Brody: The Bang Shift (24 page)

If he lost her, he’d never forgive himself for not protecting her like he should have.

“I love you, baby,” he breathed into her hair as he rocked her blood-soaked body. “Please hold on.”

* * * * *

The last time Xan woke up from a foggy stupor everything hurt. This time, she felt as if she were literally dying. And if she wasn’t dead yet, she’d love for someone to finish her off.

She groaned as she tried to move, hearing the annoying little beats of a heart monitor and other hospital equipment she was all too familiar with considering her line of work, and suddenly hands were on her. “Mom?”

Oh crap. She was pretty sure she looked as bad as she felt, so she didn’t want Scott to see her like this. But then again, the last thing she remembered about Scott was that he was in the hospital. If he was in her room, then at least he’d been released. Or well enough to ditch his doctors. “Hi, honey,” she breathed.

“You scared us all there for a while.” He squeezed her. She could feel him shaking a little.

“Us?” Okay, he probably meant the proverbial “us” but she couldn’t help hoping it included a certain Viking she’d missed.

“Yeah, the doctors have been in here talking a lot about stuff I don’t understand, but Brody and the other guys have been here to help explain it to me. You’ve been in surgery getting your broken head fixed, and you punctured a lung and broke a leg, ribs, two fingers, nose—”

“I’ll be fine.” She had to cut him off because he started to sound a little hysterical. “What happened to Marco?” She didn’t refer to him as his father.

“Brody killed him.” The anger in his voice was much more preferable to the panic that was building a couple of seconds ago. “That Colonel guy was killed too.”

Cole. Once upon a time, she’d thought he was her savior, but he’d never cared about her protection, so she couldn’t bring herself to care that he hadn’t made it out alive. Now there was one less minion after her and her son.

“How long have I been here? Where have you been staying?”

“Coupla weeks. And I’ve been staying here as much as Chad’s mom would let me, but she’s been dragging me out to feed me and making sure I got to school and got some sleep.”

She was going to cry. Xan had never had a best friend, someone she could trust with the safety of her son, and now she couldn’t have asked for a better girlfriend.

“Brody’s been keeping me company up here, helping me with my homework and been trying to get me to play video games. Even bought me
Bloodbath Five
when it hit the stores last week.”

Now she did tear up. First Roxie and now Brody. They both had stepped in and taken Scott under their wings when she’d been incapacitated.

“You okay, Mom? What’s wrong?” Scott asked frantically.

She sniffled. “No, no. I’m fine. Well, I hurt like crazy, but I’m fine.”

He reached for something beside her, and she knew exactly what it was. A morphine drip. Within seconds her eyes got heavy, and yeah, that was much, much better. Before her eyes completely shut, she heard her door open and saw Brody walk in with a couple of bags of takeout. Their eyes locked and he gasped, walking over to her quickly and dropping the bags on the small bedside table.

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he stroked her hair.

“Sleepy.”

He leaned down and kissed her temple. “Then sleep. Everything is okay. No one will ever hurt you or Scott again. I lo—”

He kept talking, but she drifted into sweet oblivion.

* * * * *

Brody sat in his truck and opened another vanilla-scented air fresher. God, he missed Xan like crazy. These ridiculous pine trees didn’t smell a damn bit like her. But that hadn’t stopped him from trying. This was his third one this week.

It’d been a month since Collins had kidnapped Xan and a week since she’d been released from the hospital. When Brody had visited her before she was released, they’d talked. Well, as much as they could—she’d been pretty loopy most of the time. But he’d told her about Colonel, and he’d learned about his connection to her and the truth about Tess’ murder. What a revelation that’d been. Brody had hoped finding out the truth meant he and Xan would have a fresh start.

He’d been wrong.

As soon as she was out of the hospital, she’d become distant. When he’d tried to have the relationship talk, she’d very subtly shut that topic down. He figured he’d just give her time to adjust to what Marco had done to her and the fact she wouldn’t have to run anymore, but he’d been wrong about that too.

So very wrong.

