Finding Trust (Centre Games) (30 page)

“For the first time ever, I want more. I want a partner, maybe a wife.”

“Fuck, man, it doesn’t work like that. You know this.” The boss didn’t even attempt to hide his obvious frustration at having to have this conversation.

For the first time ever with the boss, Brayden’s temper was on the edge of letting rip. A cold rage pumped through his veins. “How dare you sit there and tell me because I have some kooky DNA I don’t deserve to have a family. How dare you?”

“I dare because you’re part of the Centre and the Centre is my responsibility. You’re all operators, here to do a job and do the job you will, make no mistake.” The boss’s voice had gone even colder than normal. It was a smidge short of arctic.

“I’m not questioning my work at the Centre. I’m questioning my basic human right to be loved and have a family.” Brayden could hear the razor-fine edge of frustration and temper in his voice, the sound of leashed fury. No doubt Tom could as well.

“Have you gone soft or something? I turn a blind eye to you guys getting your rocks off when the urge strikes, but that’s all it’s supposed to be. Since when did you guys expect human relationships?”

“Since I’ve met someone I think I want to spend the rest of my life with. But besides that, you should know better than anyone what it takes to control our animal urges. You’ve been part of this since the beginning. And right now, everything I have in me is screaming that Rihanna is mine, and mark my words, boss.” He paused, closing his hands into tight fists. “I’ll go through anyone or anything that stands in my way.”

The boss flinched at his words. Belatedly, Brayden realised it was probably the first time that any of them had really stood up to him. He was paving the way for all of them.

“Does she know you’re not entirely as you seem?” The question was asked in a much-controlled voice; the boss seemed to have realised that having an all-out argument was not the way to go.

“Of course not.” Brayden shook his head at the question.

“Right then, let’s keep it that way. I’ll give it some thought and let you know after all this is over.” The boss attempted to cut short the conversation and move it back onto his terms.

“I don’t think you understand me, boss. There is nothing for you to give any thought to. Rihanna and I are together, end of story. You need to be figuring out how we make this work within the framework of the Centre.”

“I don’t take to ultimatums, soldier.” The boss was clearly furious.

Brayden was beyond caring. This was his future and that of all his brother and sisters he was fighting for. He’d never lost a fight yet.

“Let me remind you, boss. This is not the military and I’m not bound by any of those rules. I’m giving you the courtesy of letting you know what’s happening in my life. Whether I choose to carry on a relationship with Rihanna or not is between us. Right now, you’re standing under my roof and I’m cooperating with this assignment. Push me any further and all that will change in a heartbeat. You’ll be out on your ass and anyone else that doesn’t support our relationship is free to join you.

“Contrary to what you think, I have choices in my life. We all do. I could go and join the band full-time. I could do any number of things. I could live comfortably off the royalties I earn for the rest of my life. Every one of us has choices. It’s you who keeps wanting to limit what we can do. Sure, we respect you and know how important the work is that we do, but don’t for one second think that we fear you. You might want to rethink your position on relationships because sooner or later, every one of us is going to be in the same predicament.”

Brayden hooked his leg over the edge of the desk and planted his butt on the corner, maintaining his height advantage. His arms were firmly crossed over his massive chest.

The boss was clearly fuming, Brayden’s speech rattling around, knocking into all his entrenched military and other preconceived ideas. Brayden didn’t envy him. In fact, he almost felt sorry for the boss.

Change was coming whether he liked it or not. What’s more, it was change that ultimately the boss could do nothing about. Smart man would make the best of the situation. He wasn’t sure how the boss would jump.

After what seemed like an eternity, the boss spoke. “So where does this leave us, Brayden?”

“Exactly where we were before we started this conversation. We have an assignment to complete. You have my full support for the completion of the assignment. Rihanna wouldn’t want anything else. But after that, if you are not prepared to accept my relationship with Rihanna, I will be considering my options and most likely they will not involve the Centre.”

