Still numb, she kept her emotions locked up tight, too afraid to let them out because they might send her down a hole she couldn’t climb out of. Shutting off her mind, Quinn went through the motions, showering and climbing into bed. As she stared at the ceiling fan, watching it go round and round in slow circles, she wondered if Rick would ever forgive her.
It was nearly a week after the failed mission and Quinn still hadn’t heard from Rick. Not a phone call, not a text, he hadn’t even shown up for work. Frankly, Quinn was beginning to feel more pissed off at his selfishness than she did worried.
“Hey. You want to learn this or not?”
Quinn was startled from her thoughts. “Sorry, Tucker. Yeah, I do want to learn.”
“Cool.” Tucker continued explaining how to use the different components of Sanctum’s sophisticated computer system, oblivious to Quinn’s anxiety.
After finding her moping around the gym, waiting for Rick to magically appear, Tucker pulled her into Mission Control and began to show her exactly what Sanctum was capable of. Now, five days later, Quinn was hacking into files all over the world, collecting intelligence for clients (aka the US Government), and gathering info for Mack’s operations.
She was grateful for the distraction, but honestly, Quinn really wanted to talk to Rick and make sure he was okay. Even though she was madder than hell that he blamed her for his failure to catch Travis, she couldn’t deny that she loved him. Before she met Rick, Quinn couldn’t have imagined trusting anyone enough to fall in love, let alone have feelings so strong that she literally felt ill at the thought of not being with him again.
They continued gathering intel for an operation Tucker said was to take place the following week. Dane stopped by several times throughout the week to see what they had compiled, since he was going to be the team leader when the operation hit the ground.
“So…” Dane tried to be casual as he scrolled through the files they had downloaded to his laptop.
Quinn glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “So what?”
“Just wondering if you’d heard from Rick.”
She pressed her lips into a tight line, her nerves worn thin. “No, Dane. I haven’t. Just like the last four times you asked.”
“Okay, okay.” He held his hands up in defeat. “I’ll stop bugging you.”
“Thanks,” she snapped, irritated that not only was Dane constantly asking about Rick, but that Rick was still gone. Quinn turned to Tucker who was speaking to someone on his ever-present Bluetooth. “Should we bring this stuff to Mack?”
Tucker held up one finger for Quinn to wait. He finished his call and threw his earpiece onto the desk. “Mack’s not in. That was him on the phone. He’s been working remote since Tuesday.”
“Oh. I hadn’t even noticed.” Great, now she felt bad that she’d been so wrapped up in her own problems she had no clue Mack hadn’t been at work the last few days. The man took her in, treated her like his own, did everything in his power to get Travis, and she couldn’t be bothered to stop by his office long enough to notice he was missing.
Tucker shrugged. “He’ll be back tomorrow.”
Mack would be back tomorrow, but would Rick? Not knowing hurt like hell. “I think I’ve had enough for today.” Quinn pushed away from the desk, not meeting Tucker or Dane’s curious stares.
“You can sit in while I brief Mack and the team tomorrow morning at ten. See what it involves,” Tucker called out as Quinn left the room.
“I’ll be there.” She waved good-bye over her head and crossed the gym. Quinn caught Xavier’s attention and waited patiently by the door while he ran to the locker room before joining her in the lobby. Even though this was the third day in a row that one of the guys escorted her upstairs, seeing a large, loaded firearm in their hand reminded her that she was still in very real danger.
“Let’s go, Quinn.” Xavier went first, scanning the area carefully like the professional warrior he was trained to be. Nodding, she trailed on his heels as they scaled the stairs to her small apartment. Once there, Quinn unlocked the door for Xavier, waiting for his signal that it was okay to follow him inside.
“It’s clear. See you tomorrow morning, Quinn. Is nine okay?” Xav’s dark eyes and kind expression made her feel more relaxed, but did nothing to heal the gaping hole left by her wayward soldier.
