Team 52 Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 47

  “Focus, Kinsey.”

  She raised her head, panting from the pleasure. “I can’t.”

  But she kept stroking him and lowered her head again, sucking him deep.

  Smith returned the favor, and sucked her clit into his mouth. It was too much. She came instantly, screaming his name.

  The next thing she knew, she was flat on the bed on her belly. His big weight behind her.

  He drove his cock inside her and they both moaned.

  Her pleasure was still vibrating through her as he thrust inside her. God. So good.

  “It’s so fucking good sliding inside you.” His voice was like gravel. “I could stay right here, lodged deep, and be happy.”

  Her hands twisted in the covers. “Smith.”

  His thrusts increased in pace, his big body covering hers. She loved feeling the weight of him on top of her. His hands circled her waist and he pulled her up on her knees.

  “Fuck…Kinsey.” He pulled her back onto his cock.

  “Yes.” She rocked back, meeting his thrusts.

  With a blinding rush, Kinsey came again. Her cries weren’t even coherent. With one last hard thrust, Smith drove deep, and groaned through his release.

  Kinsey fell forward onto the bed. She was wrecked, in the best possible way. Smith pressed his hands to the bed on either side of her head, then he leaned down, kissing the back of her neck.

  “Love the way you light up for me.” His beard and lips brushed between her shoulder blades.

  She turned her head to look back over her shoulder, languid and relaxed.

  His hands moved over her back, stroking down her spine. “Every time I touch you, you’re so damn hungry for me.”

  Kinsey felt heat in her cheeks. Was that a bad thing?

  One of his hands slid between her legs, and she instantly opened for him. He cupped her.

  “So wet. All for me.”

  When she looked into his face, she saw the possessive hunger on his features. There was clear satisfaction in his voice.

  “And you like that?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Best I’ve ever had, sunshine.”

  Now heat bloomed inside her, and it had nothing to do with embarrassment.

  Kinsey leaned forward, staring into the mirror in the bathroom as she snipped at her hair. She tidied up the ends a little. She’d still need to visit a hairdresser, but for now, it wouldn’t look like she’d had her hair cut by a toddler…or a terrorist bitch.

  As she shifted, she felt a throb between her legs. A very pleasant reminder of what she’d spent the night doing. She looked at her eyes in the mirror, then she smiled.

  The bathroom door opened, and a bare-chest Smith entered.

  Her pulse spiked. “Hey.”

  His gaze moved straight to her hair, his eyes darkening.

  She swallowed. “Does it look okay?”

  “I’m sorry they did that, Kinsey. I’m sorry I let them take you.”

  She straightened. “You aren’t to blame, big guy. Hell, Axel took a bullet trying to stop it.” She tugged on the strands self-consciously. He’d made it clear he liked her hair and now he seemed pretty upset it was mostly gone.

  A big hand slid into her shorter locks, cupping the side of her head. “You could shave it all off and you’d still be beautiful.”

  She smiled.

  “It’s cute. Suits you.” He feathered her hair between his fingers.

  “If my mama saw it, she’d be horrified. She hated short hair on a woman. She’d tell me I looked like a boy.”

  “You couldn’t look like a boy if you tried.” He paused, his gaze meeting hers in the mirror. “Home wasn’t good?”

  Kinsey sighed. “Home was a trailer in Sugarview, Tennessee. My daddy was a drunk and my mama was bitter about everything.” Kinsey looked away. “When my father drank too much…”

  Smith’s hand tightened in her hair. “He hit you.”

  “I got good at ducking. And when I got older, I got good at reading the signs that a drunken rage was coming.”

  Smith cursed. “And your mother didn’t step in?”

  Kinsey let out a laugh. “No way. She was more than happy if he got distracted by me and saved her a slap.”

  “Bitch.”

  “Yes. And when I got older…I think she saw me as competition.”

  Smith pulled her closer. “Your beauty and goodness, I bet she couldn’t stand it.” He scowled. “I’d like to teach them both a lesson…”

  Kinsey’s heart melted. Her big, overprotective mountain man. “I escaped, Smith. I left them behind a long time ago and have no desire to look back.”

