number three: he was smart. He made her laugh. She trusted him. He was pretty. He had all that muscle that she wanted—wait, shit. No. He owned a fanny pack. He’d worn socks with sandals in Liverpool. She’d nailed him in the stomach with her elbow once and he’d farted. His choice of ties never ceased to make her cringe. He knew every step of All the Single Ladies . The man had used his body to play chicken with a car. What kind of foolhardy dumbass did that kind of thing?
Okay. Valid points. Nathan’s pants and all his other parts were off-limits.
“Wanna make out?” Fuck it all. She wanted him, she’d have him.
The mercenary formed a plan of action. She’d shower, get stitched, get casted, fuck Nathan, and then vacate the premises before she could do any more damage.
“Well...” He blinked, surprised, and smiled that megawatt smile at her. “Yeah.” Like the answer was obvious.
Caden couldn’t help but grin.
She liked him.
It was difficult not to with him smiling at her like that. Caden shifted, so she sat beside his undamaged shoulder. She hesitated for a moment, not because she didn’t want to kiss him until he was blue in the face, but because she wanted to burn the moment into her brain. His lips were centimeters from hers, his eyes were on her lips, his hand was on the side of her neck. This was a moment she’d keep with her.
Caden fit her mouth to his. He let out a low groan. She soaked in the vibration and couldn’t help but sigh when his hand traveled to her hair. He licked over her lips, pushing gently so she’d open her mouth to his advance. He pulled her, one-armed, into his lap and deepened the kiss.
He was being too soft. Too gentle with her, too loving. It scared her and kind of thrilled her all at once. The thief decided to ignore the gentleness with which he took her mouth and let herself go blind, deaf, and dumb to the world around her.
Nathan had her back.
She could trust him.