“Fair enough. We’ll talk after this assignment is complete. I’m assuming your fellow teammates are aware of all this.”

“Yes, they are, and if they weren’t before, they sure know now.” The boss just shook his head, clearly wondering how his orderly world had just been kicked off its axis. Well, if that was rocking his world, then his next little bit of information ought to detonate it.

“By the way, there’s a very good chance Rihanna’s pregnant.”

For the first time ever, Brayden watched the tan drain from the boss’s face, only to be replaced by a pasty grey.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Rory was walking the outside perimeter fence when Brayden caught up with him. It was something they’d got into the habit of doing over the last few days. Their heightened senses easily allowed them to track anything that occurred on the property but there was a sense of comfort in actually going out and looking. The truth was, they also enjoyed the activity.

“Wow, mate, tone it back. I could feel the rage from a hundred metres away.”

“He pushed too far this time, Rory.” Brayden’s voice was cold and hard; anger was rolling off him in waves.

Rory held up both hands in the universal sign of surrender. “Hope you’re not looking for someone to continue arguing with? Because I agree with everything you said.”

Brayden nodded his head in a jerky fashion. Rage still flowed out of him.

They walked along for a few more seconds in silence. Brayden was doing his best to let go of the anger.

Rory let him be for a few seconds before asking, “So, do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really; you heard everything, anyway.”

“We all did. And as far as I know, everyone feels the same as you. I noticed Dylan headed up behind the house with his mobile right after you finished with the boss. So I’m guessing he put in a call to Rheeba. You know how close they are. She will have alerted everyone else.”

Brayden calmed a bit and let out a huge sigh. “Shit. Sometimes I’m not sure whether the grapevine is a good or a bad thing. At least I don’t have to bother telling everyone the story.”

“Maybe we should call our lack of privacy a biological side effect,” Rory joked, trying to lighten the mood.

“It’s as good a term as any,” Brayden agreed.

They walked on a little farther in silence. Brayden huffed out a long breath that sounded more like a growl. “I can’t remember ever feeling this angry.”

“I can tell, mate. We all heard the conversation and the boss was out of line. He wasn’t interested in hearing your perspective at all. Sometimes I think the boss forgets that we’re fundamentally human with enhanced senses due to our animal DNA. Not the other way around. He also forgets that we all do this voluntarily and that even though we probably have as much training as any military operator, we aren’t fucking military.” Rory really emphasised the
aren’t fucking military
part.

It was a sore point with them all. The boss ran the Centre as if it were another branch of the military and maybe it was to some degree, but none of the team members were indentured to the Centre.

They’d all chosen to work for the Centre because it seemed the obvious thing to do once the truth had been revealed to them, in their late teens. Their individual uniqueness and the reality that they all had altered DNA was what drew them together. It was the epitome of the “blood’s thicker than water” analogy. They may not be true blood relatives. But their altered DNA makeup made them uniquely connected.

“So what do you think he’ll do?” Brayden didn’t really want to talk but he knew he had to or else he’d lose it.

“I think he’ll suck it up and figure out a way around it. He won’t like it. The boss hates change, but he’ll do it. You didn’t give him any weasel room. He tried to keep the upper hand but you made it abundantly clear where your head’s at. That’s when he knew you had him.” Rory succinctly recapped the pertinent points of the conversation. Who needed a secretary to take notes when all his team members could hear for themselves?

“You don’t think I’m being a bit selfish? I feel like an absolute prick for creating waves in the team.” A very small corner of his being was concerned he’d pushed too far and his teammates would suffer as a result. This concerned him.

Rory playfully clipped Bray across the back of the head. “Yeah, you’re such a selfish bastard. Can’t believe I’m still mates with you.” Rory’s sarcasm was exactly the elixir Bray needed. It was why he’d sought him out. Rory just had a way of making everyone feel better.

“Thanks. I think.”

