Bane: Elite Operatives (Bad Boys of X-Ops Book 4) (10 page)

“You said that when we were fucking.”

“Shit.” I cranked an arm over my face.

“That wasn’t Walker on the phone, was it?” Kiki asked.

Highly Suspect

“WHO DO YOU THINK it was?”

Kiki dragged herself to the edge of the bed, sitting with her legs hanging over the sides, her hands gripping the mattress.

“I don’t know. But your mood drastically changed after that phone call. And I think it had something to do with me.”

“We better put some clothes on for this.” I sat up higher, willing myself to stare straight at her with unflinching eyes.

Her gaze met mine, the icy blue becoming even sharper. “I don’t like the sound of this.”

I stood, rifling through my bag to pull on some loose workout pants and a shirt. Kiki followed suit, dressing quickly and efficiently. It didn’t get lost on me she also laid out one of her Glocks on the bedside table.

I looked at my Sig Sauers, still holstered and lying on the floor, and left them where they were.

Pacing in front of her, I waited until she looked up at me. Her delicate chin thrust forward, and her vibrant eyes narrowed.

“What?” she muttered through grim lips.

“You mind telling me why the stuffed suits at T-Zone ordered me to kill you?”

“
What
?” Shock filtered through her from her popped-open mouth to her shoulders jerking high. “What did you just say?” Her hand flittered to her chest where her heartbeat had to start up with rapid wingbeats.

“Yeah. That.” I expelled a rough curse. “They want you dead, Kiki. Want me to do it. Gave me the order before we left DC.”

“
What
?” she screeched, flying at me faster then I expected.

Her knee punched up to my groin the same time her fist slammed against my sternum. I blocked the lower blow but coughed on a gasp when she hit me with her best shot in my solar plexus.

While I watched, stunned into stillness, she went for her Glock.

“You asshole!” She gripped the sidearm, swinging it on me with unswerving aim.

I strafed forward, catching her within two steps. Pushing her until her back thumped against the wall, I cranked her wrist in my hand.

Her grasp on the gun only tightened with the amount of force I exerted.

“Knock it the fuck off before I break your wrists, girl.” I sneered down at her, rapping her hand hard against the wall, capturing her other arm behind her back.

“Girl.
Girl
?” she spat at me.

Using more pressure, I torqued her arm up, up until the joint was in danger of popping out of her shoulder socket. Her other hand spasmed and finally opened. The gun clattered to the floor.

I kicked it away.

Jumping up, Kiki butted her forehead against mine with a wicked crack of skull on skull.

“Goddammit!” Momentarily dizzy from her head-butt move, I dove after her when she wiggled from my grasp.

We landed in the middle of the floor. She punched me again, connecting with my jaw, and my fucking thigh was beginning to bleed from her surprise attack.

“Get off me!” She wriggled beneath me, but I was not letting her go this time.

Sitting on her waist, I spread-eagled her. Like I wanted to do in bed.

That shit probably wasn’t gonna happen again.

“I’ll get off you when you stop hitting me.”

She bucked up, seeking enough leverage to throw me over.

I beat her hands down onto the floor. “I. Said. Stop.”

“Fuck you,” she snarled out.

Tortured breaths raged from both our chests, and our eyes clashed.

Leaning down, I got right in her face. “Only way I’m getting off you is if you stand the fuck down, Kiki.”

Her nostrils flared. Her eyes flashed with undiluted hate. Her lips thinned.

With a jerk of her chin, she nodded. “Fine. For now.”

I backed off her cautiously. The woman was goddamn wily.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kiki slid to an opposite corner of the room and sank into a crouch.

I followed her to the floor but made sure her frigging Glocks remained well out of reach.

She angrily pushed her mussed-up hair away from her face. And her glare could’ve cut straight through Gorilla Glass.

“You’ve been fucking me . . . to what? Keep me in the dark about this? Get closer to me before you
murdered
me?”

Her words slammed just as hard as her fists.

“No. I fucked you because I wanted you.”

“Bullshit.” She shook her head slowly. “Jesus. I can’t believe I let you get to me. Fucking Griffin Bane. Guess I know exactly why they chose you.” She pointed a finger at me. “They think you shot Storm, right? Why not one more to add to your trophy case.”

