“Soldiers? So, you’re not fighters?”
Ben laughed. “We are, Quinn. We happen to be excellent fighters, but Mack recruited us for our military skills.”
“Oh.” Rick felt Quinn slump back onto his lap, most likely too dazed to ask any more questions. Dane put the first aid kit away, done wrapping her fingers up in soft gauze. “That explains the bullet wound,” she whispered.
“Now, we need a plan.” Mack sat back down. “Quinn, with you aware of the full extent of our capabilities, we don’t have to sneak around behind your back. What I’m saying is, we can without a doubt, stop your ex from ever getting near you again.”
Quinn couldn’t believe what was happening.
I’m going to wake up, and this will all have been a dream. Travis didn’t find me, Rick didn’t come out of the gym with a loaded gun, and my father’s oldest friend doesn’t run a secret mercenary for hire operation.
She ran her eyes over every man in Sanctum’s conference room. Ben Price, the kind, unassuming man, was dressed from head to toe in black, looking like some kind of lethal ninja. Clint, her best friend’s husband, was agitated and angry, the tight white T-shirt he had on overshadowed by the leather double shoulder holster strapped around him. The shiny black and chrome grips of two very large handguns were clearly visible under his bulky biceps.
As she continued around the table, she noticed every man in similar gear—armed, ready, and most definitely willing to do battle for her. She felt like the only human standing on the top of Mount Olympus, surrounded by gods with innumerable powers.
“I’m…” she rubbed her head, feeling dizzy. “I—I…” Quinn jumped to her feet. “I need a minute.” She dashed out of the room and across the hall. Grabbing a bottle of water out of the break room fridge, Quinn chugged half of it while standing in front of the open refrigerator.
This is too much. A man I’ve known my whole life… Clint, Rick… they kill people for a living.
Quinn’s heart sped up and panic flooded her body. The reality of everything hit her. Her husband wants to kill her, her boyfriend wants to kill her husband, her dad’s oldest friend runs illegal covert operations… what next? She bent over, putting her hands on her knees and letting her head hang as she caught her breath.
Someone entered the room, closing the door. She felt him come up alongside her, knowing it was Rick just by listening to the way he moved and catching a whiff of his masculine scent.
“Quinn…” He leaned on the counter next to her, gently rubbing her back.
“I can’t, Rick. I can’t sit in there right now. I need time to think.”
“I understand.” He took her arm and pulled her upright, hugging her to his broad chest. She felt calmer instantly, safe in his familiar hold. Rick’s heartbeat was steady and strong in her ear. His presence may be intimidating to others, and he may have killed a lot of people, but for Quinn he was a balm for her shredded psyche.
“I’ll take you upstairs and get caught up with the guys later. Wait here and let me tell Mack.” She nodded. “I won’t let him get you again, doll. You did great out there, fighting him off.” He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss, his hands coming up to cup her face. “I’ll kill him before he ever gets his hands on you again.” Rick’s eyes flashed with fury right before he pressed one more kiss to her lips, turned, and left the room.
Quinn thought about what Rick said. “I’ll kill him before he ever gets his hands on you again.” She shivered, knowing he was dead serious, and maybe that scared her just as much as Travis did.
Rick lay next to Quinn on her bed, staring at the ceiling fan as it slowly rotated.
“No.”
He twisted his head to watch Quinn as she spoke in her sleep. He was used to her nightmares, some of which came with talking— or even screaming— throughout the night. He was no stranger to them himself, having woken up dozens of times in a pool of his own sweat.
Lying on her side, facing Rick, Quinn’s soft features scrunched up as if in pain.
“No!”
Her breathing became erratic, huffing out between her full lips. Just like every night for the last three weeks, Rick tried to soothe her while she slept. He couldn’t stop the nightmares, or erase what horrors this innocent girl had faced, but he could try to ease her out of them when they occurred.
Rick skimmed his fingers over her hair, gently stroking the silky strands, hoping his touch would relax her.
“Stop! Stop!”
