Sin Brothers: Total Surrender Part 14

d.a.m.n. She leaned forward, pressing her mouth to his. Just for saving her from the river, just for being somebody she wished she could know better. Just to quench the fire crackling in her nerves.

He inhaled, going still.

Possessed by something unreal, she flattened her hand over his chest and molded her lips to his.

With a sound of torment, his mouth moved, and he took over. Completely. Cupping her head, he held her in place, going deep. His tongue played with hers, while his body enfolded her.

She kissed him back, fire lighting down her spine. So much need.

The kiss went on forever until she was writhing on his lap, needing more than anything to get closer. So much closer.

Finally, he broke the kiss, levering back to study her.

They both breathed heavily, and l.u.s.t had turned his eyes a dangerous midnight-filled smoke. His c.o.c.k pulsed full and hard right beneath her b.u.t.tocks.

He licked his lips.

She groaned.

Then he shook his head. "This can't happen."

"I know." Her voice came out breathy. More than anything, her body wanted this to happen. Her mind knew better. "I'm sorry."

His grin was slow. "Don't be. This just became one of my favorite memories." At the sweet sentiment, he once again tucked her into his neck. "Go to sleep, Piper."

She sighed into his heated skin and tried to relax. While her body's need didn't surprise her, the ache in her heart surely did. There was a lot more to Jory than she'd expected, and the fact that she wouldn't be able to peel his layers hurt somewhere deep inside.

Not only had he kidnapped her, but she wasn't sure whether or not to believe him. She wanted to, but honestly? Soldiers created in test tubes? Unbelievable. Even so, she kissed him on the jugular-a good-bye and sadness for what could never be.

He responded by tightening his hold and dropping his chin atop her head. "I know," he whispered. "I know."

CHAPTER.

11.

JORY KEPT HIS back to the cabin door, waiting. The rain continued to pummel the earth, while thunder bellowed and lightning struck like an angry child. As storms went, it was a master.

He'd tossed on wet clothes, run through the woods, and had easily confiscated a cell phone from the snoring fisherman to text a coded message to his brothers around dawn. Yet another day closer to the chips exploding-four days left on earth for him. More than anything, he'd wanted to call his family, to hear a familiar voice, but he knew better. The coded text would bring his brothers to him as soon as possible.

Man, he hoped they were all alive and well. Dr. Madison had lied to him before, and he wouldn't be surprised if she'd lied again about their being alive. But in his heart, wouldn't he know if something had happened to one of his brothers? Something deep in him, past his gut, would hurt. Bad.

Piper slept inside, sprawled on the couch, her slumber punctuated by restless movements. He'd waited until she'd fallen asleep before heading out for the cell phone. Yeah, he'd thought about tying her up to ensure she didn't run again, but he just couldn't bind her.

She'd trusted him completely in the river, and then she'd tried to save his life. In his book, that meant he worked with her instead of against her. If she wanted to run, he wouldn't stop her.

Plus, the woman had been out.

Now, he waited. For nearly two hours, he'd been on high alert... waiting. For any sign, any sound, any d.a.m.n vibration in the air around him.

He could see vibrations. Always could.

But the storm was f.u.c.king with his perception, causing his shoulders to tighten harder than rock. And even after running through the storm for the cell phone, his d.i.c.k remained at full attention. Having Piper on his lap had nearly killed him, and letting her fall asleep, so warm and naked, had taken every ounce of control he possessed.

She'd been vulnerable, and he might have been able to seduce her. But while he hadn't had a mama to teach him right from wrong, he knew the difference.

Piper should be protected at all costs. Even from him. s.h.i.+t. Especially from him.

A vibration of a different frequency caught his attention.

The door opened inward behind him, and only his sure stance kept him from landing on his b.u.t.t. "Go back inside, Piper." He tried to keep his voice low and controlled while staring into the storm. Something was coming.

"No." She slid to his side, her knuckles white on the blanket wrapped around her. Tentatively, she reached out to touch his arm. "Why are you standing outside?"

