Blue, she thought a second later. Absolutely. She couldn't get enough of him, and she wasn't sure whether the rush of adrenaline just hadn't dissipated, or if she really was addicted to him and needed a fix--or, hell, if his earlier confession had permanently revved her to all systems go.
Maybe she needed him so much because she feared she would lose him all too soon. He'd said he wanted to be with her. Not just now, but later. He said he was falling for her and he didn't care what anyone else thought, and she was certain he meant it. At the time. It was easy not to care when there were no consequences.
If Michael fired him, he would lose his agency job as well as his place on the football team. She could convince Michael to hire him back, no probs, but the damage would have already been done. Resentment would have its claws in both men.
Or maybe her fear was unfounded. Michael objected in the beginning, but once he knew Blue was committed to her, he might just give them his blessing.
Still. Maybe they should forget their bargain and wait until they knew beyond any doubt whether they did or did not love each other. That way they'd know if the potential consequences would be worth the risk.
Could a man in the process of falling in love fall out of love before the actual emotion was achieved?
Probably. Men in love fell out of it all the time. Right?
And what about her? She had never felt this way about any other male. The thought of losing Blue nearly destroyed her.
"What are you thinking about, baby?"
She blinked and discovered he was no longer in his chair. She turned, meeting his gaze. He crowded her against the counter, his body heat enveloping her, his power stroking over her, causing goose bumps to rise.
"You were giving me a come-hither look," he said, cupping her cheeks, "and then you were frowning."
To tell or not to tell? "Just thinking about . . . feelings," she said, then cringed. "How mortifying. That was such a girl thing to say."
"Well, you're a girl." He hefted her onto the counter. "Wrap your legs around me."
She obeyed.
"Arms, too."
Again she obeyed. "Feeling bossy, Mr. Hammer?"
"Just tit for tat, snookums. And maybe I'm a girl, too, because I'm one hundred percent invested in this feelings conversation. So, what kind are we talking about? Confusion? Anger?" A pause. "Love?"
"Yes, Evangeline. What kind of feelings?"
Michael's cold voice echoed through the kitchen, and she gasped. Her father must have come in through the back door. He was clearly programmed into the security system; no alerts had sounded.
Blue stiffened.
Horrified, Evie jumped to her feet and gave him a little push to the side, hoping to urge him out of the room to save him from a confrontation. At least until she'd calmed things down. Because one thing became very clear as she met her father's gaze. Blue was right. Michael would not be giving them his blessing anytime soon. His eyes were narrowed, his color high. His hands were balled into fists.
Blue remained in place, shoulders back, legs braced apart.
A battle stance.
"Let me explain," she rushed out.
"Do you really think an explanation is needed?" Michael, who was dressed as a factory worker to disguise his true identity, looked at Blue. "I gave you everything, taught you everything you know, and only asked one thing in return."
"I realize that," Blue replied.
His tone . . .
He sounded miserable.
Sickness churned in her stomach.
"It's my fault," she said. "I came on to him. He was helpless against my potent seduction."
Blue scowled at her. "Don't lie. You're better than that. But yes, I was helpless."
"Don't talk to her like that," Michael growled, and took a menacing step forward.
As skilled a fighter as he was, he was still recovering from the blast. And Blue, with his Arcadian abilities, would always be stronger. Evie moved between them and held out her arms.
"Let's take a moment to talk about this," she said. "I'm an adult. Blue is an adult. What we do with each other affects no one but us. You never should have told him to stay away from me."
"It does affect me. It affects your life and my ability to--"
He pressed his lips together.
But she could guess what he was going to say. "You're more upset that you're losing your resident slut than about the fact that he might break my heart. Do you know how lousy that is?"
"I'm concerned about the loss of those particular talents, yes, but not more than I'm concerned about your heart."
In a show of comfort and support, Blue draped his arm over her shoulders. She was grateful, and it must have showed. Michael cursed under his breath.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Daddy, why are you here so early?"
