Cobra (Blue Angel Security Book 1), page 5
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, no one will get to you while we’re watching you.” Cobra tries to reassure me, but all I hear is another man taking control of my life.
“Yeah right, buddy. No one is watching me. You hear me? No one.”
His face starts to flush red as he crosses to me, “Too bad that’s not how this works. Gannon assigned us to keep you safe and, that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
“Well, Gannon’s a fucking idiot,” I mumble to myself, or at least think I did until I hear Shadow laughing.
Winking at me, Shadow confidently states, “I think Gannon hit the nail on the head choosing us for your detail. She’s feisty, I like her.”
Cobra growls at Shadow loudly, “Yeah, well, keep your eyes on the prize and not on Jaycee.” I stand, pushing my chair so hard it hits the wall.
“A prize? Is that what I am?” A sneer covers my lips as I face Cobra with enough anger I can literally feel steam pouring out of my ears. So this little show I just witnessed where any of you actually care or want to help me is just another ploy to see how stupid I am? Newsflash boys,” I make eye contact with every male in the room. “As I told you, I’ve already been victimized and controlled by one callous man. I refuse to do it again. No one, not you, not Gannon, is taking my choices away.” I turn hellbent on leaving this building before another nightmare has the chance to begin.
“Jaycee, that’s not what any of us meant, least of all me. Listen, sweetheart—”
“No”—raising my eyes they clash with his—“stop with all the cute pet names. I’m not your sugar, sweetheart, or anything else you want to refer to me as. If you feel the need to address me by a name… It. Is. Jaycee.” I fully enunciate it for him, making sure there is no mistake in what my name is.
“Fine, Jaycee it is,” he grinds his teeth together, I imagine, trying to control his temper. No such luck, jackass. “Please listen to—”
“I won’t listen to another one of your pathetic excuses. Now move. I’m done here, with the whole lot of you.”
Just as my palm covers the door handle, strong, firm hands wrap tightly around my waist before he tosses me over his shoulder, acting as if I’m weightless. Panic races through me as he grips me tight, his arms unmoving around my thighs. I try to fight, to remember my lessons, but I suddenly feel helpless, screaming at him. “Put me down! Damn it, Cobra, put me the hell down!”
I kick my legs clawing at his back the entire way out of the building, desperate to get free. Not surprising, no one comes to my rescue, they all must trust this moron. Clearly their trust was misplaced as he ignores my pleas and continues stomping down the hall. I fall silent in anger and humiliation as he speaks, “Two seconds, red. That’s all I am away from paddling your gorgeous ass.”
Fury pounds in my veins as I force myself to be still, to bide the time until I can lash out and escape. A tear fall downs my cheek and I take a deep breath, not wanting my panic to get the better of me.
He pushes his way through a side door I didn’t see when I arrived, but I make mental note of it, knowing I need to keep my bearings to escape. I won’t ever be helpless again. My heart pounds in my chest as he takes the few steps down before harshly setting me on my feet against a brick wall, leaving me no choice but to look up at him.
I hate the tears that spill from my eyes, my chest heaving as I struggle to remain focused. “Damn it Jaycee, why are you crying?” he looks shocked at the sight of my tears.
“I told you to let me go,” I grind out, my teeth clenched as I battle the humiliation.
“Don’t do that,” he says softly, reaching his hand toward me. I can’t help the flinch as his hand gets close, memories of the past renewed from our conversation inside mixed with my panic.
“Shh,” he murmurs. “No one is going to hurt you. Not anymore.” I take a deep breath, and lift my gaze to his. The realization hits me that he never intended to hurt me. But still, I’m not apologizing. He should have never man handled me. Slowly he reaches his hand up and brushes my tear away with his thumb, my breathing hitching at the contact.
“I’ve known you for less than an hour and you’ve already got my insides all twisted up, more than anyone has in years. I can tell that you are going to test every fucking limit I have. You drive me crazy. I’ve never known anyone to bring this guttural reaction out of me. You’re mine. You’re mine to protect. I don’t get why I feel this need for you, but I’m not letting anything happen to you. Do you hear me?”