The pretty woman liked physical contact, and her touch was gentle. He shut his eyes to just feel. He'd been with women before, and he'd actually liked a couple of them. But this one had a softness to her, a natural way of touching that spoke to his heart. It was all Piper, and he wished he could know more of her. Know all of her.

"Jory?" she asked, still caressing his arm. She probably didn't even know she did it, and that made the moment all the sweeter. "Come back inside. The storm is getting worse."

She was a temptation, but he could hear a helicopter coming from a distance. Fast and flying low. The air s.h.i.+fted around him just enough that his eyelids flipped open. "Go back inside, beautiful." Somebody was coming-either the commander or Jory's brothers.

If the commander had intercepted the message, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d needed to believe Piper had been taken against her will. So she had to get inside and look like a prisoner.

If Jory's brothers were coming, he wanted a chance to explain who she was before they started making plans.

More important, he wanted a moment alone with them.

"I'm staying," she breathed.

A light flickered through the clouds. He settled his stance, gauging the forest for secured areas. Were his brothers coming, or would he need to run for cover?

If the commander had somehow intercepted his message, then he'd bring four soldiers on the copter, fully armed. Jory would need to incapacitate one soldier in order to confiscate a weapon. He'd need only one gun against the four soldiers. The commander had no clue as to his true killing abilities, and neither did the other soldiers.

If the commander had sent only one helicopter, he'd drastically f.u.c.ked up.

Jory turned and set Piper inside, shutting the door before she could blink, much less protest. Then he crossed to the side of the cabin and crouched, ready to attack the first man to hit the ground.

He welcomed the sense of battle into his movements. For years, as a cadet, he'd spent time waiting. Always looking out windows. He banished all memories of being a frightened kid in the facility waiting for his brothers to return from war.

There was no fear, and his reality was war.

Helicopter blades whipped through the early morning. An unfamiliar Blackhawk dropped onto the ground, slowly going quiet.

He prepared himself to spring. His muscles tensed, vibrating with the urge to run and rip off the door of the helicopter.

The pilot's door opened, and a figure stepped into the storm.

Emotion hit him like a bat to the gut. "Mattie," he croaked. Then he was running. Hard and fast across uneven ground, through the pelting rain, straight for his oldest brother.

They impacted with the sound of muscle hitting muscle. Matt caught him in a hug that was hard, fierce, and definitely home.

Tears and rain ran down his face, and he truly didn't give a s.h.i.+t.

He leaned back and took a shuddering breath. "Matt."

Matt nodded, emotion swirling in his eyes. Fierce and strong, he'd gotten even bigger in the last two years, danger all but cascading off him like steam. "You okay?"

So much more than the mere words lived in the question. "Yeah." Jory's shoulders settled. "I'm good. You?"

"I am now." Matt grabbed his arms and looked deep.

Jory nodded. The only thing Matt had ever asked of him was to stay alive, and he'd done it. "Yeah. I'm really okay now."

Matt nodded, his chest visibly settling. "We left you all alone. I broke my promise."

Ah. Their mantra from childhood. Never alone. "No, you didn't. You trained me to survive, and I did. You made sure I was never alone, and here I am. Definitely not alone."

Something eased in Matt's eyes. Something haunted now cleared.

A side door slammed open. Rough hands whipped him away from Matt, and Nate had him tight, holding on. He laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "It's you. It's really you," Nate said on an exhale, joy in the sound.

Jory smiled as he could actually feel tension drain from Nate. The middle brother had split his time between ensuring Matt stayed sane and trying to keep the younger brothers safe. Having a brother lost somewhere would've tortured him. "I'm fine, Nate. I missed you."

"Missed you more, brother," Nate croaked. He smiled at Matt, relief curving his lips.

"My turn." Shane Dean yanked him close, hitting his back hard enough to bruise. "G.o.d. I knew you were alive. I knew it."

As the youngest brothers, Jory and Shane had shared everything. He'd worried about Shane, who was often angry. Jory nodded and stepped back. "You okay?"