Like Blue, he planted his feet. "I wanted to see you, to spend some time with you before we got to business." He held up a paper bag. "I brought you breakfast."
"Oh," she said guiltily. "I'm . . . sorry."
"How long has this been going on?" he demanded.
"Since I broke things off with Pagan," Blue said.
"Another woman scorned." Michael frowned at Evie. "Is that what you want for yourself? To be one in a line? Sunbeam, I hoped you would have so much more."
First, outrage hit her.
Then more outrage.
"Hold on a sec. You gave Blue those assignments, Daddy. You acted as his pimp. You didn't care that he had a girlfriend when you did it, either. You gave him orders and expected them to be obeyed. And he wanted your approval. Of course he obeyed."
"I had a choice, Evie," Blue said, resolute. "Always."
There was shame in his voice, and she didn't like it. "It's not what you did yesterday, darling. It's what you do today." She pointed a finger at Michael. "Did you tell all agents to stay away from me, or just Blue?"
A pause. A muscle ticking in his jaw. "Just Blue."
At her side, Blue stiffened all over again.
He'd just taken a major blow. Had just realized Michael judged him as harshly as Evie once had.
Oh, Blue . . .
He once told her that he wanted to be faithful. She realized now he wanted it more than anything. He grew up without the love of a family. He had John and Solo, but only during training and missions. He never really belonged to anyone.
She, at least, had Claire and Eden.
"Well," she said, "that's probably one of the stupidest things you've ever done, Daddy, and as I'm learning, you've done some pretty stupid things!"
He opened his mouth to reply.
"Shut up. Just shut up." She placed her hand on Blue's chest. "I could play this the way you'd like best. I could dump Blue and tell him it's because I don't want to stand in the way of his friendship with you, especially since we aren't even sure where this thing between us is going. But you know what? You don't deserve him. Neither do I, but I want him with every fiber of my being. Therefore, I'm keeping him."
"Evie--"
"No. You and the rest of the world might find this foolish, but I trust Blue. He's not going to take those kinds of mission anymore. Are you?" she demanded of Blue, glaring up at him.
Though there was still hurt in his eyes, there was also a glow of amusement. He shook his head. "No, ma'am."
"You and you alone have permission to call me anything you want--except 'ma'am.' The word makes me think of mom jeans, and I'd rather die." She turned to her father. "And you aren't going to offer those kinds of missions to him. You aren't going to be mad at him for disobeying your stupid order to stay away from me, either."
"But--"
"No!" She stomped her foot. "You're like a father to him. Act like it."
Michael's shoulders slumped.
"Now, then. Blue, put the food back in the fridge. Michael, sit down and give me my breakfast. Neither one of you is to say another word until I've decided what your punishments are."
"Our punishments?"
they demanded in unison.
She raised her chin. "That's right. You've both put me in a terrible position. One of you was going to make a horrible mistake and ask me to choose. Isn't that right, Daddy? I was then going to have to murder you both in cold blood. Now, get silent and do what you were told."
"That still doesn't explain what I did," Blue said--not getting silent.
She kissed him without any hesitation. "You are making me fall deeper and deeper in love with you, and I'm furious about it, poppet, I really am."
Twenty-four
ONCE SOLO ARRIVED, THINGS moved quickly.
Well, except for the one-on-one the guy insisted on having with Blue.
He pulled Blue into a hallway and said, "I knew there was something there, but I didn't know it was serious. Evangeline Black? Blue, you can do better."
"There's no one better." She was top of the line. Grade A. And she was falling deeper and deeper in love with him. He'd never let her take back those words. They'd rocked his world.
"You couldn't scratch your itch with someone else?" Solo persisted.
"It's not an itch," he replied flatly. "It's forever."
"So, what, you're going to marry the devil's favorite handmaiden now?"
Blue barely stopped himself from throwing a punch. This is your friend. You love him. "Watch how you talk about her, my man, or we will have problems. How would you feel if I insulted Vika that way?"