My anger was about to go apocalyptic. “I did
not
fucking shoot Storm.”

Rising to my feet, I drew my hands behind my neck, rubbing. I paced a few steps back and forth.

She snorted. “Whatever. Like I care.”

Gaining her feet, too, Kiki stayed as far away from me as possible.

“You don’t even have the guts to do it to my face? What were you going to do? Fuck me into a stupor then kill me in my sleep?”

My jaw clenched until the muscles at the back bulged. I unhinged my tense neck, rolling it on my shoulders. Loosening my hands, I dropped them to my sides.

I looked up at her through half-lowered lids.

I could only imagine how deadly my discolored eyes appeared in that moment because Kiki drew herself up higher as her face ghosted white.

“You’re going to do it, aren’t you?” Her voice didn’t even quiver.

“Probably wouldn’t tell you if I was.”

We both looked at her weapons, spun halfway across the floor.

“Don’t fucking do it, Kiki.”

Her fists balled. “Why not.”

“You never answered my first question. Why does Operation T-Zone—why do our nameless, faceless bosses—want you dead?”

Her head quirked. “You think . . . they’re covering something up?”

Keeping my vigilant stance between her and the pistols, I punched my hands to my hips. “Gotta be some reason they issued a kill order if you’re as innocent as you say.”

“Fuck. I need a drink.” She started for the half empty bottle on the dresser.

I moved quickly to intervene.

“You serious? You just told me you’re supposed to dust me, and I can’t even have a final drink?”

“Don’t try anything stupid.”

Her eyebrows arched high. “Like try to glass you?” She gave me a little smirk, marching around me to get to the extra bottle of tequila.

After spinning off the cap, she guzzled several large swallows then backhanded her mouth.

“They already know I was a Fed. So that doesn’t matter.” She took another drink, and I crossed my arms over my chest.

Her brow wrinkled. “You all hate me though.”

“Don’t hate you.” Was falling in love with her. Couldn’t fucking help it.

“But why? Okay, assuming
you
don’t but you’re just going to kill me because you’ve been told to—
pfft
—why do Storm, Walker, and Justice have it in for me?”

“Walker’s Beirut mission.” I rubbed a finger back and forth across my lips.

Now this was getting interesting.

“Because they think I ratted him out. To the Feebs and whoever else. Sold his locations when he was on the run, right?” Chewing on her lip, she screwed up her eyes. “I was monitoring his coms, but who else has total access to all mission communications?”

I quickly found a smoke and lit it. I crossed the room, opened a window after checking outside first. “What are you saying?”

“Gimme one of those.” She reached for the pack of Reds, coming close enough to snag one when I held out the pack.

I lit her cig then grabbed the bottle from her for my own large swig.

“Who’s really guilty of getting Walker’s mission all fucked up? Who gave him the wrong intel in the first place about Majedah Chehab? That she was the mark, nor her Hezbollah husband?”

“T-Z.” I stared at the glowing end of the cigarette in my hand. “Hol-ee
fuck
.

Light bulbs didn’t just go off in my head. They blazed like fucking halogens across my mind.

Something had been FUBAR about Walker’s op from his first night in Beirut at the Casino du Liban
with the suicide bomber sent to kill Majedah Chehab.

“Yeah. T-Zone.” Kiki took a tug from her smoke, blowing out a gray stream. “And since I’m innocent, someone else sure as hell is guilty. If they kill me, that’s it, right? Done. Put to rest. And no one will dig any deeper.”

“So you’re saying it’s T-Zone. At the bottom of everything.”

The truth hit like a lightning bolt, terrifying in the extreme if the analysis was valid.

“What if they want us all to die?”

I scowled at the woman.

“Think about it. Storm and Blaize got made in New Orleans. How?” Kiki flicked her cig out the window. “Qasim Hassan made some pretty serious allegations about the United States. Why?”

“Jesus, girl.” I lifted the half empty bottle of tequila to my lips. “If this is real, then we’re all screwed.”

“Or I’m just dead, because of you.”

“It’s not like that. Why do you think you’re still alive?”

She stepped back, her eyes suddenly in shadows. “So you could fuck me before you
fucked
me.”

