Page 77 of Waging War
I kick a spot of soot. “That’s not very optimistic.”
“Fuck optimism. I’m beingrealistic. I came back tonight because I can’t get a hold of Jackie, and I needed to see if anything useful may have been left behind.” He sweeps an arm out, looking defeated. “Why do you think Bruce burned the place down? Any evidence we could have used has been destroyed with this building.”
I press my hand over my eyes. “I’m not backing down, Ben. And neither should you. I wish you could have seen Jack and our friends. They’re putting on brave faces, but it won’t be long before Cassidy has that baby and Jack’s forced to hand The Pound over for all the reasons you claim to resist attacking Diablo.”
He starts. “You went to The Pound?”
“Don’t take that tone with me.”
“Then, you came right back to the place you were kidnapped in the first place. Are you out of your mind, Hazel?”
“I needed information,” I grind out.
But somehow, all I found was him.
As if realizing this, his gaze softens. “Get out of here, baby. Go back to the house and stay put.”
“No.”
Dark brows rise as that invisible tie between us tugs him back to me.
“I’m not hiding from Diablo anymore, Ben. If he wants a war, then that’s exactly what he’ll get.” I kick up my chin. “I’ll ask you one last time. Are you with me or not?”
The backs of his knuckles find my cheek. “Bringing you into the compound isn’t going to happen.”
My heart stutters before plummeting.
“Before he set fire to the place last night, he tried to force me into killing two of his own.”
I hold my breath, not sure if I want to care if he wasted the bastards or not.
Ben’s hands move so that he cradles my head, warming my frozen cheeks with gentle swipes of his thumbs. “When I wasn’t able to do it, he instructed me to get rid of you next.”
Adrenaline spikes my veins to know that Bruce wants me dead.
“And will you?” The whispered question holds a dare. “Kill me, that is.”
He touches his forehead to mine, breathing an unsteady sigh. “I should, for what a pain in my ass you’ve been.”
The smile on lips retracts my heart back into place. “Mm, yes.I’vebeen the pain.”
The gentlest press of his lips has my head tipping back.
“We need a different plan. Attempting to storm the compound will only risk more lives.” He replaces his thumbs with subtle kisses. “But I do want to help you, Hazel.”
Relief cascades through my insides when he brandishes my lips with his. Until this very moment, I didn’t realize the gravity of how much I needed him to not only make a choice but to also decide whether or not he would choose me.
“More,” I breathe. “I need more of you.”
With arms winding across his back, I kiss his cocky smile.
We’re a tangle of limbs as his hands roam from my hair, down to my breasts, and then toward my ass. He grabs two handfuls before hauling me up against him, all while warming my face and lips with hot, passionate kisses.
“We can’t do this,” he murmurs against my mouth.
I pause, pulling away enough to look at him. “I can’t take another denial, Ben.”
A lingering ache thunders through my core.