Shane wiped his eyes. "Yeah. Now." He shook his head, his muscles visibly vibrating. "So many times everything got dark, and I thought we'd lost you. So f.u.c.king painful."

Jory's eyes filled again, and he hugged Shane one more time. "It's all good. We're together."

Shane leaned back and chuckled right into the rain. "Good? It's a f.u.c.king miracle. Thank G.o.d."

Jory took them in. To see them. Three men, tough as steel, standing in the rain and welcoming him home. Identical gray eyes, rock-solid bodies, and pure emotion cutting lines in their faces.

"I'm sorry," he said. He'd hurt them by disappearing, even though he hadn't had a choice.

"Shut up." Shane punched his arm as if he couldn't help touching again. He'd kept his brown hair s.h.a.ggy to his collar as a f.u.c.k you to their military upbringing, and he had to shove it out of his face in the wind. "Are you all right?"

"Yes. Was shot, was in a coma, and am now here." He could barely speak in complete sentences. They were alive... and together. Finally.

Matt nodded. "We know. Saw the tapes. Do you know who shot you?"

"No." It didn't surprise Jory that his brothers had chased down what had happened to him. "Any ideas?"

"A woman is all we know," Matt growled.

Jory bit back a wince. The only woman in his life was Dr. Madison, the closest thing he had to a mother. Even though she didn't consider him human, the thought that she'd really try to kill him spiraled nausea into his stomach. "Madison shot me?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." Matt ran a hand through his black hair, his gaze roaming over Jory's shoulder. "Speaking of women, who is that? I can hear her heart beating hard enough she sounds like she's about to have a coronary."

Jory swallowed over the lump in his throat as he turned to view Piper. She stood on the porch, her green eyes wide, her hands clutching the blanket like a lifeline. "That's a long story."

"Then I suggest you tell it," Matt said, keeping his gaze on Piper.

Jory grinned, joy all but whipping into him. Two years apart, and Matt slid right back into giving orders. "Fine, but she decides her next move. I won't have you kidnapping her if she wants to go back."

Nate frowned, his rugged jaw square and stubborn. "Back where?"

Man, this was going to be tough.

A vibration cut through the air. Low and... heavy. An attack helicopter armed with missiles. Jory stilled and glanced up. "Did you bring reinforcements?"

"No." Matt reached for a gun in his waistband and shoved a Glock into Jory's hand. "Do you sense somebody?"

While his brothers all had enhanced senses and gifts, he was the only one to detect vibrations and changes in cosmic patterns. "Yes." The air moved as if an attack helicopter flew low.

He turned to view Piper. Heat washed down his torso, and blood rushed through his head, echoing in his ears. If they sent in missiles, she'd die. "I'll get the girl. Load up."

Piper tried to tuck the blanket more securely into her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, keeping them covered. Chills swept up her bare feet against the rough planks. So Jory had gotten dressed and called for help? The reunion with his brothers-and there was no question they were brothers-had spiked tears in her eyes and pummeled her abdomen with emotion.

So he had been telling the truth.

The men were huge and cut muscular hard. Dangerous men, without question. Yet a sweetness lived in the moment as they'd reconnected. Family. Definitely family. One that wasn't afraid to let tears show.

The reunion nearly broke her heart. How long had they been apart?

Why had her father lied about Jory's family? More important, what else had her father lied about? A hollowness echoed through her abdomen.

Four pairs of identical gunmetal gray eyes focused on her, yanking her out of her thoughts. An absolute pinning focus. Her knees trembled. She couldn't move.

She gulped air. Who the h.e.l.l were they? Really?

Running seemed like a good idea, yet totally absurd. Her mind clicked scenarios and reality into statistical a.n.a.lysis. Shoeless and wearing a blanket, she wouldn't make it three yards-and she'd probably lose the blanket.

So she lifted her chin and met Jory's gaze directly. He'd been careful with her, and he'd saved her from drowning. If she had an ally in the gray-eyed group, he'd be it.