Cherry Hill 16 - Spies Don't Fall In Love Read online

  “You okay, baby?” he asked.

  She nodded. She would love nothing more than to come clean. To tell them about her past. About what she was really capable of. As he caressed her lower back, she felt feminine and sexy. She didn’t feel like a victim of rape. Like that woman held prisoner by a terrorist asshole businessman. She felt normal. She prayed for this sensation. Yearned to know what it felt like to have this. Now she did and she felt guilty for not sharing more. For not letting onto her past. They hadn’t told her about what they do. They may not be able to, so would it matter if she kept the secret?

  “I’m fine. Just admiring my men,” she said without even thinking. She caressed his cheek and he looked at her like he was shocked by her sexy tone and brazenness. It shocked her, too. How she went right into that mode and ability to cover up her emotions. To pull the attention toward where she wanted it to go. Her undercover spy capabilities came so naturally, even now.

  He licked his lips and she placed down the beers. “I’m a bit busy but I’ll come over to talk to you guys as much as I can.”

  “You do your job. We just needed to see you. Wanted to see where you work, and keep eyes on our woman,” Denzel told her, and stared at her outfit. She placed one hand on her hip and held the empty tray with the other. She noticed Louis, Voight, Worin, and Hunt watching her, too, and they looked sort of suspicious.

  “I’m glad you stopped in. I missed you,” she told them, and then someone called her name and she gave a wink before she walked away.

  * * * *

  “What do you know about her?” Hunt asked Zedock.

  “Not that much I guess,” he said, and now sort of felt a bit on edge. It was odd, but the way she flirted with them, and just her whole demeanor was different. It made his gut clench and he wondered if his men felt that, too. Now that Hunt was asking him what he knew about Genesis, he must have picked up on something.

  “She’s a beautiful woman, striking, and one hell of a body, too. More athletic than most women around here,” Worin added.

  “She is. She said she works out a lot. Trains with your sister’s men, Louis,” Denzel said to them.

  “You should find out more about her. There have been various incidents from our understanding with a lot of women around here. Including our sister when she arrived in Cherry Hill. Not saying that there’s something with Genesis, but she gives off a vibe, like a woman capable of so much more then she’s letting onto. I don’t know. It’s odd,” Voight said to them.

  “What do you mean? Like you think she’s hiding something?” Zedock asked them.

  They were all close. Had known one another for many years and even went on missions together. Zedock knew how bad Louis and Voight felt when they believed Worin and Hunt were dead. They were a team, like brothers, like Zedock and is men. It hadn’t been easy to accept, and because of that, Louis and Voight worked every resource to confirm their deaths. When they found out Worin and Hunt were alive and being held prisoner, they moved heaven and earth with Stone and The Greek to find out their location and plan a rescue operation. They nearly died in the process.

  “What about you guys? What vibe do you get off of Faith?” Freeman asked them. Worin and Hunt looked away. Louis and Voight held Freeman’s gaze.

  “What do you mean?” Voight asked.

  “You can’t keep your eyes off of the sexy little virgin,” Freeman said, teasing them.

  “She sure is sweet. I bet she gets hit on all the time. She’s a beauty, but young. You’d be robbing the cradle,” Mills added, and then took a sip from his drink.

  “Why are we even talking about this? Just because you guys decided to jump on the whole ménage bandwagon without even knowing Genesis, doesn’t mean that’s our destiny or interest,” Voight said on the defensive.

  Faith walked by and that guy who bothered her earlier gave her a wink and said something to her. Hunt looked ready to get up and Worin cleared his throat.

  “Hey, we were in denial too when it hit all of us. That attraction to Genesis, a woman we don’t even know. But holy shit, when it hit us, when we let go and she did, too, it’s like nothing we ever felt before. You guys are more than friends to us, you’re like brothers, and we know the shit you’ve gone through. Just like you know the shit we’ve gone through. Losing Gable and those guys, waiting on what’s coming sometime in the future isn’t out of our heads. We’re taking a fucking chance here, and it seems she is, too. When do any of us ever get happiness? To find something deep, meaningful, and that makes us come alive?” Mills said to them.