Rory reverted back to his rarely seen quiet and thoughtful persona. “Seriously, mate. It’s been brewing for a while. You probably don’t know but Aaron had a thing going with a girl a few months back when he was working that job down south. It was starting to look serious and then something happened and he backed away. I really thought this awakening, shall we call it, would have happened sooner. Boss has forgotten that we aren’t machines. I think now that you’ve blasted a hole in the foundations, the floodgates are open.” He paused and grinned at Brayden. “And mark my words, there will be a flood.”

“Shit, I’m not looking to create World War Three here. Nor am I looking to create chaos amongst the team.” Concern returned again to Brayden’s voice.

“We all know that. But you’ve had the guts to stand up and say you’re not prepared to put up with the status quo any longer. You’ve given us all the opportunity to broaden our horizons. If anything, I think it’ll be good for us. The alternative just wasn’t feasible.”

Bray paused his stride, not at all sure what Rory was getting at. “Sorry, must have missed something there, mate.” A clearly puzzled look swept across his face.

“I mean I think the boss actually thought we’d all just eventually pair off inside the Centre. Somehow we’d just couple up and create more little super humans. I have to say I love the girls but as sisters. The whole idea of anything more just makes my dick go limp. I mean, fuck, I think it could even be classified as incest.”

Bray chuckled at the mental image Rory painted. “Can you imagine—no, I can’t even go there. Just going to scar me mentally for life,” Brayden agreed.

“See what I mean? Boss has just been really shortsighted over the years. I can’t believe he even thought us all being together was an option. Maybe he just hadn’t really ever given it any thought?”

“Who knows? But I guess I gave him a bit to think about before.” They both had a quiet chuckle at that.

“Oh, yeah. Your parting comment was the absolute best. I was just about pissing myself laughing. But you have to tell me what his face looked like? I’d have paid serious money to see that.”

Brayden really laughed now. Nobody was better to hang out with when you felt like shit than Rory.

***

Rihanna rolled over in her sleep and Brayden spooned into her back. He’d just come to bed. It was very late, or very early depending on how you chose to look at it. They’d all been out in the Sit Room going over threat assessments, action plans, and logistics. All of the usual stuff before the final push on an assignment.

Jazz and Rihanna had gone to bed a few hours ago. The girls were both still exhausted emotionally from the shock of Andy’s involvement. Jazz was cut up about it something fierce. She was putting on a brave face but everyone could see through it. Jazz blamed herself. She blamed herself for putting Rihanna at risk, for not seeing through Andy. Who was he kidding? Jazz blamed herself for everything.

He nudged his body in even tighter to Minky’s. God, it felt good to be able to just hold her in his arms. It had turned out to be a shit of a day. He hated arguing with people. It just wasn’t his thing.

However, there was no way he was letting the boss take this from him. Tom Anderson may have chosen the solitary path that some military guys chose, but this last week had shown him another. One he much preferred. One that had Rihanna in his bed, and close to him always.

The night was hot and she wriggled in his arms, nudging his hips back with her curvy butt, probably objecting to the sudden increase in heat against her back. He reluctantly edged slightly away from her and immediately felt the light breeze hit the perspiration that the contact had created.

“Mmmm, where’re you going?” she mumbled in a sleepy, sexy voice.

Brayden leaned in close and whispered across her ear, “Nowhere, baby, just thought you must have been hot.”

She shivered in response to his words and his cock immediately went from being interested to full-on ready for action. Rihanna wriggled her butt against him again, making it very clear what she was hot for.

To test her interest even further, he slid his right hand up from her hip and ran the tip of his index finger over her nipple. It immediately pebbled into a taut little nub, and she gasped at the sensation.

He’d come to realise he loved taking her when she was like this. Still sleepy, her brain a little foggy, all her barriers down. This was Rihanna at her barest. No barriers up, no sense of self-consciousness. Just raw need. He continued to tease her nipple and then stopped—testing her.

“Don’t stop,” she pleaded.

