Page 28 of Mission Shift

“Braxton…” I gasped, clinging to him. The pleasure peaked and crashed over me like a tidal wave. My body arched against his, and the world dissolved around us as I came undone in his arms.

With a final, desperate thrust, Braxton buried himself deep inside me, his own release triggered by the tightening of my walls around him. He pulsed within me, the warmth of his cum filling me as we both tumbled over together. My walls continued to convulse around him. The sensation of his pelvic bone grinding against my clit had pushed me into a spiral of ecstasy that left me boneless and panting.

For a moment, we remained locked together, our foreheads pressed against each other as we struggled to catch our breath, the river swirling gently around us. The world had narrowed to this one perfect moment—our hearts pounding in unison, our breaths mingling in the space between us.

I was unable to speak, to think, to do anything but hang on tight. Braxton wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as we both floated back down to earth, our bodies still connected.

The aftermath of our shared climax left me in a euphoric daze. But slowly, the world came back into focus. I couldn’t help it—I started laughing, the sound bubbling up from deep within me, releasing all the tension I’d been carrying for so long.

“Oh wow,” I managed to say between breaths, running my fingers lazily over his damp shoulders. “You…you wrecked me—in the best way possible. You were devastating. I think I forgot how to breathe somewhere in the middle of that… I needed that more than you can imagine.” My voice came out husky, laced with an honesty I hadn’t allowed myself in a long time.

Braxton chuckled softly, the rumble of his chest reaching my most sensitive places. “Wow. A compliment? From you? Am I dreaming, or did the Ice Queen just melt a little?”

I playfully slapped his shoulder but couldn’t stop grinning. “Don’t push your luck,” I teased, stamping a quick kiss on his lips, not wanting this moment to end.

He reached up to cup my cheek, tracing the edge of it with a gentleness that made my heart stutter. “You’re beautiful, Daria, and so much more,” he whispered. His thumb drew a slow line along my lip, leaving me momentarily stunned. “I mean it. You’re an extraordinary woman. I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re strong, confident, and powerful. You literally fought me and held your own. Standing up to those Russian guards to protect me, risking your life to save mine…that took a kind of courage most people can’t even imagine. You blew your cover and put yourself in life-threatening danger forme,a complete stranger. You’re a true hero—not just to me but to all the Ukrainians you’ve helped save by covertly working against the Kremlin.”

His words shook me. Praise from a man? This was uncharted territory, as alien to me as a peaceful life. I blinked, trying to mask the sudden sting of emotion rising in my throat. I wasn’t used to this…to gentleness, to appreciation. For as long as I could remember, I’d fought, bled, and risked my life for causes I didn’t believe in, always being seen as a weapon, a tool. Never as a woman worthy of admiration. Praise was a language I had never learned to speak or understand. I’d built my identity on being strong and untouchable, yet here he was, dismantling that armor with his sincerity.

“No one’s ever said that to me,” I admitted quietly.

He leaned closer. “Well, they should have. You deserve to hear it. I see you, Daria. There’s more to you than the front you put on for the world. There’s a kindness in you.”

I forced a laugh, trying to deflect. “You don’t have to butter me up. I already think you’re halfway decent,” I said, attempting to pull away.

But Braxton wasn’t letting me dodge this. His hands framed my face, making me look him in the eyes. “No, Daria. I want you to hear it. Believe it. You are special.”

My throat tightened. The intensity of his gaze left me vulnerable in a way I wasn’t sure how to handle. No one had ever seen me like this or spoken such words to me before. He leaned in and kissed me softly. It was a kiss filled with tenderness that touched something deep inside me. I melted into it, savoring this moment.

Then, in a heartbeat, our peace shattered.

The distant thumping of helicopter blades, growing louder by the second, caught my attention. My instincts kicked in, giving me a shot of adrenaline. “Oh shit,” I hissed, breaking away from him.

Braxton reacted instantly, slipping out of me and diving beneath the water. I followed without thinking, and we moved toward the bank, where the trees offered some cover. As the helicopter drew closer, we surfaced just enough to breathe, keeping low in the water.

Once we had reached a semi-sheltered area, I glanced at him. He must have seen the panic in my face because he leaned in close to my ear and said, “It’s okay. We’ve got this.”

His calm presence helped steady my nerves.

The helicopter circled the farmhouse, the thunderous chopping of the blades deafening as it passed overhead, scanning the area. We remained hidden, barely daring tobreathe, until it finally veered off, the noise of the blades fading into the distance.

The moment it was gone completely, I pushed off the bottom, swimming toward where we had entered the river. And just like that, it was back to business. I was back in survival mode. “Move. We need to move now!” I barked. “Get your ass to the shore. We’re grabbing our stuff and getting out of here.”

Braxton nodded without question, and we swam quickly to the small inlet where we’d left our clothes. I cursed under my breath as I spotted them and all our gear still lying out in plain sight.Stupid, Daria. Careless. I should’ve known better. If the Russians had spotted our things, they’d be sending ground troops soon.

“Hurry,” I snapped, trudging out of the water and shaking off the excess droplets. In a rush, I grabbed my clothes, boots, knife, and tactical belt. “They had to have seen our stuff. They’ll be back. We’ve got maybe minutes,” I huffed out angrily as I headed toward the back porch, the fear of getting caught propelling me into action.

Braxton quickly gathered his clothes and followed me into the house. We had to move fast. There was no time to waste. Not if we wanted to stay alive.

Chapter eleven

With my boots and socks dangling from one hand, my damp clothes in the other, I rushed inside after Daria. I tossed my things on the table and started to dress. Hopping on one foot, I struggled to pull up the wet fabric of my jeans.

I hated that we’d been careless—too caught up in the moment. The helicopter crew must have seen our gear lying out in the sun like a beacon. If so, they would be sending out ground troops in no time.

Daria was already in action mode, yanking on her pants and fastening them in one swift movement. She muttered curses under her breath in Russian, shaking her head as she pulled on her tank top, forgoing the bra. Before I could even get my jeans past my hips, her fatigues shirt was already on and tucked in.

“Shit,” I huffed, finally getting my jeans up and fastened. I shoved my arms into the sleeves of my shirt and buttoned the front while I watched Daria move like the trained professional she was.

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