Finagling my hands, I raise them to his chest, pushing him away. “I’m not yours, I don’t belo…”
Quickly he grabs my wrists from his chest, pinning them above my head to the wall. In one smooth swoop, his lips crash down on mine in a hard, demanding kiss, igniting a passion I’ve never seen the likes of. He deepens the kiss, nipping at my bottom lip and demanding entry. His tongue entwines with mine and butterflies take flight, he’s awakening feelings that have been dead for years. As if cold water was splashed on my face with the thought, the spell is broken.
Anger instantly replaces the passion I was feeling. It’s a bitter reminder that if I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own so-called happiness, I might have seen the signs that Dalton, Bryant, and Damon were scheming to destroy everything I had, even my life. I will never make that mistake again.
Panic swells with rage and I try to break the kiss, but he intensifies it, pressing harder as if he’s too blind to see that I’m struggling mentally with his assault.
“Don’t give me,” he growls against my lips, tightening his hold on me. I know, he’s not willingly going to let me go. He wants to be my protector, my savior, and right now, I can’t even fathom it. I need to get away.
A moment of clarity breaks through and I do one thing I know will make him stop, even if it’s the last thing I really want to do. While he’s distracted with his insistent attention, I raise my knee and connect with the very hard flesh between his legs.
Instantly, he releases me as he cups himself, hunched over and unleashing a stream of profanities into the tranquil morning air. Trembling with fear, I run as hard and fast as I can to my Jeep, not caring where it takes me, just as long as its away from Cobra.
I run from the memories of my parents’ murders.
I run from the feelings that Cobra is eliciting from me.
I run from it all.
5
COBRA
Never in my life have I been as blindsided by a woman as I was yesterday. I’ve had plenty of female clients over the years. In fact, if I had to guess, I’d say at least seventy-five percent of my clients have been female. Nothing screams don’t fuck with me like having a six foot four man resembling Dwayne Johnson standing behind you. But as soon as I was summoned into Jackal’s office, I might as well have been no bigger than a mouse. Stuart may have been taller than I felt. The woman had me figuratively dropping to my knees, soaking in her radiance. She was beautiful. Remembering she was a client wasn’t going to be easy, especially when every alpha cell in my body was demanding I pick her ass up and toss her over my shoulder. I didn’t trust myself around her, not yet. She was on edge as it was, and I didn’t want to make things worse. So, I positioned myself against the wall near the door, fighting my own dominant nature that screamed to take her.
However, that all changed the second she opened her mouth to sass me. It was game over. The woman is sheer perfection.
The second she stood and faced me, I was a goner. If I thought, which make no mistake I did, that she was beautiful sitting in a chair across the room from me, it paled in comparison to Jaycee standing in front of me. Within touching distance.
When she opened her mouth to argue about her detail, I took her momentary distraction to check out her perfect hour-glass frame. Immediately, I knew it was a mistake as just the quick once over caused a visceral reaction from me.
Jaycee can’t be quite five feet, but every bit of her is stunning. The tight, dark blue capris encase her gorgeous legs and accentuate spectacular hips. She’s got the right amount of curves to hold onto, if you get my drift. The thin cotton boyfriend tee she wore might have been two sizes too big, but it still it affords me the tiniest glimpse of her beautiful breasts beneath the fabric. I found myself forcing my gaze back to her face, not wanting to get caught and notice that even her hair is perfection. Piled on top of her head, I can tell it’s long, with it’s loose strands of chestnut brown peeking through the messy bun. The light played off it revealing red highlights that I ached to run my fingers through or wrap around my hands while we…
Completely lost in her appearance I missed her snarky comment to me, but I certainly didn’t miss the sparks of fire being directed at me. I knew the moment my gaze met hers that there wouldn’t be a damn thing I won’t do for this woman.