  He grunted.

  “Now I live the life I want, filled with pretty things and a good job.” She stroked his beard-covered jaw. God, he was so beautiful. “And now I have a handsome, strong man in my bed. Living the good life is the best revenge.”

  A look crossed his face and she tilted her head.

  “What?”

  He released a breath. “You. You escaped a shit situation and used it as motivation to make your life better.” He rubbed his thumb across her jaw. “I absorbed the shit and let it stay inside.”

  Her happiness drained away. “Smith—”

  “Was married when I was young and dumb. Lila taught me some pretty bad lessons on relationships. Rubbed those wounds in so deep, I decided not to risk it again.”

  Kinsey swallowed. “Did you love her?”

  He made a scoffing sound. “At the time, I thought I did. Once I got older and wiser, I realized I was thinking with my dick. Was glad I divorced her ass and joined the Navy.”

  Until that had gone bad as well.

  “Then you lost your leg,” Kinsey said quietly.

  “Lost friends. Good men who should have come home to their families.”

  His brow was creased and she rubbed the groove. “I heard you saved a teammate, even with an injured foot.”

  Smith lifted a shoulder. “Gary made it. He’s married, got two kids. Calls me every now and then.”

  “You did a hard job, a tough job that not many people can do. You saved lives and fought for our freedom.” She went up on her toes. “You’re my hero, Smith Creed.”

  “And you, with your smiles, and your candles, and the way you look for the good in everything, are mine.”

  She bit her lip. “Hey, don’t make me cry.” She pulled his head down and kissed him. “All my life, I wanted good things and never got them, you had good things and lost them. But I think our bad times are over, Smith.”

  “You are fucking sunshine in the darkness, Kinsey.”

  Oh, she loved that. She kissed him again and found herself pushed up against the vanity. The kiss went on forever, then he lifted his head.

  “I want to take you back to bed, but we’re due to meet the others.”

  Kinsey pulled in a calming breath. “Okay.”

  “I think there are lots of good things ahead for us, sunshine, but first, we have some Mafia terrorists to deal with.” He touched her hair, smoothing it behind her ear.

  “Then let’s go kick some bad guy ass.”

  With his arm around Kinsey’s shoulders, Smith walked into the computer room.

  No surprise, there were wide grins all round. Smith stifled a sigh.

  Axel was there, still looking a little white-faced. Kinsey broke away and hurried over to him.

  He held up a hand. “I’m fine. No more hugging or nagging.”

  Kinsey ignored him and threw her arms around him.

  With a disgruntled sigh, Axel hugged her back. “Enough. I had far worse injuries when I was in the fucking Army.” He shot a glare at Nat, who was perched on a stool, her legs crossed, despite her fitted skirt. “And I never had to suffer through people nagging me into bed, nagging me to eat, and fussing all the damn time.”

  Nat sniffed, looking unconcerned. “You were shot, beaten, and had a concussion, Diaz.”

  “I. Am. Fine.”


  Nat nodded. “Because we’ll make sure of it.”

  Blair coughed, but Smith was pretty certain she was fighting not to laugh.

  “How are you doing, Kinsey?” Lachlan asked.

  “She’s glowing,” Blair said. “So, I’d say she’s feeling pretty good.”

  “Getting laid does that.” Axel winked.

  From beside Axel, Seth shook his head and looked at his boots. “Glad someone else is copping it for a change.”

  Kinsey’s cheeks went pink and Smith scowled at his team.

  Callie reached out and touched Kinsey’s chin. “The bruising is looking better.”

  “I’m feeling good.” She returned to Smith’s side.

  “I bet,” Blair said.

  Brooks stepped forward, tablet in hand. Today, his shirt said “I’m not the droid you’re looking for.” He was desperately trying to keep a straight face, and failing miserably. “If you guys are finished discussing Smith and Kinsey’s sex life…?”

  With a quiet groan, Kinsey pressed her face into Smith’s chest.