He chuckled quietly to himself. Just as he thought; she was all hot and needy.

Rihanna wriggled her butt insistently against him. His cock was wondering what the holdup was, but he wanted to tease her a little more first.

Her skin was silky smooth under his palm as he reached down and cupped her mound. She’d finally got the message a few days ago that clothing in his bed wasn’t optional. It was a definite no. It only got in the way.

His tongue flicked out and traced the shell of her ear. His fingers slowly stroked through the hot wetness of her feminine lips. He sucked the lobe of her ear as he slid his middle finger deep inside her.

“Mmmm, baby, you’re so hot and wet for me. I love it,” he whispered to her. All the while, he continued to tease her with his fingers. In and out, caressing that bundle of nerves inside her that loved to be stroked.

Her breath had quickened to short little pants. She was close. Very close. He knew a couple of tickles to her clit and she’d come apart. Not yet.

He wanted her hotter, even needier.

Brayden stilled his hand at her mound. This left her clenching her internal muscles around his finger. He trailed his tongue down the curve of her neck, over the slope of her shoulder to find the pebbled peak of her nipple.

He swiped his tongue over it once and then twice. She moaned in response.

Something about the sounds she made just made him so horny for her. It just about had him losing his load before she’d even touched him. He pushed his own needs to the back of his mind and focused on driving her even higher.

He sucked her nipple into his mouth, grazing his teeth over the sensitive flesh.

She whimpered; the sound she made bordered on pain.

He went back to his gentle sucking and laved the flat of his tongue over her. It was all about maintaining the momentum but not letting her climbing higher, just yet.

She wriggled more aggressively in his arms, trying to encourage him.

“What do you want, baby?” he managed around the nipple in his mouth.

“I need to come, now,” she panted between gritted teeth.

“Soon,” he promised.

She reached behind her and tried to close her hand around his length. He immediately hiked his hips back away from her hand. It was about her at the moment. Not him. He wouldn’t let her distract his attention.

There was no bigger turn-on for him than to have her mindless in his arms, coming apart in ecstasy. That’s how he wanted her now. He wanted to see her stripped to her barest responses.

He dropped back away from her and gently pushed her body back against the bed. He trailed his fingers lightly over her skin from shoulder to hip. His touch left a wave of goose bumps in its wake and she thrust her hips towards the ceiling at the overload of sensations.

“Brayden,” she gasped between breaths.

“Mmmm, baby, soon.”

He moved his big body effortlessly over her and she immediately raised her knees and dropped them to the side in anticipation of his entry. He thrust his hips forward, purposely not entering her, letting himself slip through her folds a few times, covering his length in her hot, silky feminine dew.

Her arms clasped him tight around his shoulders and she dug her fingernails in to the point of pain.

He rose to a kneeling position and thrust his hips towards her face. His long, thick erection demanded her lush mouth around it. She opened her lips and he felt the hot velvet of her tongue on the underside of his cock as he pushed into her mouth once, and then twice. She’d closed her lips tightly around him, about to increase her suction of him when he pulled back, depriving her of that as well.

He slid down her body, frustrating her more, but exciting her further at the same time. She was anticipating his mouth all over her pussy and that just made her needier.

His broad shoulders nudged her legs wider apart. He wanted her totally open to him. The full moon and the open shutters of the French doors provided just enough light so he could clearly see her swollen folds covered in her silvery dew. His veranda was a secluded area of the house, so he wasn’t concerned about providing a show for anyone else.

It was too tempting—he had to taste.

He took a long delicious lick, from her channel up and over her clit. She tasted amazing. It was hot, sweet, spicy, and something oh so Rihanna all at once. His senses felt as if they were on overload.

Her scent had been distracting him all night. She’d wanted him while they ate, while they worked. Only her scent had given her away. To the outward eye, she seemed completely unaffected, controlled. What she didn’t know was that he and every member of his team knew just how badly she wanted him. Needed him. She had no idea how sexy she was.