Brody: The Bang Shift (25 page)

He made love to her like that, holding her knee as he plunged into her, murmuring against her lips. He wasn’t sure what he was saying or if it even made any sense. All he could think was
don’t leave me
.

“I love you,” he breathed, then took her mouth in a searing kiss. He didn’t give her an opportunity to say those words back to him because he didn’t want to be disappointed when she didn’t. Xan was leaving, and she was distancing herself from him. If that was what she needed to do to help her through this, then he’d allow that. But nothing would ever change how he felt about her.

He grabbed her hips, angling her so he could take her deeper, harder. Fuck, he was close. He could feel his balls getting tighter as he pounded into her, her cries cheering him on.

Then she pushed against his shoulders, startling him. “Xan?” he panted.

She didn’t answer, only pushed him over and straddled him. “Fuck, baby.” She started riding him hard and he was in heaven.

He grabbed her hips, bent his knees and thrust up into her each time she came down. Her breasts shook, calling him, so he answered. He sat up and drew one nipple into his mouth, leaving his hands on her hips to help guide her as she led them both to ecstasy. She cried out, her pussy milking him, and his mouth tore away from her breast on a roar as he came with her.

When they both drifted back down from the euphoria of their lovemaking, he’d realized that he’d wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him, and she’d done the same, her head buried in the crook of his neck. A slight hitch in her breathing gave away the fact she was trying not to cry, and that crushed him.

She didn’t want to leave just like he didn’t want her to. But they didn’t have a choice. Sometimes life was just fucked-up.

He spent the night in her arms, wondering how he’d go back to the life he had before she drove into this town. Well, technically, he towed her into this town, but the effect was the same. He loved her, would always love and worry for her. As she lay in his arms, breathing softly in her sleep, he thought about the first day they’d met, and he knew he wanted to do something special for her before she left. Just a little something to show how much he loved her and cared about her safety.

Because all he really wanted to do was keep her.

And he’d have to let her go.

* * * * *

Xan was miserable. She’d been packing the last several days so she’d be ready when Jack came calling to tear this life away from her. And she hadn’t gotten much help out of Scott, either. Oh, he’d packed a little. Very little. He dragged his feet around here as if he were waiting to be put on death row or something. He knew the drill.

Maybe that was his problem. She knew the drill, too. Knew that this would be a never-ending cycle for them. So she hadn’t bitched at him to hurry up. His days were numbered here, and he wanted to spend them hanging out with Chad and Malorie. And she totally understood that because she’d love nothing more than to spend every waking and sleeping moment molded to Brody.

She was in love with him, and she couldn’t even tell him. She’d had so many opportunities, but she’d hoped if she didn’t spill her feelings maybe Brody would move on after she was gone. She knew
she
would never move on, but she realized that loving someone meant you wanted what was best for them. And she didn’t want Brody pining away for her. So she’d kept him at arm’s length from her. Just far enough away to build up walls, but just close enough to pull him back every now and then. She wasn’t trying to toy with him. She really wasn’t, but letting someone go was tough. And she was hurting.

Groaning at the reality of her life, she grabbed more packing tape and stood from where she’d been sitting on the floor, going through a few knickknacks, and headed to the kitchen for some water. She heard a car pulling into her driveway and what sounded like a couple of trucks. “What the hell?” she muttered. She put the packing tape on the counter, walked into the living room, then peeked through the blinds. She saw Brody, and her heart did a little flip-flop. God, she loved it when he left his hair down.

She nervously smoothed her own hair and blew into her hand, testing her breath, before opening the door and walking out. She frowned when she saw Bear’s truck parked behind Brody’s truck and noticed someone else parked on the other side of his truck. Bear waved as he climbed into the passenger seat and noticed Blade sitting on the passenger side. He wiggled his fingers and winked at her as Bear backed out and drove off.

“Where’re they going?” Xan asked as she walked over to Brody.

“Blade drove my truck over here.” He took her hand and tugged, pulling her along with him. “I have something for you.”

When they rounded the front end of Brody’s truck, Xan gasped as she stared at the brand new Honda Accord. “What’s this?” she asked, knowing how stupid the question sounded but not knowing what else to say.

“Your new Bertha.”

She looked up at him too shocked to speak.