  “I can give you a bit longer if you need it,” Brooks said.

  Lachlan shook his head. “Let’s get to work.”

  Brooks nodded, and the screens on the wall filled with images of men and women. “These are all the people who are known members of Cosca Unita.”

  The vibe in the room changed, everyone turning serious. Some of the pictures were surveillance shots, but others were mugshots. Clearly, these guys were no strangers to breaking the law.

  “Oh, God,” Kinsey murmured.

  “The group is pretty well-funded,” Brooks said. “But up until now, they haven’t committed any high-profile attacks. It appears they are stepping up their game.”

  Suddenly, there was a ping from Brooks’ tablet. He glanced at it and frowned.

  “Brooks?” Lachlan prompted.

  “Something’s happening.” Brooks frantically tapped the screen. “Oh, fuck. They’re using the artifact.”

  Screens on the front wall filled with news broadcasts and social media sites, where people were sharing online videos from their phones.

  Smith’s gut hardened. He instantly recognized the Denver skyline and the mountains behind it.

  Brooks turned on the sound.

  An excited female newsreader leaned forward. “—vibrations. The entire building is shaking! We’re going to our man, David, who is live on the scene.”

  A male reporter stood on a sidewalk, people running past him screaming and shouting.

  “The building in question is the partially constructed Verge Tower.”

  The camera panned, and they had a perfect view of the half-built building. It was covered in scaffolding. It was also shaking, like it was in an earthquake. But no other buildings were moving.

  “We’ve had reports that all the workers are clear of the building,” the reporter said. “But that is unconfirmed at this stage.”

  “My God,” Kinsey said, horrified.

  Everyone in the room had their eyes glued to the screen. More screams echoed from behind the reporter, followed by sirens.

  The reporter turned, throwing out an arm. “No one can explain what the cause of the vibration is. Perhaps subsidence beneath the building, or some sort of gas explosion.”

  The screams increased in volume and the reporter gasped.

  The building rumbled, as the top half of the structure broke loose from its foundations, rising up in the air.

  Smith’s chest locked as he watched the awesome display of power.

  “Oh, my God,” the reporter breathed, his mouth dropping open. “Jeff, are you getting this?”

  Chunks of concrete crashed to the ground.

  “Holy crap,” Blair said.

  “Unfucking believable,” Axel ground out.

  Smith pulled Kinsey closer, watching in horror as the building rose higher and higher. More pieces of masonry crashed down, broken loose by the building’s vibrations. One large piece slammed into a car, leaving the vehicle a twisted wreck.

  “They’re using it,” Kinsey whispered.

  Smith wrapped his arms tightly around her.

  They all watched as the skyscraper moved through the air.

  “There are reports of some strange sound vibrations,” the reporter said. “We’re switching the view to our eye in the sky.”

  The image changed to video feed coming from a helicopter.

  Everyone in the computer room watched as the building sailed through the air, perfectly controlled, and then moved over to hover above the Platte River.

  All of a sudden, it crashed downward, hitting the water with a splash.

  The room instantly filled with curses and angry muttering.

  “They’re testing its capabilities,” Lachlan said, voice tight.

  “Why Denver?” Nat asked.

  They all looked at each other.

  “Cosca Unita wants anarchy,” Brooks said. “They want to bring the government down.”

  Smith’s jaw clenched. “Buckley Air Force Base.”

  Lachlan and Seth cursed.

  “Why’s that so important?” Kinsey said.

  “Buckley’s home to the Space Based Infrared System,” Smith said. “Has giant domes that house satellite dishes to pick up all infrared energy released around the planet. It’s a missile detection and defense system.”

  “The missile detection system,” Lachlan added.

  “Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs,” Callie added.

  Fuck. Another thought occurred to Smith. “NORAD. The North American Aerospace Defense Command is also down at Colorado Springs. At Peterson Air Force Base.”

  Lachlan’s face hardened. “Everyone prep. We’re going to Denver.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kinsey sat on Smith’s bunk, watching him shove things in a big, black duffel bag.

