Beyond the Rules (an At the Brink Novel) Page 3

  “Swedish. Alternative rock. Dig it.”

  Her mouth went a little slack. “I’ve never met anyone who knew about them.”

  Aiden actually smiled. “You and me, kiddo.”

  It was more words than I’d heard from Aiden all week, hell, maybe even all month, and they included a smile, his genuine one. It also made the vote two against one, so we had our marching orders.

  “We need to get moving,” I said. “The storm is closing in and we’ve got some clicks to cover.”

  “I’ll take a look at the wreck while you get her ready,” Zar grumbled, the sore loser. He took off, moving swiftly uphill, on the lookout.

  I grabbed my crutches. “Shall we do this?”

  “Okay,” Nina mumbled, “but whatever happens, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”

  “Roger that,” I said, helping her up.

  As soon as she stood, she sucked in her breath through her teeth.

  “Hey, Aiden?” I said. “Her ankle is shot.”

  Aiden considered the situation for a moment, then bent over, leaned his shoulder into Nina’s middle and scooped her up, hauling her into a fireman’s carry.

  Nina’s eyes went wide with surprise. “Boy, it’s high up here.” She shifted on his shoulder. “How tall are you?”

  “Six six, last time I checked.” Aiden tucked his hand under her knee and secured his hold on her.

  “I feel like I’m up in the stratosphere.” She let out a short, nervous laugh, a belly-powered giggle that lightened my mood and echoed in the little valley. “Thanks for the lift.”

  “My pleasure.” Aiden gave her another smile and stalked up the bank, long legs powering the climb and easily negotiating the boulders.

  Hell, this was getting good. I hadn’t caught Aiden flirting with anyone for a long while. And make no mistake about it, by his standards, Aiden was flirting. On any day, he was really stingy with both his words and his smile. He was okay with us, but he rarely ever engaged with strangers. For Aiden, this was milestone territory.

  “Watch her hands,” I called out, engaging in the slow-as-fucking-a-virgin process of getting back on the ATV.

  “You need help?” Zar hollered from somewhere afield.

  “Hell, no.” I didn’t need help. I just needed time to grow old while I shuffled over, secured my backpack and, after leaning on the ATV, helped my lazy left leg over the seat, ignoring the jolts of pain shooting up and down my spine.

  It was a depressing process and I might have dwelled on how fucking depressing it was, except I was busy considering the days’ facts. Nina’s unexpected arrival. My initial profile of her. My observations on my own reactions toward her. Aiden’s positive reactions.

  Adding all of these factors together made me think of the possibilities. After all, that’s what I did for a living. I watched and observed, gathering history, info and intel, in order to come up with individual personality frameworks that told us who someone was and how they thought and operated in life. Once the profile was ready, I projected my analysis forward to predict future behaviors.

  I only had a rough sketch on Nina so far, but it was an encouraging one. I had a lot more work to do, but the best news was that I was itching to get to it. As to the three of us, I had our profiles down. Hell, we’d lived and trained together, survived seven deployments and ten days on a deadly Syrian ridge. We had our battle-forged bond and our oath to each other, which held us together, helped us cope, and transitioned us in and out of the worlds we inhabited. Only one aspect of our pact had proven difficult and, although we hardly ever talked about it, the social scientist in me knew that each of us—individually and collectively—struggled with it.

  Could Nina be the key to bridging the gap? I shook my head and fired the ignition. I was jumping the gun, but the indicators were so goddamn promising. Could she be the fit we were looking for?

  I was intrigued. A new sense of guarded optimism came with the novelty of Nina’s sudden arrival and shook up the exhausting, dull discipline of our daily grind. Perhaps Aiden was intrigued, too. Zar…not so much. I needed to ramp down the hope and turn on the brain. Zar was a tough nut to crack and not always helpful to himself. I had to remind myself that there were a lot of variables in this equation.

  I drove the four-wheeler out of the gulley, a ride that was safer with only one person on board. Once out of the creek bed, Aiden helped Nina to straddle the seat behind me. She was pale and looking wobblier by the moment, so we secured her to me by a couple of straps.

  Aiden buckled on his backpack and clutched his rifle against his chest. “I’ll take point.”