  “Don’t know if that’s in the cards for us,” Hunt said.

  “You’re still recovering. That in itself will take time, but you feel an instant attraction to Faith, then don’t shoo it away and not take the chance. Maybe she can help in that healing process. I think that’s what Mills is saying,” Freeman said to them.

  “Well, not sure we’re ready for that, but it’s good to see you guys looking so happy, and getting lucky, too,” Louis said, and winked. They chuckled.

  They continued to talk and drink their beers. Zedock looked at Genesis as she worked, and socialized with men and women she served drinks to. He needed to find out more about her. He knew she understood men like them, and about them being active duty. She had a soldier as a lover of convenience and then lost him to the profession. He didn’t want her suffering like that. When the time came for them to leave her it was going to be tough. There would be no way to prepare her for what was to come, but now that Louis and Vought picked up on something with Genesis, Zedock wanted more information on her, and he would get that, the next time they had her in their arms, and where no one else could interrupt them.

  * * * *

  Genesis was working out hard at the dojo with Culter. She was padded up, and they were sparring hard. As she started to show off a bit more of her capabilities, Culter went harder and harder. Before long, they had drawn a bit of a crowd and she realized she needed to slow things down. Unfortunately, she was off her game a bit and made it look really obvious as she let Culter knock her onto her ass.

  “What the fuck was that?” Culter yelled at her.

  She pulled off the headgear and calmed her breathing. “You got me. I’ll get you the next time,” she said, and looked away from him as the crowd of guys dispersed.

  “That’s fucking bullshit,” Culter snapped at her, and just stared at her as he pulled off the gear. They were both soaked in sweat. She got her stuff off and then started bringing it over to the storage closet where she wiped it down with sanitary wipes and then placed the gear onto the shelf. “What the fuck, Genesis? Those were some serious moves you did on me,” Culter said, and he looked around them so no one could hear. “You were kicking my ass. I hate to admit this, but you could have gotten me. Where did you learn that shit, and don’t tell me at some local dojo in New Jersey or some shit?”

  “I’d like to know that, too,” Zedock asked, joining them.

  She was shocked to see him there. “Hey, Zedock. What are you doing here? You taking the next class?” she asked, trying to pull the attention away from her.

  “I already did the class that was going on when you and Culter were sparring. I was in the crowd like the other guys. So answer his question. Where did you learn to fight like that?” he pushed.

  She drew attention to herself and now she needed to backpedal. She chuckled. “You seriously think those were amazing moves? Hmm, well I haven’t done them in a while. My friends, some guys who were soldiers used to work out at the dojo in South Carolina where I lived for a while. They were fierce.”

  “So, you’re telling me some soldiers taught you this stuff?” Culter asked.

  “Culter, I’ve been working out here for months. You knew I was more advanced, hence why you and I worked out together this morning. Why are you guys making such a big deal about it?” she asked them and walked to her bag, took out her drink, took a sip and then Culter walked out of the room. She pulled off her wet top. She
had a sports bra underneath and then she reached for her other T-shirt she brought with her.

  When she felt Zedock slide his arm around her waist and press up against her back, she closed her eyes and exhaled. She was in love with him and his team. With all of them. She felt guilty right now, but how could she tell them about her life? About working undercover, being assaulted and held prisoner in Kasmul’s estate and his bed in order to save the lives of multiple soldiers and agents?

  “You’re hiding something. I get t. You don’t want to open up fully to us, and we’ve been guilty of that, too,” he said to her.

  “I’m not hiding anything,” she said, and turned around to face him, her shirt in her hands. She started to pull it on and he fixed it and then kept his hands on her hips.

  “You’re strong, athletic, and capable. You are also good at hiding your emotions. I’m the leader of this team and I need to be sure to protect my men and myself, and now my job is to protect you, too.”

  “I don’t need protecting.”

  “So you keep saying, and with confidence, like how you were just sparring with Culter. You’re well trained. Military trained. Now maybe what you say is the truth and soldier friends trained you, but my gut says there is more to that statement. Why can’t you confide in us?”