The part that left me scratching my head in confusion is her departure. I knew that picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder probably wasn’t the smartest move I’ve ever made, but fuck, the woman pissed me off. She needed to understand we were there to help her, and damn all to hell, I was going to help her. To be honest, that’s one character flaw I may never be able to fully stop around her. I think if we ever give the chemistry sizzling between us a real chance, her sass and my possessiveness are going to rival one another, and most likely not in a good way.
But to be fair, it wasn’t completely my fault. After hearing her story, albeit the abridged version, one look into her stormy blue eyes, and I knew what she had told us was just the tip of the bayonet. And believe me, when I know the whole story, I will draw blood for her. For every ounce of pain they caused this beautiful creature, I’ll draw it out of them in blood. The temporary relief I found in those visions were quickly replaced with my possessiveness when I remembered why she was in Jackal’s office. The reality of knowing that her life was still in danger was too much, and my asshole of a partner’s teasing didn’t help either.
The things Jaycee has suffered at the hands of a man who vowed to love and cherish her boggled my mind. You’d think being in the field I am, it wouldn’t bother me, but that’s what makes me so good at my job. It will always bother me when someone is being hurt or abused. Jaycee just amplifies that need by at least tenfold, and before anyone can make a snarky comment about her looks being the cause of it, no they’re not the only reason. Despite the rough start yesterday, I know Jaycee is mine to protect.
The sound of vehicle doors slamming shut gets my attention. I stand at my kitchen window peering out. I see two women exit a Jeep, followed by a large man driving a U-Haul. The first woman is of average height with short blonde hair. I don’t recognize the man or the woman, not that I expect to. I’m really just standing here because of my curious nature. Anyone would. We’ve all got a curiosity streak, we’re human after all. The second woman rounds the corner meeting her friend, she’s shorter, pixie like with long, dark brown hair. The sight of her has me stopping in my tracks when I would’ve usually moved on and gathered more intel on them later.
If my body’s reaction to the pixie’s backside is anything to go by, I know instinctively who she is. Needing a better view of her to be sure, I open the window above my sink. Hey, no judging me. It’s kind of my job to be observant, and besides, Jackal told her yesterday that one of us needed to be with her at all times. It was pure business.
Last night was the exception. As I came barreling back into the building hell-bent on following her, Jackal was waiting on me. “Give her the rest of the day. She shared a lot with us, and right now I’m sure she’s just overwhelmed with the whole situation. Plus, I’m positive your behavior didn’t help her.” He attempts to calm my demanding ass, “I have Hawk positioned outside of her place right now. If she doesn’t contact us in the morning, I’ll give Gannon a ring. Maybe he can help us. Besides, after the blow she gave you, I’m sure you can use the remainder of the day to cool off, and maybe a bag of frozen peas. I’ve been told they cradle the boys quite nicely.”
After calling him a few names that don’t need repeating, I did as he suggested and went home, without the peas, thank you. I continue to watch, helpless to do anything as she glances around, the sight of her face confirming my suspicions and freezing me to the spot.
This is why he didn’t want me to go ballistic yesterday. The fuckhead knew she was moving in across the street from me. I pick up my phone, my gaze still fixed on the opposite side of the street as I turn it on. Jaycee starts toward the house and I quickly type out a message.
Me: You knew she was my new neighbor, didn’t you?
Jackal: Of course I did. You’re welcome.
I lean against my kitchen sink drinking the famous sludge that Raelyn swears is healthier than some of the quote-unquote garbage I eat. I decide to watch my little pixie instead of texting Jackal back. She’s more interesting, besides, after the complications he just gave me, he can wait. It’s not like I need to thank him or anything. Yeah, that’d be a fun text. Thank him for what? For reminding me that chemistry is real, love is not. And second, she’s a client.
We have strict rules regarding that kind of fraternization. Now, all I have to do is to remember that. Easier said than done, especially after yesterday’s epic fail. But man, can she ever kiss. Thinking about her lips against mine gets another part of my anatomy’s attention. That is until I hear her yell across the lawn, their voices carrying through my open window.