"I'd have to kill you." Shamefaced, Solo patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. If you like Evie, that's good enough for me. I will never treat her with anything other than respect."
"Thank you."
"No need for that. Your happiness matters to me."
"I'll never be happy without her." Evie was wonderful. The way she stood up to her dad. The way she defended Blue and confessed her feelings. He'd never seen anything like it, and doubted he ever would again.
She accepted him. All of him. Past, present. Future.
He'd always hated being called a slut and a whore, and he'd always told himself that he did what he did for the job, that it was okay. To discover that Michael viewed him through the ugly veil of judgment . . . yeah, that hurt. But Evie hadn't backed down.
"All right," she said now, checking the scope on a pyre-rifle as he and Solo returned to the kitchen. "Are we ready to do this? I call dibs on the guys in the photos with Mr. Cooper's pregnant girlfriend."
Beautiful, savage female.
Solo had spoken to Tyrese Cooper's wife, and with a little . . . persuasion she'd admitted to paying Star to abduct and hurt the mistress. The mistress had since been found, alive, and returned to Mr. Cooper. All three had a long, dark road to navigate.
"More than ready." Once upon a time, Blue had refused to admit Evie was the type of woman he'd wanted. The type he needed. But she was. And he wouldn't change a single thing about her. "But I don't want you rushing into a massive free-for-all, princess."
"Duh," she said. "I seriously suck at fighting more than one angry dude at a time. As I've proven. I'll be more help on a hill, picking off the idiots foolish enough to step within my sights."
That's my girl. "Let's go, then," Blue said.
They gathered all the weapons they could carry. Waiting for dark would give Star more time to hide. Or prepare.
They would take him, then his son, then his daughter.
In the car, Solo claimed the driver's seat, Blue the passenger, and Evie the back. No one spoke a word the entire drive, but that was okay. He knew that they were all thinking the same thing. No mercy.
About a mile from the gate, they dropped Evie off. Before she could clear the vehicle, Blue reached through the open window, grabbed her by the nape, pulled her close, and kissed her hard.
"Be careful," he whispered against her lips.
"No probs." Her gaze was grim. "But you, too. I mean it, Blue. You have no idea the fury I'll unleash on you if you allow yourself to get hurt."
"Get hurt, and delay our snugs time? No." He gave her another kiss before letting her go.
Leaving her was tough. He had to force himself to nod to Solo. The otherworlder drilled the pedal into the floorboard and zoomed to the gate blocking the public road from the private driveway. They emerged. As cameras watched their every move, Blue set a small bomb on the left side and Solo set one at the right.
They turned their backs, and boom!
The charge was small enough, and isolated enough, that he felt only a whoosh of white-hot air along his back and a slight burn on his neck and arms. As pieces of metal sprayed over the ground, he and Solo climbed inside the car and sped forward.
Armed guards rushed from the house, but Solo didn't slow. He'd taken control of the vehicle and disabled every sensor, allowing him to run into one man, then another. As they tumbled over the hood and screamed, the other males jumped out of the way.
When he reached the porch steps, he slammed the car through the front door. Bricks and other debris flew in every direction. Blue palmed his weapons as he got out. Moving faster than any gaze could track, he wove through the guards, shooting one, stabbing another. Shooting, stabbing. Grunts and groans sounded. Bodies fell to the ground, never to get up again.
He and Solo left no survivors.
They stomped inside the estate, alert, scanning for Star senior as well as any soldiers who might be lurking nearby. Blue's gaze caught the barrel of a pyre-gun peeking from around the corner of the far wall. He motioned to Solo, then launched forward, whizzing around, secretly closing in on the man.
A stream of yellow light sprayed at the other warrior. The fry setting, rather than stun. Solo dodged, but not quite swiftly enough. His arm was grazed by one of the flames.
Blue reached his target a second later and shot him in the temple.
