sins. For once, let me atone.”
“You don’t need to repent another time, Keeley.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I know all of that, and I don’t care. I love you just the way you are.”
“But I need to love me. I’m no good for either one of us this way. If,” her voice caught on a sob, “I’m ever going to be able to have a normal relationship with you, I have to forgive myself. I have to be worthy.”
He sucked in a breath and grabbed her face in his large hands. “You. Are. Worthy.”
She searched his eyes for deception, but found only admiration. How did that happen? Why would such a phenomenal man fall in love with her ? Sure, she could lie to herself and say that was not what she saw in the depths of those emeralds, piercing her with love, but why deceive herself. “It’s your love for me that makes me want to be a better person. Please.” She licked her lips. “Let me do this.”
He shook his head as his lips brushed hers. “Not without me.”
Her gasp was caught in his mouth as he took hers gently, tenderly, pouring all his love into the kiss. If she wouldn’t listen to his words, then he’d speak to her body with his. She opened further, letting her tongue dance with his. The knock on the door broke their moment of passion. Both winded and needing more of each other. Her breathy whisper in his ear, “Show me later,” almost made him tell the person waiting on the other side to go fuck themselves. She might not be able to have sex, but he could make damn sure she had a mind-blowing orgasm.
His nostrils flared with desire as he answered the persistent knocking. “Give us a sec.”
A mumbled, “You’ve got sixty,” came through loud and clear. Mitch was pissed.
Keeley hopped off the counter and winced when the jolt could be felt in every bruise and stitch on her body. Tar didn’t miss it, either. She clasped his hand. “Let’s go see what all this assignment requires.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Doesn’t matter. You go, I go.” Her eyes shot up to his. He gazed into those sable depths with all the sincerity inside him. “And not before you’re fully healed and properly trained.”
“Yes, Sir,” she confirmed as the door swung open.
Chapter Nine
“Look, Tar. I know you’re frightened for her. I get it. Truly I do. But I don’t think this is a good idea,” Mitch was speaking as he watched Tarius set up the training room. His piercing green eyes lit on Mitch’s with a loud and clear message: not up for discussion. Mitch sighed heavily, handing over a blade that would fit best in Keeley’s dainty hand. He pointed out, “She’s not ready for the intensity this’ll take. After that kind of surgery, it’ll be a good six weeks before she’s fully recovered.”
Tar shot him an I’m-not-stupid look and followed it up, “Nothing intense with shooting guns and throwing knives.”
True that. Problem was, Mitch would rather Keeley go in without training. Her fay-like frame made her appear younger, and an innocent look gave a serious advantage. Huge boon if she could pull it off, and a major risk factor if they taught her how to take down one of those men. A blown cover would cease the operation to take down this main artery and bring them back to square one. Yeah, not an option. “It’s unnecessary. We’ll be watching her from all angles. Besides, you’ll be with her.” That earned him a shut-the-fuck-up-before-I-shut-you-up glare.
“You and I both know,” he said through a clenched jaw, “that if she’s sold, she’ll be all alone with one of those sick fucks,” Tar seethed.
Bad enough Keeley wanted to put herself in that kind of danger, but Mitch practically demanding she go in without knowing how to defend herself sent him into overdrive. He knew it wasn’t his friend’s opinion but more the chain of command he followed. The higher-ups wanted to throw a sacrificial lamb into the lion’s den and to hell with the
“You don’t need to repent another time, Keeley.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I know all of that, and I don’t care. I love you just the way you are.”
“But I need to love me. I’m no good for either one of us this way. If,” her voice caught on a sob, “I’m ever going to be able to have a normal relationship with you, I have to forgive myself. I have to be worthy.”
He sucked in a breath and grabbed her face in his large hands. “You. Are. Worthy.”
She searched his eyes for deception, but found only admiration. How did that happen? Why would such a phenomenal man fall in love with her ? Sure, she could lie to herself and say that was not what she saw in the depths of those emeralds, piercing her with love, but why deceive herself. “It’s your love for me that makes me want to be a better person. Please.” She licked her lips. “Let me do this.”
He shook his head as his lips brushed hers. “Not without me.”
Her gasp was caught in his mouth as he took hers gently, tenderly, pouring all his love into the kiss. If she wouldn’t listen to his words, then he’d speak to her body with his. She opened further, letting her tongue dance with his. The knock on the door broke their moment of passion. Both winded and needing more of each other. Her breathy whisper in his ear, “Show me later,” almost made him tell the person waiting on the other side to go fuck themselves. She might not be able to have sex, but he could make damn sure she had a mind-blowing orgasm.
His nostrils flared with desire as he answered the persistent knocking. “Give us a sec.”
A mumbled, “You’ve got sixty,” came through loud and clear. Mitch was pissed.
Keeley hopped off the counter and winced when the jolt could be felt in every bruise and stitch on her body. Tar didn’t miss it, either. She clasped his hand. “Let’s go see what all this assignment requires.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Doesn’t matter. You go, I go.” Her eyes shot up to his. He gazed into those sable depths with all the sincerity inside him. “And not before you’re fully healed and properly trained.”
“Yes, Sir,” she confirmed as the door swung open.
Chapter Nine
“Look, Tar. I know you’re frightened for her. I get it. Truly I do. But I don’t think this is a good idea,” Mitch was speaking as he watched Tarius set up the training room. His piercing green eyes lit on Mitch’s with a loud and clear message: not up for discussion. Mitch sighed heavily, handing over a blade that would fit best in Keeley’s dainty hand. He pointed out, “She’s not ready for the intensity this’ll take. After that kind of surgery, it’ll be a good six weeks before she’s fully recovered.”
Tar shot him an I’m-not-stupid look and followed it up, “Nothing intense with shooting guns and throwing knives.”
True that. Problem was, Mitch would rather Keeley go in without training. Her fay-like frame made her appear younger, and an innocent look gave a serious advantage. Huge boon if she could pull it off, and a major risk factor if they taught her how to take down one of those men. A blown cover would cease the operation to take down this main artery and bring them back to square one. Yeah, not an option. “It’s unnecessary. We’ll be watching her from all angles. Besides, you’ll be with her.” That earned him a shut-the-fuck-up-before-I-shut-you-up glare.
“You and I both know,” he said through a clenched jaw, “that if she’s sold, she’ll be all alone with one of those sick fucks,” Tar seethed.
Bad enough Keeley wanted to put herself in that kind of danger, but Mitch practically demanding she go in without knowing how to defend herself sent him into overdrive. He knew it wasn’t his friend’s opinion but more the chain of command he followed. The higher-ups wanted to throw a sacrificial lamb into the lion’s den and to hell with the
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