“You better be careful with my babies. I mean it Liam, not one fucking scratch on them.”
“And what are you gonna do about it, sweetheart?” I grip the sink tamping back my instant jealousy hearing another man flirt with her. I don’t like it one bit.
“Liam, leave her alone. You know she’ll kick your ass,” the blonde stomps up to her friend and the two of them whisper something to each other before separating.
“She wishes. Besides, I’d never hurt either one of you. Men don’t do that shit. You’re wom—”
“Liam, so help me God, if you say because we are women, I will seriously flatten your ass. Don’t tell me men don’t hurt women. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt. Thank you very fucking much!”
“Jaycee, calm down. I didn’t mean to piss you off. I know you can kick my ass.”
“Damn straight I can. You taught me, you foolish man.”
“It wasn’t foolish. Now I know you can take anyone on, including the devil himself.”
“Well, when the devil is after you, you sort of have no choice, that is, if you want to live.”
Dropping the boxes on her porch, he turns around and glares at Jaycee. “I’d kill him with my bare hands if he ever put another hand on you.”
“Calm your tits, Liam. I’m fine, and I know you’d do whatever you needed to do to keep me safe. And, if necessary, I guess the fuck-heads from Blue Dickheads can try.”
“Damn straight. That’s what I do… protect you. We don’t need anyone else. What did that guy say anyway about them being with you twenty-four seven?” he asks, heading back to the porch.
“Gannon told me to play nice.”
“You, play nice? Has the guy even actually met you?”
The blonde walks up to her friend and mutters something, making Jaycee laugh. Hearing her laughter is a welcome change from the heartbreak I listened to yesterday. I’m about to go over and introduce myself to her friends when she hollers to him again.
“Hey, Liam, how’s your knee?”
Laughing, he looks over at her and shakes his head,. “We don’t have any gear with us. I’d have to go easy on ya. The gear is still at my apartment.”
“Bullshit. Get your ass over here so I can show Kylee that just because I’m small doesn’t mean I can’t take you down.”
“This really isn’t a good idea.” He shakes his head as he approaches her.
“Nope, it’s a fantastic one. Now, get into position or not.”
“Jayc…”
In one swoop, she catches him off guard and has the big man on his back looking up at her. “You really are a little shit, you know that?” he yells while getting to his feet.
“Yep! Now come on big guy!” She peels off her T-shirt, throwing it at her friend and takes off running. Stunned, I watch him give chase, only to catch her coming back around. He grabs her and holds her in a tight choke hold.
I stand here watching, growing more pissed than a dog chasing a cat up a tree, but also fully aware she told him to come after her. If I ran out there right now, I’d only accomplish two things and not the one I want to. I’d piss her off, again, and give away the fact I’m watching her. And as a rule, it’s usually easier to watch our clients if they don’t want to cause us bodily harm. I fist my hands at my side, forcing myself to remain in place while I wait to see if she break free from his hold. After struggling for a few minutes she manages to get free and drops his ass hard with the help of her shoes. Way to go, red. She smiles triumphantly and helps him up before he checks her over. Satisfied she’s not hurt, he walks over to the porch while she runs after him, jumping on his back. Loud laughter vibrates around her yard as they all head inside the house and out of ear shot.
Damn, I guess we should’ve asked her yesterday if she was in a relationship. Maybe that’s why I got my ass dropped the way I did. Looks like we have some added help if we ever need it, though. Jealousy roars its head as I realize none of my fantasies will ever come to life. She’s taken. Well, at least I got one hell of a souvenir to remember her by.
I pick up my cell, calling Jackal as I turn away from the window. “I don’t know if I should be thanking you or pummel you to a bloody pulp the next time I see you.”
“You know you love me. So how’s she getting settled? Does she know she lives across from her detail?”
“Not yet, but her friend and boyfriend are with her right now. Thanks for leaving that bit out.”
“Boyfriend? Are you sure?”
