Page 107 of Iron Willed Warrior

“The minute Westwick came close enough to me, I got him in a submission hold. Choked him out and tied him up. Then I killed the guard outside the door. That’s how I got away. I was scared. But more than anything, I was thinking of you. Ryker had told me his men killed you.”

Hot tears ran down my cheeks, surprising me. Cole kissed them away. “But here I am.”

“Here you are.”

I rested my head on his shoulder for a while. Both our hearts were beating hard, but they eventually slowed.

I often had a feeling of emptiness after a mission, even a successful one. Today, that feeling was profound. But with every minute he held me, Cole was bringing me back to life.

After a while, Cole said, “I walked out of the room earlier so I wouldn’t say something stupid in the heat of the moment. I wasn’t thrilled to find your former FBI boss here,don’t get me wrong, but that pales in comparison to how relieved I am that you’re okay.”

“Same here. I truly am sorry I kept things from you, Cole.”

“We can talk about it more later. If needed. But I told you I’d take care of you. So right now, that’s what I’m going to do.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Cole

Brynn strippeddown to her bra and panties. The same ones she’d been wearing when we left the resort. This bedroom had an attached bath. She went in for a few minutes of privacy while I took off my filthy shirt, discarding it in the corner.

A glance in the mirror showed a new collection of scrapes and bruises. Most were likely from my fight with Ryker. And my head still throbbed faintly. Ouch.

Then the bathroom door opened, and Brynn peeked into the room. “Coming in with me?” She sucked in a gasp, stepping out. “Jeez, Cole. You’re hurt.”

“Not too badly.”

She gently touched my side, fingers tracing the outlines of the bruises. “Looks awful. I’d suggest going to the hospital, but there would be questions. Stanford could find a doctor to come here.”

I smiled, holding her wrist and lifting her hand to kiss it. “I’m fine. I promise.”

“Do you?” Brynn had dark circles beneath her eyes, and yet when she looked at me, her focus was sharp.

“Yeah. I’m going to run you a bath. Sound good?”

I went into the bathroom and knelt to turn on the water. This tub was standard, nowhere near big enough for both of us. But that was okay. Brynn was my concern right now. When the water was high enough, I coaxed her in. She was naked, but I wasn’t concentrating on that. I lathered soap in my hands and smoothed them over her skin, washing away the traces of the last couple of days.

Her long hair wasn’t that easy to wash without my fingers getting tangled, so she took over, but we were both laughing.

“Your turn,” she said after a rinse in the shower and draining the cloudy water away.

Fresh water poured in. I pushed down my pants and boxers, my entire body conscious of her eyes on me. I sat on the edge of the tub and took off my prosthesis, which she set carefully in the bedroom.

The hot water felt like magic on my sore muscles. Though she’d barely dried off, Brynn knelt outside the tub to wash me. And now, her nakedness was a lot more…stimulating.

With heavy eyelids, she spread suds all over me. Rubbing my shoulders and arms and pecs. I couldn’t help it. My cock hardened and lengthened until it was stretching out of the water. I groaned when her slick fist closed around my shaft. Stroked me.

“We should get to bed,” I said hoarsely. Meaning sleep. Because I had meant to take care of her for purely benevolent, unselfish reasons.

“You’re right,” Brynn purred. “We should.”

I groaned again. A guy was only so strong. I was so exhausted I could barely think straight. All I knew was that I had to have her.

I finished up with the bath as quickly as possible. Soon, Brynn and I were stretched out in the bed on the cool sheets, blankets pushed to our feet. Kissing with our bodies pressed together, naked skin to naked skin. I teased hernipples between my fingers while my tongue slid into her mouth.

Brynn wrapped her legs around my hips, her ankles crossed. I rocked against her, feeling how wet she was. Ready for me. Washing each other had been extended foreplay. But this was more than just a physical urge. After what we’d experienced during the mission, being close with her now meant so much. We had survived. We were here, together, and we hadwon.

But the truth was that I wanted even more.

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