  Zar prowled out of the forest, carrying his weapon in the ready low-forward position. “I’ll bring up the rear.”

  It’d taken a little doing, but the guys were solid and now we were in business.

  Nina’s voice came over my shoulder, trembling and uncertain. “Do you guys always carry ginormous guns wherever you go?”

  “We were hunting, remember?” I glanced at her over my shoulder and reassured her with a smile. “And this is Montana. We like our firepower out here.”

  “Ah, yes, I’ve heard about the wild, wild west.”

  Her attempt at humor spoke volumes about her, but I really needed to get her squared away and rested. I revved the engine, allowed Aiden to jog ahead, and prepared for the long trek down the mountain. Time to get this show on the road.

  “Thanks for helping me.” Her voice was soft and weary against my ear and her arms were coiled around my waist, bandaged palms facing up. The feel of her breasts pressing against my back was gonna drive me insane the whole way down. Mind out of the gutter, Vazquez.

  “No need to thank me,” I said. “It had to be done.”

  “Believe me, if I make it through this, one day, I’m coming back to thank you properly.”

  “Oh, I believe you.” And I was going to make damn sure she made it. She didn’t know it yet, but there was a lot to sort out. I was open to creative gratitude that went both ways and, for the next few days, she wasn’t stepping out of my line of sight.

  Chapter 3

  Nina

  I woke up to the murmur of male voices. I had to blink away the haze of heavy sleep. My legs were tightly pressed together and my pussy greeted me with an urgent yank. Not new. This was how I usually woke up. Horny as hell.

  But it was worse today. My clit felt like a hot spot between my legs. My sex throbbed as if I’d been suspended at the edge of a monumental orgasm all night. When I stirred, the insides of my thighs glided against each other, sliding on my own lubricating flow. Jesus. Had I been wearing panties, they would’ve been drenched.

  I’d been having erotic dreams. I couldn’t remember all of them, only the one where I was holding three hugely erected cocks like a brawny bouquet as I gorged on one swollen cockhead after the other. I swallowed big, swirling, ambitious gulps of hard, scalding flesh, relishing the spurts of pre-come that thickened the moisture in my mouth, connecting the men’s hard shafts with dense strands of my glistening saliva.

  Can it, Nina. After all, I had some pressing priorities. Like finding out where the hell I was, for example.

  I looked around the posh bedroom. I laid on a king size bed in a large, comfortable room, notable for the craft built into the sleek furnishings that warmed an ultra-modern space. As soon as I braced my bandaged palms on the mattress, a dull ache shot up my arms. It was milder than I remembered, but still, my hands were out of commission.

  I stared at the clean bandages covering my burns. The memories came pouring in: the plane crash, riding the ATV down the long, steep trail from the mountain, the cold rain soaking me down to my bones. At some point, we’d made it somewhere dry, warm, and comfortable. I had hazy memories of the men tending to me, feeding me liquids. By the looks of it, I’d been cleaned up and dressed in a T-shirt that hung down to my knees. I’d been too exhausted to think before now. But I wasn’t tired anymore. And I remembered. I had to find Ulysses.

 
My laptop. Where was it? I frantically scanned the room. There. On the dresser. Safe. I let out the breath I’d been holding. My cell was nowhere to be found, but it was rigged for security too, even though I knew better than to keep anything critical on it.

  I elbowed the sheets aside, got out of bed, and tested my ankle. It was wrapped with a bag of ice taped around my leg. At least I could kind of stand. I needed a restroom soon, so I limped to the door and set out to find one.

  The hum of conversation drifted up from somewhere. I shuffled down a hallway, taking in the astonishing architecture around me, all steel beams, cables, and glass construction. At the end of the hall, a sleek balcony overlooked a huge glass wall. Beyond it, clear skies and jagged mountains stretched as far as the eye could see. I was so engrossed in the spectacular views that for an instant, I forgot my bladder and missed the fact all conversation had ceased and the house was completely silent.

  “We know you’re there,” a deep bass announced. “Step out where we can see you.”