“Yes. Nine.” She was exhausted, mentally and physically. All she wanted was to see Rick, to clear the air between them. Selfishly, Quinn needed him and he wasn’t here for her. More importantly, he wouldn’t let her be there for him. She understood that he was angry, that he felt confined when she forced his hand with Travis. If he would just call or show up they could discuss it like adults.
Quinn stripped and climbed into bed and just like every night over the last three days, she didn’t cry before going falling to sleep, the blissful numbness still helping to keep her emotions shuttered up tight.
Rick flicked through the different keys on his keychain, struggling to find the correct one. With no moon to brighten the night sky, it was nearly pitch black outside the door, making his task near impossible.
Cursing, it took him three tries to finally get the correct key into the lock. Rick needed to speak to Quinn, he knew it. He reacted badly the other day— okay, so he was an asshole. Who’s perfect? At least the five days he spent with his brother gave him time to think about everything. After seeing what a normal, healthy relationship was, it led Rick to come to the conclusion that above all else, he had to be with Quinn. No matter the cost.
As Rick unlocked the bolt and pushed open the door, entering the dark foyer, he knew that getting some distance, leaving town, had helped him prioritize his life. Unfortunately, priority number one was currently aiming a very large handgun at his head.
“Whoa! Doll, it’s me. Please put the gun down.”
Rick stood motionless in Quinn’s apartment, cautiously eyeing the gun that dwarfed her small hand. His heart nearly stopped at the impossible image in front of him. Tiny Quinn, amber eyes wide and frightened, her arms trembling as she held up the dull, black pistol.
“Rick?” The relief in her voice nearly brought him to his knees.
“Yes, doll. Please… lower the gun.”
A sob hitched in her chest as her shaking hands came down. She dropped the gun onto the couch and collapsed into his arms.
“God I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left you like that. I had the guys watching over you but… you must have been terrified.” Rick pulled her close, closing his eyes to enjoy the feel of Quinn’s body against him. Such a fucking shithead, leaving Quinn to deal not only with a psychotic ex-husband stalking her, but his chilling outburst followed by days of silence.
“You’re here now.” Quinn clutched at his clothing, pressing herself so tightly against Rick that it felt as if she were trying to climb inside him.
“I am here. I’ll never leave you again, doll.”
“But you did leave me,” she whispered, releasing his shirt and taking a hesitant step back. “Where were you?”
The anguish on her beautiful face cut into him like a knife, slicing his heart into tattered ribbons.
“I—I needed time away. I was so angry, Quinn.” Rick didn’t know how to explain why he had gone without upsetting her further. He already knew it was a douche move. No need to make it any worse.
Naturally, Quinn wouldn’t accept his pathetic explanation.
“Angry with me, you mean.” Her full lips turned into a frown.
This was not going well. Taking her hand, Rick guided her over to the couch, pulling her down to sit next to him. Starved for contact, he kept their hands intertwined, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand as he tried to clarify why he was a total jackass.
“Not angry with you—” he winced, “well, kind of, but not.” Her frown got deeper, small furrows lining her forehead. “I’m not saying it right. I was pissed that I didn’t get my hands on Travis. In the moment, yes… I was angry th
at I couldn’t shoot him, take him out like the piece of shit he is. But—” Rick squeezed her hand, bringing it up to his lips to press a small kiss on her knuckles. He heard the sharp intake of breath pass through her lips and smiled against her hand. “But after taking the time to think… really think about what you said, I decided you were right.
“So yes. Originally I was angry at you for stopping me from killing your ex.” Quinn’s face twisted into one of anguish and it killed him to see her in such pain. Rick tugged her closer, their lips only inches away. “But I’m so glad you did, doll. You shouldn’t be okay with waking up next to a murderer. You’re way too good for that. And I want to wake up to you, Quinn. Every fucking day.”
“I’m not better than you, Rick,” Quinn murmured, squirming on the couch as Rick continued kissing her knuckles, turning over her hand to brush his mouth across her palm, down to her wrist.