The agitation was becoming worse. Quinn fisted the sheets, clawing at them frantically.
“It’s okay, doll,” Rick whispered, his heart breaking for the beautiful, damaged girl he loved. “Shhhhh.” His hand moved lower, caressing her arm.
“Rick.”
His attention went back to her face, certain that she must have woken up to address him, but he found her eyes were still closed.
“Rick, no! Don’t!”
What?
“Quinn.” Rick spoke louder, hoping to ease her from the dream gradually.
“Don’t kill him. Rick, no!”
Fuck, she’s dreaming that her bastard ex killed me.
“Quinn! Doll, wake up!”
Rick was starting to lose it. It was bad enough that Quinn was abused and kidnapped by a complete psycho. She didn’t need nightmares of him being killed by the asshole on top of everything else she was suffering through.
“No! No! Rick… don’t shoot!”
With his heart racing and his palms beginning to sweat, Rick sat up and grabbed both of Quinn’s shoulders. “Quinn, you’re dreaming, doll. Wake up!”
Startling him, Quinn’s eyes flew open and she gasped loudly, clutching at her chest. Rick waited a minute for her to get her bearings. She looked scared as shit and completely confused.
“Oh my god,” she whispered, tears shining in her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
He was hesitant to touch her. Worried he might send her over the edge if Travis was attacking her in her dream.
Quinn blinked, then threw her arms around Rick, holding back a sob. Grateful she came to him, he held on tight, quietly whispering in her ear and stroking her back.
“It’s okay. Just a dream, doll.”
She sniffed, sitting back on her heels to wipe her cheeks. “No, it was awful. I’m so confused.”
“Okay. Do you want to tell me?” Rick sat on the bed facing her. Quinn didn’t usually want to discuss the nightmares. She said it was like reliving them over again and again.
“I–I don’t know.”
It upset him that she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “You said my name.”
Her lip trembled, making him feel like shit for pushing.
“Forget it. You don’t have to tell me, Quinn.” As much as he wanted to know what happened, the last thing he wanted to do was put more stress on her.
“No, it’s just… it was so confusing. You… you were about to kill Travis. Shoot him.”
“And that confused you?”
Hell, I thought she was dreaming about that douchebag killing me, not the other way around.
“I—I don’t want you to kill Travis.”
“What?”
No. No way. There’s no way she would ask for mercy for that asshole.
Rick leapt from the bed and began pacing the room, dressed only in a pair of black briefs.
“You can’t be serious.”
He turned towards the window, his shoulders rigid as he stared out at the faint early morning light, trying to hide his anger. A muffled cry caught his attention. Spinning back to face the bed he saw Quinn with her head buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
Fuck!
“Doll, no. Don’t cry. You don’t mean it. Think about it. Don’t you want that monster gone for good?”
As much as he wanted to comfort her, Rick couldn’t get past the intense, primal need to make Travis Hardy pay for what he did to Quinn.
“I d-d-don’t t-t-think so,” she wailed. “C-can’
t he j-just go to jail?”
Rick masked his fury, trying to sound calm and levelheaded when what he wanted to do was to start screaming. “Jail isn’t a guarantee, doll. There’s always a loophole for criminals to skate through. And him? Being a sheriff’s deputy? It’s likely he would get a much lighter sentence, if he were sentenced at all. There’s no documented evidence of any of your abuse. You’re the only eyewitness to your kidnapping. A jury wouldn’t convict without proof.”
“Please, Rick.” Quinn’s red-ringed eyes begged him to understand. But he didn’t. Not even close.
“I can’t, doll. I need to do this.” Anger so deep it actually surprised him with its intensity, boiled up from somewhere deep inside his core. “You’re asking the impossible. I—” Shit, was he really going to do this now? “I didn’t want to say it like this. Damn.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “I love you, Quinn. I can’t let him hurt you again.”
Quinn flung herself off the bed and at Rick, wrapping her arms around his neck, hanging on for dear life.
