Code Name: Nina's Choice (Warrior's Challenge) (14 page)

“I’ll know soon
enough, be
cause she’ll throw it in my face if you—”
Mace covered her mouth, and shook his head.

“Don’t say it. I’ve
had enough women to know what I want.” He kissed her softly. “And if the
Admiral took Kayla out to dinner, I’d remind you of that.” They looked up jus
t as the apartment door closed. Nina leaned back as Mace
came at her with a wolfish grin. “It’s in the name of therapy,” he teased.

Chapter Nine

“Thanks for the
escort, Ross,” Nina said as she waved and pushed the door to Mace’s apartment
open. It
had been a long shift and she was relieved
to retreat to the small space that felt like home to her now.

“Hold up, Ross,” Mace
said, catching her around the waist and tapping a kiss on her cheek as he swept
by.
“Gotta go out for a few.”

“Where are you goin
g?”

“Kayla’s going to the
Vicaroy’s reading house and we’re on watch.”

Nina wrapped her arms
around his neck. “She’s taking all my Mace time. Don’t be too long, I’ll make
dinner. I need a little of you to shake off today.”

He rubbed her nose. “I
wish I cou
ld give it to you, babe,” he whispered in
her ear. “Feeling your heat wrapped around my shaft is still my main mission.”

She chuckled lightly.
Magazines, books, watching porn, her prancing around in front of him with her
sultry lights flashing hadn’t resul
ted in the desired
effect. Mace dealt with his condition by making her his sex toy and watching
her fall apart with his attentions. Not that she minded, but she would not let
him give up on thinking he would have his ability to get an erection again. They’
d both stored their negative thoughts in a cupboard and
slammed the door. For now they concentrated on his physical training. His
ligaments and wounds had healed with the daily physio. He could challenge the
physicals, but hadn’t yet. “Want to take a run b
efore
dinner? I’ve been in a dark room all day.”

He palmed both of her
ass cheeks in his hands. “Sure, but then I’m locking you in a dark room all
night.”

“Go,” she ordered with
a swat.

“Hey,” he said, his
head sticking in the mostly closed door. “Have you
noticed Ghost and Kayla have been a little chilly to each other lately?”

She arched her brow.
“Yeah, I wonder why that is,” she drawled with sarcasm.

Mace looked stumped.

“A serial killer wants
her dead and she’s pregnant with the world’s biggest baby.”

“
Huh! Did you know he asked her to marry him?”

“Yup, and she refused.
She doesn’t think he means it. Like I said, she’s crazy.”

He nodded. “I
shouldn’t be long, babe. We’re just going to cover Kayla while she’s at the
reading house. I’ll see ya soon.”

“See
ya, hotstuff.”

Two hours passed. Nina
checked on the dinner she’d left in the oven to keep warm. It was starting to
look like something other than food. She reached for her phone to order a
pizza, and then sent Mace a quick text.

Dinner is done. I mean shriveled.
Ordering pizza.
ETA?

Fifteen minutes
passed, and then another thirty. She grabbed her phone and texted Kayla. Maybe
they’d forgotten about her, and went for something to eat together. Another
fifteen minutes passed and she
tried Tinman’s number.

What the hell? She
checked her phone again,
then
called Base Command.

“Hey, Gord, I’m trying
to find Mace or Kayla or anyone for that matter. Has anyone dropped by?” Gord
remained silent on the other end of the phone.
“Hellooooooooo
o.”

“Nina, they’ve found
the Shark.”

Her insides curdled
and then she barked, “That’s great!
Oh,
my God.”

“It is, but it isn’t.
Nina, he got to Kayla.”

“Wha—what did you just
say?” She ran to the window and looked out across the base. “What do you mean?”
When he took more than a second to answer, she
screamed in the phone. “What? Tell me now. Who is it? Do we know him? Is he a
SEAL?” The entire city had begun to believe the bullshit in the papers about
the Shark being a SEAL.

“It’s Captain Themes.”

“What—t
he—fuck,” she spit out. “You have got to be kidding?”

“The team trailed him
to the docks, and chased him down in the bay. They’re just coming back now.
Kayla and Ghost are hurt, but I don’t think it’s serious.”

Nina’s hand went to
her mouth. “Are you sure?
”

“Yes, but Nina there
was another casualty.”

She took a staggering
step backward. She wanted to ask if it was another team member, but something
told her it was the only other man who would give his life for Kayla. “Gord,”
she squeaked.

“Mace took a bulle
t, Nina.”

She hung up and tore
open the door to the apartment. “Kevin,” she yelled at the SEAL as she ran
past. “They’ve caught the Shark.”

Kevin and she took the
stairs running. They bolted across the base and headed for the dock where the
harbor patrol v
essel normally docked. Two ambulances
waited, and she saw the throng of people hovering about.

“Where is he? Where’s
Mace? Where’s Kayla?” she said, grabbing the arm of the first SEAL she saw. It
was Lieutenant Cobbs.

“Nina.” He stopped
her, but not the he
art banging in her chest. “Look at
me. They’re both going to live. Kayla and Ghost were stabbed and Mace has a
flesh wound. He took it in the leg.”