  I limped closer to the glass railing and discovered an expansive living space at my feet, three tiered levels that featured a huge kitchen, a large living room and a sprawling deck beyond. I looked down and saw Tanner, Aiden, and Zar huddled around the kitchen island, their gazes fast on me. I was suddenly aware that all I was wearing was the T-shirt.

  “You.” Zar pointed at me and then at the floor next to his feet. “Down here. Now.”

  His icy stare sent chills down my spine. I repressed an urge to run. Keep your cool, Nina, you can handle this. I had to figure out what to do next.

  “For God’s sake, Zar.” Tanner rose from his stool and grabbed his crutches. “Can’t you see she just woke up? Give her some time to adjust.” He made for one of the kitchen’s doors and called up to me. “Stay where you are, sweetheart. I’m coming up. Don’t let Zar bulldoze you,” he added as he stepped in what I soon realized was a small elevator. “He’s a pussy cat.”

  Only if one counted saber tooth tigers as domestic cats.

  “I’ve got a lot of questions for you,” Zar said.

  “I bet you do.” I’d have a lot of questions for me too, if I were him.

  A door chimed to my left and Tanner stepped out, rocking a pair of blue jeans and a fitted plaid flannel shirt that reminded me of his body’s perfect proportions. He flashed the magical smile that had the power to soothe and comfort me on sight.

  “I know we’ve got a lot of distance to cover today.” He addressed both me and the guys downstairs. “But if we can all put questions on hold for a few, we should take care of the basics. I’m betting you’d like to hit the head, maybe take a bath, start the day right?”

  “You’re like, a treasure.” I squeezed my legs together and tried not to jump up and down. “I’d like that. And I do need to hit the head…bathroom…whatever.”

  “Cool.” Tanner’s smile could make a girl swoon. Not me, I didn’t swoon, but had I been the swooning sort, it would’ve happened. “Let’s keep the weight off your ankle for a couple more days. Aiden?”

  Aiden rose from his stool and trotted up the staircase, his long, lithe strides eating the space in seconds, his large body moving elegantly across the space, his long bare feet rustling quietly on the floating stairs. I blinked and he stood next to me. I looked up, way up, six and a half feet up.

  “Morning,” he said in a distinctive accent, Boston maybe? “Aiden Black, reporting for duty.”

  “I remember you,” I said. “You may be the only other person in the country who’s heard of Global Mayhem.”

  His teeth flashed through his beard in a goofy, darling smile. “Makes two of us.”

  He and I? We were somehow alike, although I didn’t understand how yet.

  “I’m your ride.” He lifted an eyebrow broken in two by a scar. “May I?”

  “Um…sure.” He was already scooping me up.

  I was a little stiff in his arms and not a little anxious, but I had eyes and I wasn’t dead, so I couldn’t help but notice that he was a very fine ride indeed. His chest felt like a granite wall against my shoulder. My forehead rustled against the prickle of his stubble and my lungs were full with the scent of pine forests. His lush, brown curls were trapped in a tail at the base of his skull and his worn T-shirt and torn-at-the knee jeans gave him a classic shabby chic look. He was totally attractive, in a hot Jesus kind of way, and when he smiled the quiet hunk in him came out to play.

  “How are you feeling?” Tanner asked, shuffling behind us.

  “Feeling good, minus the hands. That’s going to be a royal pain in the ass.”

  “You can borrow my hands,” Aiden put in.

  “Are you sure you want to volunteer?” I asked him.

  “A hundred percent.”

  I flashed him a crooked smile, because I came from a place where nobody gave a rat’s ass about anyone else. This guy didn’t know squat about me and yet he seemed totally sincere in his offer to help me. Plus, he listened to Global Mayhem.

  Don’t like him, Nina. Don’t like any of these guys. You’re in no position to trust anyone. And whatever you do, don’t get them killed. Move on. Quickly.

  The problem was, I already liked these two and I was having trouble fighting my instincts. They were telling me that these guys were not like the rest of the world out there. My stomach squeezed around a solid ball of nerves. My instincts tended to override my brain sometimes, an MO that had nearly destroyed my life. I couldn’t afford another mistake.

  “How long was I out?” I asked cautiously.

  “Two whole days,” Tanner said, “almost three.”