"The others are running outside," Solo called. "Either they're afraid of us or they know something we don't."
An angry voice spilled from an intercom system. "They know something you don't."
Star.
While Solo searched for the reason the men had run, Blue ground his teeth and sought out the camera. There had to be one, and it had to be--there! In the corner, beside the entrance to the office. He glared into the lens. "You got something to say?"
"If you haven't already guessed," Star said, "I'm not there."
"Too bad."
"I thought we reached an understanding, Mr. Blue."
"We did. You tried to kill me and my woman, and I struck back."
A low growl echoed over the airwaves. "You murdered an entire contingent of my men and destroyed my home. Aren't you afraid of what I'll do to your friend?"
"Yes. But you should know, anything you do to John, I'll do to you. Twice."
"I do not appreciate threats, Mr. Blue."
Using his most insulting tone, Blue said, "I don't make threats, Mr. Star. I make promises."
"Bomb," Solo suddenly shouted. "Two minutes."
Blue leapt into action, moving to Solo's side and tugging him outside. They were at the gate by the time detonation occurred, but it was still a strong enough blast to knock them off their feet.
Blue was thrown into one of the fake trees, hitting with so much force he knocked the entire thing to the ground. A sharp sting in his side made him look down. A piece of metal protruded from his stomach.
Blood and his Arcadian power were hemorrhaging from him, draining him fast. He used what he could to lumber to his feet and check on Solo. The agent's cheek was badly cut, and crimson smeared the lower half of his face, but he was steady, unwavering.
"We need to leave before the authorities arrive," Solo said, even as sirens echoed in the background. "Or before Star sends more men."
Their car was in pieces, so they hoofed it deeper into the trees. Then, two yards before they reached the road, a group of Star's men stepped from behind the trunks, surrounding them--aiming pyre-guns.
*
Evie squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Turned, aimed t
hrough the scope. Squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Turned, aimed through the scope. Squeezed the trigger.
Pop!
Every time the pop sounded, another guard dropped--and very little was left of his head. Star's men soon figured out that anyone who dared raise a weapon against the Arcadian died.
Can't look at Blue. Can't run to Blue. Not yet.
If she looked, she would cry. That spike . . .
If she ran, she would give the enemy time to reach him.
The remaining men fired at the agents. Bright yellow lights erupted. Pretty. Like a display of fireworks. Blue and Solo managed to dodge, but Blue lost his footing and fell. He landed with a hard thump, the spike sinking deeper. He grimaced--and stayed down.
Dang it. She'd looked. And she was already crying.
With a roar, Solo collided with one of the males, and the two thudded to the ground.
His body expanded several inches. His skin took on a crimson glow. Spikes grew from the tips of his ears, and claws sprouted from his nails. Just then, he was a monster feared by other monsters, and yet the guards didn't run screaming.
As she picked off another of Star's men, she wondered if they were all under compulsion to stay and destroy. That would explain a lot. And it was possible. Star employed many different alien races, including Arcadians.
She peered through her scope, but the men were now being careful to remain in a state of constant motion. She could still hit a target, but it would take more time.
Pop!
Another went down. Only five more to go.
Solo disarmed one with his claws. A hand went flying--without an arm. Blood sprayed.
Four more to go.
Blue got to his feet, wavered. "Evangeline," he shouted. "Your three."
Understanding, she swept her gun to the right. A male had gotten down on one knee to aim a grenade launcher in her direction. She nailed him between the eyes, but it was too late. The rocket had been released. She fell to the ground, hands over her head to act as a small measure of protection. Only, the blast never came.
Brow furrowed, she straightened and scanned her surroundings. Blue had caught the fist-size missile with his power. As she watched, he sent the thing high in the sky. There was an explosion of fire and smoke. Blue collapsed, spent.
Solo moved to his side and stood sentry, daring the three remaining men to approach. Evie steadied her rifle. Keep it together. One by one, as the males circled the pair, closing in, she introduced them to the grave.