I wrangled her into my arms. “You are not goddamn listening to me.” I pulled her against me until my mouth snuck against her neck.

I kissed her softly, just beneath her ear, and listened to her whimper, feeling her clinging to me.

“But I still have to kill you.” I pulled my gun from behind me, the Sig I’d tucked in my pants during the aftermath of our scuffle.

She tried to wrestle free, but I held her tight. I set my lips against her temple.

Then I pulled the trigger.

Enemy Killed in Action

I PUT THE CALL into Miss Carmichael, my finger not totally steady as I pressed her contact button.

Pushing the window higher, I sat on the ledge with a smoking gun in one hand, a lit smoke in the other, and the cell snugged against my shoulder.

Blaize picked up after the first ring. “Yeah?”

“I need you to report an EKIA to HQ.”

“Enemy killed in action?” Blaize’s voice was deadly cool. “What the fuck are you talking about, Bane?”

“Kiki Damage.” I cleared my throat, looking across the room. “Repeat: EKIA.”

“What the fuck happened? Katherine wasn’t the enemy!” Disbelief warped Blaize’s tone.

“Just report her death to T-Zone.” I sounded like an automaton even to my own ears.

“Bane? Bane? Where the hell are you?” Blaize shouted. “Have you gone rogue? What’s going on over there?”

Dropping the burner to the floor, I crushed it underfoot. I flipped my cig out the window.

The first part done.

The second part of my plan came easier. I packed up everything—loading bags into the back of the SUV as fast as I could with a fucked leg and so much on my mind.

Staying vigilant on all counts, I made my way to the corner shop across from our safe house to buy a pay-as-you-go cell and a few additional supplies.

I climbed with a wince into the cab of the SUV, already dialing Justice.

“It’s me,” I said when he answered.

“What the fuck, man?” Justice bellowed so loud I held the phone away from my ear.

“I finally did what all of you wanted but were too pussy to pull off.” Sliding the key into the ignition, I checked all mirrors to make sure the immediate vicinity remained clear of threats.

“Blaize is . . .
shit
. Never heard her like this.”

“Did you tag my vehicle?” I asked.

“No. Following protocol. No GPS tracker on any of us just in case we get made.”

Great. Justice won’t be able to trail me.

“I need a place to lay cool for a couple days. Off grid. Blaize can’t know.”

“Yeah. Okay. Give me a sec.” Pretty boy muttered under his breath, but I heard him tapping on a keyboard.

“Walker should be happy,” I said.

“Surprise. He’s not.”

“He’ll get over it,” I muttered

“What are you going to do, Bane?”

“The rest of my job,
hoss
.”

“Bane—”

“Send me the coordinates to the new place and lose this number ASAP.”

I put the truck into drive just as the morning sun began to peek over the horizon. With my foot on the brake, I sat back. I drew my first deep breath in thirty minutes, rolling my head to the side.

“So, we’re going to ground?” Kiki shivered beside me.

I’d played my part to the hilt in order to keep her alive and undetected.

“I love it when you talk spy to me,” I managed to get out.

I thought I saw her lips twitch—almost a smile—when she reached over to squeeze my hand.

I hadn’t offed her. Only made it sound like I had. The rounds I’d shot blasted straight into the ceiling, not into my woman.

And now it was time to disappear.

“C’mere, girl.” I placed an arm around Kiki, drawing her to me. I kissed the top of her head.

****

The new address Jus sent me was even more of a squat than the last one. Inside the two-roomer, we were truly off-rez. Kiki was shaken to the core as I led her to the bathroom.

A hot bath. Just what the doctor ordered.

Wasn’t the fucking Ritz, but the place was clean enough. And towels . . . a luxury.

I filled the tub. I stripped her down. I undressed.

Easing her into the warm water, I climbed in after her, ignoring the pain in my thigh.

Fuck.

My pain was nothing on hers.

My legs wrapped around hers, and her back lay against my chest. Scooping water in my hands, I wet her hair, caressed her cheeks, her neck, her shoulders.

“You’re okay, Kiki.”

Her eyelashes fluttered over those diamond-eyes. “Am I?”

“They’re not gonna get away with it.” Fury ripped through me, directed solely at the heads of Operation T-Zone.