  “Three days?” I didn’t have that kind of time to waste. Dimayev’s thugs were likely to barge in any time now. I had to find Ulysses and soon.

  “You were exhausted,” Tanner said. “You needed time to rest and recover. Try to relax. We have time to hash this out and you’re safe right now.”

  I wasn’t so sure about that.

  “Nobody will find you here,” Tanner added as if he could read my thoughts. “You have my word.”

  His word? What an old-fashion concept. And yet, somehow, as we entered the stunning bathroom, I believed him.

  The bathroom was huge, built straight into the cliff with the rock face serving as back wall and the floor tiled with the same deeply veined slate. A pair of enormous glass doors showcased more stunning views of the canyon.

  “This house is amazing.” I took in the enormous walk-in shower carved into the rock wall and the four sinks chiseled into the granite counter. “One huge bathroom for everyone?”

  “It seemed like the most efficient use of space,” Tanner said.

  “You guys designed this house?”

  “We did,” Aiden said, seemingly startling Tanner. “While deployed. Then we built it.”

  It was all very impressive. I wanted to ask more questions, but Tanner opened one of several doors and Aiden deposited me in front of a toilet as carefully as if I were an expensive porcelain doll.

  “Holler when you’re done,” Tanner said, closing the door.

  I sat down and let my water flow like a freaking geyser. My mind spun. I had trouble making sense of things. I had to get to Ulysses, but I was also totally intrigued about the remarkable men who’d come to my assistance. They seemed so capable, so on the ball.

  Take a chill pill, Nina. Get your game on. Don’t get these guys killed for nothing.

  When I was done, I lingered in the bathroom, staring at my bandaged hands. How the hell was I going to find Ulysses if I couldn’t even take care of my private needs?

  Tanner knocked on the door. “Done?”

  I couldn’t avoid him forever, so I stood up. “Yup.”

  He opened the door and stepped in. Unbidden, he grabbed a piece of toilet paper and queried me with his eyebrows. Geesh. Nobody had ever done this for me, not since I was a toddler, some thirty years back. But I didn’t really have a choice and, having spent a lot of time with my mother’s “free” people, I w
asn’t super modest. I widened my stance; he reached between my legs and patted me dry.

  “Thanks,” I said. “That was like, above and beyond.”

  He smiled, a contagious grin that lifted my spirits and had me thinking that, given the circumstances—not to mention the guys—I didn’t have it too bad.

  “Bath time,” he announced and Aiden came in and picked me up again.

  “This is awesome,” I said, falling back on my wry sense of humor to bridge me through the moment. “I’ve got my own personal steward to carry me around.”

  Aiden’s smile ramped up his level of hotness. “You can ride me anytime.”

  The hit and run he did with his eyes tickled my clit and curled my toes. Or was that backward and it actually curled my clit and tickled my toes?

  “Careful, Aiden…” If he only knew the images he’d just planted in my mind. “You wouldn’t want to be at my beck and call.”

  Aiden’s face flushed, but I loved the way he threw his head back and laughed, a deep rumbling cackle that reminded me of the green giant. I laughed too and felt good to be doing so. Hack the happy, girl. It was my personal motto, no matter how bad things got.

  I was still giggling when Aiden carried me out to the outdoor ledge and eased me onto the slate floor. Tanner, who was filling up a stone carved bathtub as gorgeous and chiseled as he was, gave us a look that asked what the laughter was all about.

  “Aiden here was playing with words,” I accused, teetering on one foot.

  “Nina here was messing with my head,” Aiden countered, steadying me with a hand to the elbow.

  “Was she now?” Tanner and Aiden exchanged grins, a cryptic, silent exchange that left me wondering what they’d said to each other. “Let’s get this off.” Tanner unwrapped my ankle and then there was this awkward moment where the three of us traded looks.

  I wasn’t sure what I saw in their eyes, but I had a sudden flashback of my first year in high school when I walked stark naked out of the shower and into the locker room and all the girls began to whisper furiously behind my back. The gym teacher accused me of being an exhibitionist. That’s when I noticed that everybody else was wearing their towels like strapless sundresses. I went home, looked up the word “exhibitionist” and realized I’d been raised on a different planet.