“Still, gunning down a man in the back, no matter how I justify it, isn’t right. You deserve someone better than that.” Rick moved closer to Quinn, their knees bumping together gently. He let go of her hand so he could sweep back a stray piece of hair that had fallen over her face. Rick let his hand linger, tracing his finger down the shell of her ear, over the soft skin of her cheek until he used it to nudge her chin up towards him.
“You’re more than I deserve, Rick. More than I ever thought I could have.”
He dropped his gaze to her mouth, those full red lips begging to be kissed. Hearing a small moan escape from her throat, Rick knew she was just as affected. He lowered his mouth to hers, and his entire world burned red from the heat.
Quinn was so happy she wanted to scream. She went from completely alone and depressed, to having Rick in her apartment kissing her senseless. His large, warm body pressed her down onto the couch cushions as their tongues twisted and tangled together. The scent of his skin surrounded her, made her feel safe in his embrace.
Home.
That’s what it felt like. She was finally home after being adrift since her father died. Quinn found someone worth being with, worth making a life with, and she wasn’t going to let him go. She was tired of worrying, tired of running, just goddamn sick and tired of not being happy. That’s what Rick did for her— he made her happy.
She groaned as his hips thrust against hers, his hard ridge pressing between her legs. “I need you so much,” he whispered, his warm breath caressing her ear.
Quinn threw her head back as he trailed his mouth down the sensitive skin of her neck, biting and licking as she writhed with pleasure.
“Never gonna let you go, doll.” Rick’s words were making her beyond hot. The unrelenting, rhythmic grinding combined with his talented mouth on her skin had hormones exploding inside her within minutes.
“Rick—”
“I know, doll. I know. I’m going to do all sorts of filthy things to your body tonight. Gonna make you feel so good.” His hips thrust against her harder, making his voice hitch. “Shit… I want it to last. Want to be inside you all night long.” Rick’s wet nips and kisses brushed over every responsive spot on her throat.
Kiss. Thrust. Bite. Thrust.
Quinn thought her eyes were going to roll back in head the sensations were so overwhelming. “Please.” She hated begging, but at this point, she’d do anything to have Rick inside her. Her skin was electrified, like a live wire humming with energy.
Rick stood up, leaving Quinn cold without his weight on top of her. “Bedroom,” he whispered, holding out a hand.
She wanted to grab it and yank him towards the bedroom as fast as possible. Instead, Quinn somehow managed to control the impulse and let Rick lead the way.
Once they reached the bed, they attacked each other’s clothing, unbuttoning and pulling off articles until they came together, skin on skin.
“Fuck, you feel so good.” His mouth crashed over hers again, his insistent tongue driving inside. Quinn had never been kissed like this, not by anyone. It was sweet but rough, kind but possessive— she never wanted it to end.
Screw breathing, it’s entirely overrated.
A floaty, lightheaded sensation overtook her mind. By the time they separated, both gasping for breath, she would have agreed to do anything Rick asked. Anything.
Gently, he crowded Quinn until she fell back on the bed, spread out wantonly on the sheets.
“God, you’re so gorgeous. I can’t decide what to do to you first.” Rick ran his calloused hands up and down her legs, licking his lips as if Quinn were a buffet, waiting to be tasted.
“Do anything… something… I don’t care.”
Rick climbed onto the bed, kneeling between her legs. His hands moved up to caress the sides of her torso, lightly brushing over her breasts. Quinn moaned shamelessly, arching her back up into his touch.
“Anything?”
Quinn met Rick’s gaze and her breath caught. Yes, he was stunningly beautiful— his tan skin smooth, rippling over his hard muscles. His lips were swollen and damp and his thick dark hair thoroughly mussed. But it was those eyes— those expressive turquoise eyes, the color of the Caribbean Sea, that captivated her. Quinn could see so much in his eyes— love, lust, desire, strength, protection— she saw a partner that would always be there for her, no matter what the cost.
“Make love to me,” she whispered, reaching up to thread her fingers into the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. Quinn pulled herself up so she could taste his golden skin, licking a line up his throat to his mouth. The perfect salty-sweet flavor of Rick exploded on her tongue.