  Her stomach felt sick. People were hurt in Denver, and she knew this was just the beginning.

  And it was all her damn fault.

  She’d been here, enjoying the hell out of Smith, and meanwhile, Cosca Unita had been planning to kill and destroy.

  “Sunshine.” Smith sat on the bed beside her, one long finger moving beneath her chin. He tipped her face up.

  “Smith, it’s partly my fault—”

  “We already talked about this.”

  “People are hurt. And we both know it’s only going to get worse.”

  He pulled her close, and she knew that he wanted to shield her. She breathed in the scent of him, absorbing his strength.

  “I’m going to stop them.” His voice held a dark edge.

  Her fingers dug into his arms. “That just freaks me out more.” The last thing she wanted was for him to get hurt. “Now, I’ll just worry about you and the others. That you’ll get hurt like Axel did.” She thought of Axel hurt—unconscious and bleeding—and she shuddered.

  “Axel’s fine. The man’s got a damn hard head. Besides, this is our job.” Smith ran his fingers through her hair. “This is what we do, and we’re good at it.”

  Kinsey nodded, trying to take comfort from that. He leaned forward to kiss her. Slow and steady, and so Smith.

  God, he smelled good. Her hands flexed on his skin. He felt good. Made her feel good.

  Suddenly, the ring of a cellphone broke the moment.

  “That’s mine.” She scrambled across the bed and grabbed it off the nightstand. “Hello?”

  “Kinsey.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Enzo, you—”

  The phone was snatched away. “You do not call her.” Smith looked like he was about to explode. He paused. “Fuck.” The word shot through the room like a bullet.

  Kinsey gripped her hands together, watching him carefully.

  Smith set the phone down, pressing the button to put it on speaker.

  “Look, I snuck away for a minute,” Enzo said. “Don’t have long. I…shit. They never fucking told me that they were going to do this.”

  “They�
�re terrorists, Enzo,” Kinsey said.

  “My cousin got me involved. He convinced me they wanted to change things, help the little guy.”

  Kinsey made an angry noise. “They kidnapped me! Twice. You helped them. They beat me and shot my friend. What did I ever do to you?”

  “I know. I know.” His shaky breath came through the line. “I never meant for you to get hurt.”

  Smith growled.

  “They have bigger plans,” Enzo added.

  She bit her lip and glanced at Smith. He smoothed a hand down her arm.

  “What?” Smith demanded.

  “No. I can’t talk over the phone. And I’ll only talk to Kinsey.”

  Smith growled.

  “Meet me in City Park in Denver. At the boathouse on the lake.”

  “No,” Smith bit out.

  “Enzo!” Kinsey said.

  The line disconnected.

  “Fuck.” Smith spun, kicked a chair, and sent it skidding across the room.

  Kinsey turned, watching him. “Smith—”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw.

  “I have to come to Denver.”

  He pressed a hand to the back of his neck. “No.”

  “You heard Enzo, he’ll only meet with me. We need all the intel we can get on Cosca Unita, and what they have planned.”

  “No.”

  Kinsey went up on her toes, pressing her hands to Smith’s chest. “You know I need to come. You’ll keep me safe. We’ll find out where these guys are, and what they have planned. The quicker we do it, the sooner we can stop them. It could save lives.”

  Smith released a breath. “Dammit.”

  Kinsey knew she had him. “I need to help, Smith. I want to help end this.”

  He kissed her again. This kiss was hard, angry, and needy.

  He lifted his head, pressing his forehead against hers. “If you get hurt…”

  “I won’t.”

  “If you do, I’ll tear the world apart to make them pay.”

  Her belly flip-flopped. No one had ever cared about her the way he did. “Smith.”

  He took a deep breath. “Get dressed, sunshine. And pack some things. We have a flight to catch and bad guys to stop.”

  Smith stepped out of the rented SUV and glanced up at the renovated warehouse in front of them. They were in Denver’s lower downtown district, known as LoDo. The warehouse looked like it had been home to some factory in a past life, but now, it housed the offices of Treasure Hunter Security.