“You once told me that if you could have any car you wanted, you’d pick an Accord. Well, I hate the idea of you driving around in that piece of shit.” He took a deep breath, briefly shutting his eyes. “And if I’m not going to be around to fix it for you, I want you to have something dependable.”

This was the nicest, most generous thing anybody had ever done for her. Ever. And she felt her throat tightening, her eyes itching, as she looked up at him. “Brody.” Her voice cracked, so she covered her mouth, trying to stifle the sob that was building. “I-I can’t accept this.”

“Shh.” He stepped up to her, rubbing her back. “Don’t cry, baby. I’ve been teetering on my own feelings these last couple of weeks.” He chuckled, making light of his words, but he squeezed her tighter to him, betraying his true feelings. “You need a new car. I’m not taking it back. Besides, I got it on sale, so I can’t take it back even if I wanted to.”

She tried to control the hitching in her breath. She really did. But as she tried swallowing back her tears, the sobs built and rushed from her. She broke down, holding on to him, crying her broken heart out.

“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave you. I-I love you, Brody. I love you so much, and I can’t stand the idea of never seeing you again.”

“Oh, baby,” he breathed. holding her, rocking her. “I love you too.”

“Maybe, maybe, we can work something out?” She didn’t care if she sounded as needy as she felt.

He pulled away from her, gently rubbing his thumbs along her cheeks, wiping away her tears. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that.”

“What I want doesn’t matter though. I have to leave.”

He brushed her hair off her cheek. “I talked to Gage yesterday, and after he made a bunch of calls, he was finally able to do just that. Now the big dogs over there aren’t happy about this alternative and will strongly suggest you not go along with it, but the only people here who know he was undercover are the guys at the shop. The feds have
reluctantly
agreed to keep him here if you insist on staying. Once he convinced them that it was a genuine possibility and they bitched about how fucking dangerous this is for you, they really didn’t have any other choice but to keep Gage here, especially since I’m the one who actually pulled the trigger and Collins’ father might come sniffing around. Gage will be working with Jack Parsons to coordinate your safety.”

Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. “I-I don’t know what to say.” She shook her head trying to process this.

“Now listen, baby. They said it’ll be really dangerous if you decide to do this because you’d have to move to another location and pretend as if you weren’t under their protection anymore. All other agents who worked the case would also be under that impression. Gage will go deep cover. Everyone except those I mentioned already and a select few will think he’s decided to quit.”

“You mean I, Scott, we get to stay here?”

He smiled crookedly at her, leaning down to brush his lips against her. “Well, not here.” He pointed to her house. “You’ll have to move in with me. You know, for protection and all.”

Move in with Brody? Oh, she could definitely do that. “Why didn’t you just come right out and tell me I could stay?” She tried to sound irritated, but failed miserably. She was too damn excited.

“I didn’t want to presume anything.” He shook his head as if he hated thinking that way. “Come look at your new car, baby.” He pulled her behind him, acting like a kid on Christmas.

“If I’m staying, I don’t need the car,” she said jokingly.

He looked back at her, frowning. “I bought it before talking to Gage, and I told you, I’m not taking it back.”

She felt light, free, excited about this wonderful turn of events, and she practically bounced behind him as he opened the driver side door for her. She slid into her new car, grinning wildly, and took a deep breath to inhale the new-car smell that had evaded her for too many years.

Her nose wrinkled. “What’s that… Is that
vanilla
?”

Brody shrugged innocently before swooping down and kissing her hard.

No more moving? Getting to live her life with the man she loved? Yeah, her life was definitely looking up.

Author’s Note

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About the Author

Mandy Harbin is an award-winning, bestselling author of several books across multiple romance genres ranging from contemporary to paranormal erotic romance. She is also the number one bestselling author in teen romance under the pen name M.W. Muse with her popular Goddess Series. She is a Superstar Award recipient, Reader’s Crown and RWA Passionate Plume finalist, and has received Night Owl Reviews Top Pick distinction many times. She studied writing at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, earned several degrees, and even pursued an MBA until she realized becoming an author did not have to remain an unfulfilled dream. Mandy is a PAN member of the RWA and lives in a small Arkansas town with her non-traditional family, and although she is a direct descendant of British royalty, they refuse to call her princess. When she’s not penning her latest book, you can find her hanging out online where she loves to connect with fellow readers or stalking Mickey Mouse at Disney World.

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