Apparently, the FBI felt she was still in danger. Gage had explained to him that Collins’ father would see Xan as the reason his son was killed and would retaliate. Meaning Xan was still under FBI protection and would be moving again, severing all ties with everyone she knew.

Including him.

He’d been pissed because he’d learned through someone else besides Xan that she was moving. Then he’d fallen in love with her a little more because she was trying to spare his feelings. And really, he couldn’t stay mad at her when he knew his time with her was limited. When he’d tried talking to her about it, she acted as if she hadn’t wanted to go but didn’t really protest the idea. Scott, though, that kid was fuming mad. He liked his new friends and had a little girlfriend too. Brody was going to miss him like hell. And Xan…

He sighed, shaking his head and leaning toward the swinging air freshener. Why didn’t these damn vanilla-scented pine trees smell like her? He figured he should be happy about that because the guys would rip him a new one if they walked in his house and found these things hanging all over the place.

Hmm, maybe those automatic air freshener sprayer things would do the trick. He’d have to check into that.

Yeah, he was losing it. He was grasping at whatever he could so he wouldn’t lose the memory of her. Not that he thought that’d actually happen, but he wanted everything about her to stay sharp in his mind. The feel of her skin, the softness of her hair, the taste of her lips on his, and her scent. God, he didn’t know how he was going to live without her.

But he had to learn because her safety was the most important thing. If she had to cut him loose to ensure she’d live, then he’d do it. He’d sacrifice anything for her, including his own happiness.

He drove by her house again. Yeah, he’d done it about a million times over the past week, but he didn’t care. It wasn’t as if he was stalking her. He had to make sure she was safe. And they’d still spent time together, but not only was she keeping her distance, she was still medicated too. So Brody hadn’t crowded her, but God, it was hard not fawning all over her every second of every day, knowing those days were numbered.

He slowed as he neared her house. Then his heart slammed in his chest, the beat double-timing it. She was sitting on the porch stairs, looking up at the sky. The sight of her would’ve taken his breath away if he wasn’t immediately worried about her. Why the hell was she sitting outside? It was after midnight.

He pulled into her driveway, figuring it was best not to pretend he hadn’t been driving by. As he shut off the engine, their eyes locked, and he flashed a smile at her before looking away to climb out. He walked around his truck, heading toward her, hoping his damn heart would slow down anytime now.

“Busted,” he acknowledged with a casual shrug.

“You’ve been doing that a lot.”

Oh shit. Maybe he should’ve saved the drive-bys for well after midnight. “Just making sure you’re safe,” he said as he sat beside her. He let his hand fall to her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze before leaning in and kissing her quickly on the mouth. Even though that was as far as they’d gone in the physical department since her ordeal, Brody still loved the feel of her lips on his, no matter how brief it was. “Whatcha doin’ out here?”

“Thinking. Scott’s PO’d that we have to move. Jack says they should have a house ready for us next week.”

“And new identities.” He didn’t ask. He just said what it seemed she couldn’t.

“Yeah,” she breathed.

He tried to keep everything light, but God, he’d missed being alone with her. Almost every other time he’d been around her, Scott was near. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, baby,” he whispered, leaning down and nuzzling her hair, her ear.
Vanilla.

Her breath caught and she turned into him. He didn’t know how much longer she’d allow him this intimacy because if her recent track record was any indication, she’d be pulling away any second now. Oh, he could tell she wanted him. That had never stopped, but she was trying to save them both the heartache that was inevitable. He knew this little vixen better than she knew herself.

“I’m going to miss you too.”

He sighed when she eased a little closer, her hand rubbing the length of his arm. Without thinking, he let his lips trace down her cheek to find her mouth again. This time, he nudged her lips once, twice and licked the plump seam. He wanted to shout when she opened for him. His tongue dove into the warm cavern as his hands fisted in her hair. Oh, how he missed the taste of her.

He devoured her, leaving no crevice of her mouth untouched. His cock was throbbing against the zipper of his jeans, begging to be released. If he wasn’t careful, he’d pull her down on this porch and fuck her right here.
Shit.
She was still recovering and he was practically attacking her like some horny animal. He broke away, panting. “I-I’m sorry. How are you feeling, baby?” That should’ve been the first damn thing he asked her when he walked up. He was such a selfish jerk.

