Page 26 of Raven's Claw
“Tell that to the guy who breached our perimeter.”
Kash sighed.Arguing with Zain about security was like trying to get Foster to fly without his hair on fire.“You’ve got cameras everywhere.Have you checked the feed?”
Zain merely stared at him.
Kash scrubbed a hand down his face.He was way too tired for this shit, and he’d already lost his chance at impressing Jordan with breakfast in bed, followed by what he’d hoped would be one hell of a good morning.“Of course, you have.And?”
“I’m downloading all the footage to the tablet in Foster’s kitchen.We should head over.”
Kash snagged his arm.“Look.If you really think we need more security, we can hire the guys Bodie has helping him out with his security company while he’s backing up Greer.Have them do a few rounds every night.”
“There’s no way in hell I’m letting anyone else handle yours, Foster’s or Chase’s security.”
“They’re not anyone.They’re former military.”
“Yeah, well Stein and Adams were part of our damn crew for six months — were apparently the best agents the fucking CIA had crapped out of the Farm in the last ten years — and look what trusting them got us.Sean in a pine box, and Rhett…” Zain swallowed, looking as if he might puke it back up.“We all know where that’s heading.His brain just hasn’t caught up with that fact, yet.So, sue me if I take all this a bit personally.”
He turned, took a few steps toward the door, then stopped.“Don’t take too long, or I’ll send Chase over.”
Kash leaned against the wall as Jordan grabbed her boots and slipped them on, accepting the vest he handed her.“Hey.Are you okay?”
She stopped short of tugging up the zipper.“Fine.”
“Jordan…”
She closed the distance, drawing one finger across his chest.“Not exactly how I pictured the morning playing out, but…”
“Me, either.I’d planned on making you breakfast in bed.Coming up with some creative uses for the can of whipped cream I have in the fridge.”
Her breath caught, her pupils dilating before she leaned in — kissed him.
It was deep, and hungry, and he half wanted to hike her up on his shoulder and carry her back to bed.Let his buddies deal with his truck and the footage.But there was something in the way she brushed her thumb over his mouth once she’d eased back — that same look from the café when she’d agreed to have dinner with him — that got those voices chattering in his head.His protective instincts on alert.
She stepped back, looking everywhere but at him.“We should go.”She turned and headed out the door, glancing at him over her shoulder.“And in case you hadn’t figured it out already, last night was…” She closed her eyes for a moment.“Unforgettable.Just like you.”
ChapterSeven
This was a mess.
Shewas a mess.
All because she’d allowed herself to have a glimmer of hope — believe, even for just a second, that maybe she could have a future with Kash.That, with his team backing her up, she could access the intel, topple Scythe and Rook, and somehow walk away unscathed.
Four slashed tires.
Coincidence?Some vendetta against Kash?Rook toying with her, just to make her sweat?To draw out the inevitable ending.Shred the last bits of her soul that she’d salvaged when she’d limped out of that compound.
Kash caught up to her, slipping his hand over hers.He didn’t ask her any uncomfortable questions, just gave her hand a squeeze as they stopped at the back door.“You good?”
She tiptoed up — kissed him.Not long and hot and deep like she wanted.Like back at the house.What might have been her last chance to fully taste his mouth.This was soft.More of a brush of her lips across his.And it hit her just as hard.Had her stomach clenching, her head spinning.She thought about trying, again, when Nyx nudged them, tail wagging.Tongue hanging out.
Kash sighed, tsking at Nyx.“Traitor.You just want in because you know they probably have bacon.”
Kash opened the door, letting Nyx dart inside.He took Jordan’s hand — looked her dead in the eyes.“If this turns out to be your brand of trouble, promise me you’ll talk to me before you take off.”
Her throat closed, her chest tightening.“Let’s hope it’s not.”
It wasn’t the answer he’d obviously been hoping for, but it was the best she could give him without lying to his face.After everything they’d shared — the way he’d held her as if she might fly apart — she couldn’t do that to him.Maybe if they’d only had that one round on the ottoman — what was closer to her usual hit and run — she could have smiled and rattled off an easyyes.But when she’d told him she was fine with a quickie on the counter, and he’d insisted on taking her to bed.Holding her close.Watching her reaction as he moved inside her, daring her to deny that somewhere between him waltzing into the café and her dumping Tucker on his ass, she’d fallen for him.Broken the ultimate rule.That killed any chance she had of making this a clean getaway.