I shoved the anger back down.

After pouring shampoo into my hands, I set to work on Kiki’s hair. The sexy shaved sides tickled my palms, and I soaped through the blonde and pink-streaked tresses.

She slowly relaxed, slumping lower, sending her breasts higher.

“Feels good,” she murmured.

“Always wanna make you feel good.” Guarding her eyes, I rinsed her hair.

I lathered my hands, trying not to take advantage of the gorgeous woman as I washed her. I touched only where needed, ignoring—to my own pain—her puffy nipples, her pretty tits, her wet pussy.

It was damn hard to stay on point when my cock rose pole-hard against her back, and her breath started rushing in and out.

Spreading her thighs, I linked my legs over her knees.

Kiki arched, sending waves of water lapping against my chest.

Moving her head to the side, she kissed my neck. “Please, Griff.”

Down her belly, my hand moved.

Her hips kicked up.

Her breath stuttered.

“This?” I asked, sliding a single finger inside her.

“
Mmm
.” She rose to meet the thrusting finger, her hands cranked behind my neck. “More. Please. Need to feel.”

Winding an arm around her waist, I held her down. Three thick long fingers caressed her, took her, took her pain away.

I fucked her like that, with just my hand cupping her, until she thrashed in my arms.

She gasped, bowing up.

Water spilling over the rim of the tub to the floor.

Floating back down, Kiki cried out in a little mewl when I kept rubbing the whole of my wet hand against her hot sex.

She shuddered in my arms, and her ass nestled against me, driving even more urgency into my cock.

Easing from behind her, I stepped out of the bath. I tied a towel around my waist and helped her out. Water droplets shined on her skin, and her entire body was flushed. She smiled slightly when I began to dry her off.

“You’re very good at taking care of me.” Her fingers drifted through my hair as I kneeled to drag the towel lower. “Which is why I still think you should get in touch with your daughter.”

Leaning forward, I kissed her belly. “I’ll think about it,” I murmured against her warm skin.

Her hand cupped my jaw. “You
are
a good man, Bane.
Griffin.
”

Rising to my feet, I skimmed my palms up to her breasts. “How good?”

Her breath hitched. “
Mmm
. Very good. What now?”

“We go to bed since we’ve been up all night.” I scooped her into my arms.

“That’s not what I meant, Bane.”

I laid her down on the mattress, unwrapping the towel from my hips. Crawling on top of her, I trailed kisses up her neck.

“You’re a ghost,” I husked out.

Her hands slid from my ass all the way up my back. Her fingers coasting along my skin, following the lines of ink, made me crave her warmth, her body.

Kiki pulled me to her until I settled with my cock cradled at the point of entry. “I thought you were going to kill me, Bane.”

Angling my hips, I thrust inside her, the motion slow and edging and excruciatingly hot.

“I don’t think you heard me right.” With both hands drawing hers above her head, I kept the tempo slow. “I'm in love with you, Katherine. And I'm gonna protect you no matter what it takes.”

“
Oh
, Bane!” She arched against me, rubbing every part of her body against mine—her fingers clenching mine, her nipples against my chest, her sleek legs wound around my slowly pumping hips.

Her slick sex tightened around me, and a rippling flash of heat pulled me even deeper inside her.

“Need to be connected,” she whispered.

We kissed until it was impossible, and only our tongues touched for a moment. She drew her hands from mine, pulling at my ass, grasping at my back.

I raised up, plummeted down, stared into her hooded eyes.

Kiki’s lips parted with a moan tumbling out, and she cried my name. “I love you. Love you, Bane.”

A hoarse shout rumbled from my chest—emotion and need cresting together like our bodies.

Grabbing her hair in one fist, I tightened the angle I thrust into her. Short sharp relentless longing finally stretched too tight before shredding apart. Shredded me apart.

A harsh bark of a laugh.

A long moan.

A contented smile.

I held myself on top of Kiki until she caressed my chest with one hand, my back with the other. Until her eyelashes fluttered, and the crystalline blue winked out at me.

“
You kept me alive
.”

“And now you’re dead.” I kissed her gently. Some tough guy I was. She had me completely under her spell. “That means you’re safe.”