“I
was
feeling just fine, but now I’m feeling deserted.” She pouted playfully and his guilt vanished. She’d wanted him too. Probably ached for him as he had for her.

He leaned toward her again, brushing his lips against her neck. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

Her head fell back on a gasp. “Uh-uh.”

He kissed and nipped his way up her slim neck to her ear. “Is Scott home?” he asked as he nibbled on her lobe.

“No. Ditched me to stay at Chad’s.”

“Remind me to thank him later.” Then Brody abruptly stood and lifted Xan into his arms.

“B-Brody. This doesn’t mean—”

“Shh.” He swooped in and kissed her lightly as he carried her into the house. “All I want to think about is tonight. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Tonight.” He kept walking down the hall and into her bedroom.

“Tonight,” she whispered and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.

He greedily obliged, sealing his lips with hers. He hungered for her like a man starved, and he knew he’d never feel this way about another woman ever again. Xan was his one and only true love. He’d had a hard time swallowing all the stories Colonel had told him about his past over the years, and the one Xan had told him—about how he’d been in love with her all those years ago—had felt right. He wished he could remember being in love with her before, but loving her now made believing easy.

He gently lowered her to her feet beside the bed, kissing the side of her neck, licking along her collarbone He traced a path from one shoulder to the other, trying to memorize the tantalizing skin exposed from her low-cut shirt. Kissing his way down her chest, he stopped once he reached the cloth barrier and hastily grabbed the hem, pulling it free from her body.

If he didn’t slow down, he’d rush right through this, not relishing what may very well be their last time together. His heart dropped at that thought, so he stepped back, taking her in. God, she was beautiful.

“So beautiful,” he breathed, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

“Brody.” Her voice trembled, but she reached for him, caressing his chest through his worn gray t-shirt. His belly jumped at her touch as her hand lowered, and his cock strained against its denim cage. She pulled his shirt out from his jeans and pushed it up, leaving it gathered under his arms. Then she leaned in and kissed his bellybutton, and oh shit, that felt good. He groaned, swaying toward her, clutching her arms in case his knees buckled.

When she reached for his belt buckle, Brody yanked his shirt completely off. Then slid his hands down her back to unclasp the black lacy bra she had on. When her breasts fell free, he cupped them, feeling their heavy weight, tugging on her taut nipples. She moaned, and her hands briefly hesitated on his zipper. So he rolled her nipples again, loving the way her back arched as she pushed her breasts harder into his hands.

Once she got his zipper down, he reached for her pants, quickly removing them and her soaked panties before stepping out of his own jeans.

He stood before her bare—emotionally and physically. This little hellion stepped into his life and claimed it, claimed him, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He reached for her, knowing his eyes were raw with his feelings, pulled her down onto the cool sheets and kissed her. Everywhere. From her temple to her toes, he left no inch untouched, but he saved her pussy for last.

When he hovered over that sweet spot, he breathed in the musky vanilla scent of her and moaned.

“Please, Brody,” she begged as her hips writhed beneath him, so he clasped her thighs, spreading her wider. Then he finally licked her tentatively along the seam. She gasped, trying to get closer, her honey dripping from her core. God, he was trying to savor her, but all he wanted to do was dive in and devour her in such a way that her taste would be branded on him. When she whimpered, the decision was made. He leaned in and licked her from her ass to her clit. And then he did devour her, licking, nipping, kissing her, as he stabbed two fingers inside her, reveling in how tight she was.

She was moaning, panting as she tugged on his hair, guiding him to that sweet little clit, and he greedily followed, sucking it into his mouth as he batted it with his tongue and fucked her with his fingers. She screamed, her back arching off the bed, and he continued his ministrations, wringing every last spasm out of her. When she finally collapsed, boneless, he crawled up her body, kissing her tummy, her breasts, lingering a little while before continuing up to her mouth. He lifted her knee, hooking it on his hip, and thrust into her with one powerful move. He groaned. She trembled, reaching for him and pulling him to her.