“I’m begging you, Rick. I love you too. So much. Don’t become like him. I don’t know if I can stand it if you murder him.”
Exasperated, Rick unwound her arms. “It’s not murder, Quinn! He’s a fucking animal and needs to be taken out!” The significance of the declarations they just exchanged was being swept away in a ridiculous argument.
She shook her head back and forth, her eyes closed. “No. No. I can’t, Rick. I can’t be with a murderer.” Her breath was stilted, going in and out unevenly.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Rage and resentment boiled up in his gut. This time, he couldn’t contain himself.
“I have news for you, doll… I am a murderer! I’ve killed so many people, I’ve lost count! One more piece of shit won’t change that!”
“It might not change you, Rick. But it will change me.” Quinn took a step back, looking at Rick like her heart was breaking. Unconsciously, she swiped at a tear that ran down her cheek. “Your work isn’t the same. This is personal, not an order, not a government operation… it’s born of hate and revenge. It’s murder and you know it. I won’t look at you the same, not ever again. All I’ll see is how you took your vengeance and became the judge, jury, and executioner. I can’t love someone like that. That was Travis, using anger as his motivation to do unspeakable things, and I won’t make that mistake again.” Her words came out as a sob at the end.
An icy fear slid down Rick’s spine, spreading goose bumps all over his skin. Quinn was serious. She would leave him over this, even if she loved him. If he took revenge on that bastard, he’d lose the only woman he’d ever loved. It was unbelievably fucking unfair.
“I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. I want to protect you.”
“So protect me.” More tears ran down her face as she waited for his decision. Did he lose her or lose his chance at Travis?
He huffed in incredulity, raking a hand through his hair. She had him by the balls and he despised how it felt, but no matter what he thought he couldn’t bring himself to hurt her any further. “Fine. But I’m telling you I don’t like it. It goes against everything I am.”
“No, Rick. You’re a good man. An honest man. Not a twisted psycho like Travis.” She must have caught on to the doubt he felt at her words because she reached for his hands, clasping them in hers. “Promise me, Rick. Promise you won’t kill him.”
“Christ, Quinn. I said I wouldn’t do it, alright?” He was thoroughly exasperated by this conversation.
“Promise,” she whispered, releasing his hands to lift hers up to his face, softly scraping her fingers over his day-old beard.
Ignoring every impulse, every natural instinct in his body to hunt down Travis and tear him to pieces, Rick reluctantly agreed, nearly growling out his response. “I promise.”
“Thank you.” Her hands tugged, urging him down to meet her lips. The salty tears that were trailing down her face ended up between them, the taste mingling with Quinn’s on his tongue.
He pulled back to rest his forehead on hers. “Anything for you, doll. Anything.”
Even if it means sacrificing every bit of myself to be with you.
“For the hundredth time, I don’t know where he is!”
After being interrogated about her ex by the men of Sanctum for over two hours, all Quinn wanted to do was scream and run out into the street. Five large men, minus Mack who was in his office and Tucker who was in Mission Control, were barking out question after question from their seats around the conference room table.
“Christ, he couldn’t have fucking disappeared. He’s got a house and a fucking job!” Clint’s face was bright red with anger, the veins on his neck protruding from the skin.
“Okay, let’s go back to his family and friends.”
Quinn turned to Dane, not bothering to mask her complete and utter frustration at him asking her the same question… again.
“That’s it.” She threw up her hands and shoved her chair back from the table. “I’m done. This is stupid.” Ignoring their shouts of protest, she stormed out the door, knowing that Rick would be hot on her heels.
Rick nearly knocked her over when she abruptly spun around to face him. “What? Are you going to repeat yourself over and over when you know damn well if I had any answers, I would give them to you?”
His hands flew up, palms out, to calm her down. “No. I understand you’re frustrated. I’m frustrated. Hell, everyone’s frustrated.” She watched as the tall, stunning man began scraping both hands through his dark hair, messing it up until it looked as if he just rolled out of bed.