Her eyes caught the
movement of two stretchers being pulled up the ramp. She pushed her way through
and wait
ed at the top. Ghost was by Kayla’s side,
holding her hand, a dark blotch of blood oozed through the white sheet covering
her. Mace’s blood loss was worse, and she could see him staring up into the
heavens.

“Mace!”
His eyes darted to her when he heard
his
name.
“God
damn it, you stupid man.”

He gave her a small
smile, but winced when the stretcher jiggled. “It’s over, baby. We got him.”

She clutched Mace’s
hand. “Would you please do
me
a favor and stop getting shot?”

He chuckled. “Check on
Kayla?”

She nodde
d and ran ahead. “Kayla?”

Kayla looked almost
serene, which scared her. Ghost said, “She’s going to be fine.” They reached
the ambulance and shunted Kayla in immediately.

“The baby?” she asked.
If Kayla lost her baby, she’d lose it for good.

Ghost winked a
t her then glued his eyes on Kayla again. “Our son has a
brave mother. One I love more than anything in this world.” He leaned over and
kissed Kayla.

Nina stepped back to
get out of the way of the closing doors. She didn’t ask
,
she just jumped into the amb
ulance
with Mace. “I am not letting you out of my sight anymore.” She blew out her
fear with a deep breath. She was shaking so badly, even though she could see
Mace was all right.

“Sorry
about being late for dinner, babe.”

She spit out a laugh.
“Are you cr
azy?” She leaned over and kissed his
forehead. He wrapped his arms around her and she gazed into his eyes. This is
what living with a warrior would mean. Fear would always hold a little ground,
and it shook her to the roots. Could she live a life battling
the dark thoughts when he was away?

“Hey, don’t look so
worried. The Shark is dead. It’s over. It’s finally over.”

She nodded and smiled
at him, but it wasn’t over. The horrible fear twisting her heart to pieces
would never be over; that’s what came from
being in
love with a Navy SEAL.

* * * *

Mace crutched his way
into the apartment as Nina held the door open. He had another couple weeks of
healing to look forward to, but at least the gunshot had only taken some flesh.
It didn’t do any real damage, and
after stitching him
up, they let her take him home.

Mace leaned the
crutches against the edge of the couch and slowly eased onto it. She knelt at
his feet. “Do you want me to order a pizza? Are you hungry?”

He laid his head back
and breathed out. “I’m star
ving.”

“Are you feeling any
pain?”

He shook his head.
“Anesthesia is still doing its magic.”

“Rest,” she said with
a gentle order.

Beers and pizza filled
their bellies and Mace seemed a lot more content. Nina sat on her butt on the
other side of the coffee
table and thanked God the
takedown of the Shark hadn’t resulted in taking out the guy she had fallen
totally in love with. Mace’s strength always hid the fact that he was a man,
not an invincible god.

He rubbed the crumbs
from his hands and gazed at her w
ith an unspoken
question.

“Something on your
mind?” she asked, raising a brow.

“Life is going to
change. You and Kayla don’t have to hide anymore.”

“That’s good, isn’t
it?”

“Maybe.
I know Ghost is bound and determined to
get Kayla some help for her PTSD. T
heir baby is due
next
month,
and…” He paused. “It’s safe to bring
Gabbs to San Diego.”

“I know.” She smiled.
“I can’t wait. She’s been so patient.”

Mace nodded and
watched her. A question loomed. “This apartment is a little small…”

She put down the slice
o
f pizza, swallowing her last bite. Her heartbeat
hitched with his intense gaze. “Do you need another beer?”
Chicken
shit.

“No.” He paused,
surveying her. “I know we haven’t discussed this, maybe it’s not the right
time, but…”

“Mace, I think I know
what you
’re getting at, but I need some time to get
Gabbs settled. I have to get her registered with a school and make arrangements
to bring her here.”

A small flicker in his
jaw muscle was his only response.

“I think I need to
stand on my own two feet for a while
. I’ve lived with
my parents since Gabbs was born. She needs some time to acclimatize.” The more
she said
,
the more Mace’s aura seemed to back
away from her. It worried her. She pushed to her feet and sat down next to him.
“Mace, I love you, and I know Gab
bs does too, but
it’s a big step and I have to be sure…”

“You doubt me, don’t
you?” He didn’t say it with resentment or anger, but the statement was
resolute.

“No. I don’t.” She
shook her head and knitted her hands together. “It’s a big commitment, but it’
s not about us living together, it’s about Gabbs.”

“I understand. So,
what do you want to do, move in with Kayla? If I know Ghost, he’s not going to
let her step foot in her place after she gets out of the hospital…”

She cleared her
throat. “I want my own
home. The island is pretty
expensive, but I was looking at a house on E Avenue. I can afford it, just…”

“I’m sure your parents
will help.” He bit down on his lower lip with a reflective gaze.

“Probably, but I won’t
ask them.”

He gently smoothed his
hand
over hers. “I suppose you won’t let me help
either? I’ve been living in this place for several years. I’ve managed to stash
some funds aside.”

She smiled at him. “I
want to do this on my own. It’ll give you time to think—”

He shook his head
slowly. “I don’
t need to think about anything, but I
understand you do.”

Suddenly she got it.
He thought she was keeping him away because of his dysfunction. “Mace, this is
not about your condition. I don’t care about that.”