“Yes,” he hissed against her mouth. Rick moved forward as Quinn fell back onto the bed, their lips still fused together as one.
This was where Quinn felt calm, where she could lay to rest all of her fears, all of her worries. With Rick’s hard, heavy body on top of hers, she could let go and just feel. When his hot length slid inside her, Quinn nearly bucked off of the bed. The only thing keeping her from fracturing to pieces immediately, was the slow, torturous strokes Rick made, moving until he was almost all the way out before sliding back in until their hips met.
“Faster, more…” Quinn loved the drawn out friction, loved the intimacy of Rick staring into her eyes as they made love. But her body was practically vibrating with need. She was so tantalizingly close, yet that blissful peak was staying at arms length.
“I love you, doll.” Rick devoured her mouth as his hips sped up. His tongue plunged in and out of her mouth, mimicking the fast strokes of his cock.
“God, yes!” Her cries were muffled by another deep kiss. Rick swallowed her moans until his own pleasure became too much.
“Fuck… oh my god, Quinn… I can’t.” His head dropped to her shoulder. His hot, fast breaths gusting over the sensitive skin of her neck and ear. The fast pace was quickly driving Quinn to the edge.
“Rick! Yes, oh god, oh god…”
Rick braced himself up on his arms and thrust wildly, his strokes uneven and deeper than Quinn thought possible.
“Quinn…” Rick warned, letting her know he was close.
Right as his gorgeous face drew tight with ecstasy, his head thrown back as he came with a roar. The sight sent Quinn over the edge. She shattered into a million pieces and convulsed around Rick’s cock, drawing a strangled sound from his throat as he collapsed on top of her.
In that moment, life was perfect. And maybe it would be from here on out. Quinn couldn’t worry about it right now. Now, she was truly loved and cared for, and nothing else mattered.
It was three weeks since the Travis debacle, and no one had seen or heard a peep from the man. He was completely off the grid. Even though she didn’t think he was still in the area, Quinn wasn’t about to relax and let her guard down, not that the men of Sanctum would allow that to happen. When she came to Atlanta, Quinn had expected to find her father’s old buddy, that’s it. What she found instead was a family— a father figure, five over-protective big brothers, a sister in Mara, and a lover that made her happier than she ever imagi
ned possible.
The door clicked open behind her, but Quinn didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Not only did her body have some sort of ability to sense when Rick was nearby, but the closed circuit camera in the hallway let her know who was entering Mission Control.
“Hey babe,” she said over her shoulder, not looking away from the wall of screens in front of her.
“Hi doll. You almost done?” Rick leaned in close, brushing the hair away from her ear to whisper. “You have no idea how fucking hot you look when you’re working.”
Quinn smiled, a shiver running through her from Rick’s husky, sexed-out voice. “I never would have pegged you as someone with a geek-fetish.” Her fingers stopped typing so she could melt into Rick’s lips as they skimmed along her neck.
“Not a geek-fetish, doll. A you fetish.” He fake growled and bit her ear playfully.
“Stop!” Quinn giggled and weakly shoved Rick away, not actually wanting him to stop at all.
“You need to stop turning me on if you don’t want me all over you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Everything turns you on.”
“Just you, doll. Just you.”
Before Quinn could respond, the door clicked and Tucker walked in. “Hey Rick. Quinn,” he crossed the room and dropped into his chair. “This just came for you.” He handed her a large, cream-colored envelope.
The wide grin fell off her face the instant Quinn got a look at the return address. Her stomach flipped inside out and her heart flew up into her throat. For a minute, Quinn thought she might pass out. She must have looked as bad as she felt, because Rick was in front of her, speaking frantically.
“Hey… Quinn! Doll. You okay?”
The warm, comforting strength of Rick’s arms came around her, pulling her out of her chair and into his embrace.
“What is it?” His voice was steady, but Quinn could hear the concern behind the words.