Quinn felt the resentment leave her in a rush, having been replaced with a wave of lust for Rick’s gorgeous body. She needed an escape from this nightmare, and he provided the perfect one. Slowly, she crept forward. Rick was so consumed with his irritation that he didn’t notice her until she pressed up against him and ground her hips sensually.
“Huh? Oh.” His eyes flew up to focus on hers. Quinn watched as his pupils dilated, the black nearly eclipsing the shocking turquoise of his irises when he caught on to her advances.
“Let’s go upstairs. I need a break.” Quinn punctuated her point by sliding a hand down over Rick’s ass and giving it a squeeze.
“Jesus…” He hissed, thrusting his hips forward to rub against Quinn’s abdomen. Abruptly, it seemed as if he came out of his lust-induced trance. Rick shook his head, blinking a few times to clear his head. “No, doll.” He took a step back. “We need to find him before he tries something else.”
Quinn put on her best pout, still holding out hope that she could lure him away for a few hours.
He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh doll. You’re so fucking adorable.” Rick gave her a quick kiss, causing her to huff when he kept it short.
“Fine. What next? Because I’m not going back in there for another round of torture.” She gestured towards the conference room, where they could hear the men arguing about different ways to track Travis down.
Rick turned towards the one room in the building that Quinn had never seen. He swiped his badge and pressed several numbers on a light up keypad next to the lock. The lock disengaged with a quiet hiss. Pulling on the heavy slab of metal, his large biceps flexing, Rick opened the door for her and smirked. “After you.”
Intrigued but nervous, Quinn glanced up at Rick to be sure he was serious before walking through the open doorway.
Holy crap, I’m in the Twilight Zone.
“Ooof!” This time, Rick actually did smash into her when she stopped short. His hands held her shoulders to keep her on her feet. “Sorry, doll. You okay?”
Quinn couldn’t speak. She was overwhelmed and practically orgasming. Slowly, she spun in a circle, greedily taking in everything in the room, grinning like a kid in a candy store.
A third voice punctuated the space. “You like?”
She completed her visual exploration of the room and found Tucker, smirking at her know
ingly from a seat in front of a wall of hi-definition screens. “I never would have pegged you for a geek, Quinn.”
Her mouth gaped. “I never would have thought a place like this existed. Wow.”
Tucker shrugged. “Have a seat.”
“Really?” Quinn’s heart started beating wildly in her chest. This was her dream, to have access to computers that had the power to tap into any network, anytime, anywhere in the world.
“Sure.”
Dazed, she slid into the seat next to Tucker. He leaned over her and tapped his fingers on the keyboard in front of her.
“There, you’re logged in.”
“What?” She felt her eyes bugging out of her head.
“Go for it. I gave you access to our servers.”
“But that’s—”
“It’s fine, Quinn. Just don’t launch any nukes or anything.”
She gaped and made a choking noise.
Tucker smirked. “Just kidding. We can’t launch nukes from here. Well… I don’t think we could, I’ve never tried.” He shrugged again and kept working.
Unsure, Quinn glanced over at Rick to see him smiling down at her. Well, okay then. Dramatically cracking her knuckles, she took full advantage of what was being served up on a silver platter.
“Jesus, doll. If I’d known that computers would get you this hot, I’d have brought you into Mission Control a long time ago.”
Rick lay on Quinn’s bed, staring at her beautiful features as he attempted to catch his breath after a smoking hot round of amazing sex. The only response he got was a small, exhausted sounding giggle. He rolled to his side and situated them both, until he was spooned around Quinn’s warm body, nudging her neck with his nose.
“You know how fucking sexy it is to watch you sit in front of all of those screens while you hack your way through layers of government firewalls? Do you?”
“I’m pretty sure you just showed me how sexy you think it is.”
Her eyes were closed, drained from all of the recent events; her psycho ex, the constant questioning by Mack’s team, the stress of having to be vigilant at all times… Frankly, Rick was shocked that she hadn’t fallen to pieces yet.