  She stared at him a moment. “I’m not used to opening up to people. I told you about my soldier friend, about my fears when we started this. It’s new, Zedock. I asked for slow and now you’re pushing for what, I don’t know.”

  “You’re putting that wall up again, Genesis. It concerns me.”

  “What about you and your men? What kind of soldiers are you exactly? What do you belong to?” she asked him.

  He clenched teeth. “I can’t tell you that.”

  “Hmm,” she said, and pulled from his arms and bent down to grab her bag. She placed the backpack onto her shoulder and then looked up at him. “You leaving?”

  “I’m following you home,” he said firmly as he looked her over and she started to walk. He placed a possessive hand on her lower back, nearly to her ass, and she felt so aroused and needy once again. How did this man, his team, each do this to her?

  They said good-bye as they left. Word spread fast that she was dating Zedock and his team. It was crazy, because even the sheriff said something to her this morning as she got here, and he was walking down the street heading toward the café. It made her feel like she was being looked out for, watched over, and protected by the sheriff, by this town and the rules of Cherry Hill. She liked that. Another thing to make her feel normal. But her mind was in a whirlwind as this uneasy feeling hit her gut. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and that shocked her as she looked around them, but didn’t know what or who she was looking for, just that it felt like she was being watched. She had to force herself to smile at Zedock who had parked a few spaces after her car. She got in and drove, still feeling that odd sensation, but then she arrived at her cottage, and Zedock followed her inside.

  They weren’t in the living room a minute before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless. It was wild as he started pulling off her clothing and she assisted pulling off his. He lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom and they parted lips only for him to turn on the shower before they stepped under the spray. He didn’t say a word, but his green eyes appeared determined as she ran her fingers through his dark brown hair and held his gaze as he aligned his cock with her wet pussy and shoved right into her. “Zedock, oh God I need you. I love when you’re inside of me.”

  “I love it, too. Fuck, you drive me insane.” He thrust into her fast and deep. The water cascaded over them and splashed around them, but she held onto his large, firm muscles, squeezing him to her as she counterthrust against him. He suckled against her neck and spoke to her. “You looked so fucking hot, sparring in there, then when you took off your top, exposing these sexy hard abs and these big fucking tits, Jesus, woman. I should slap your ass for doing that,” he said, and squeezed her ass, then stroked a finger along the hole as he gripped her there and thrust into her. He was so big, so commanding and dominate. “No other lover compares to you, baby. No other woman has ever, fucking ever affected my team or me ever. You’re it. We want to know everything about you.”

  “I want to know everything about you guys, too. I do Zedock.”

  “But?” he asked and thrust harder and harder. She tilted her head back. He suckled against her neck and then her tit.

  “I’m there,” she said.

  “I’m there, too,” he replied, and thrust three more times then came inside of her. They called their breathing and he hugged her tight. “You have secrets. I get that. I just don’t want those secrets coming between us. Please tell me that it’s nothing that can destroy what we’re building. That what we share is strong enough to conquer your fears and the secrets you obviously have,” he said to her.

  He pulled back to look down into her eyes. “I can tell you this much, Zedock. I’ve never felt so much. I know that you’re active duty, and that you will have to leave me one day, and I fear so much because of that. Yet, I can honestly tell you that I love you. I love each of you, and I want everything with you. I want all the things I thought I could never have.”

  He cupped her cheeks and used his body to hold her up against the wall in the shower. “I love you, too. I want all those things and then some. We all do, and we all thought we could never have them, but we have unfinished business we will have to handle.” He swallowed and stared into her eyes. “We lost good friends not too long ago. Justice needs to be served. We’re going to be the ones to do that.” She widened her eyes. “Now I can’t tell you anything more. That right there was too much information, but I trust you, and want you to trust me and the team, and know we’re sincere.”

  “I do trust you. I don’t want you to risk your lives. It scares me to think of losing you like others I have lost.”

  “You mean the soldier, your lover?” he asked.

  “Not only him, but even my parents, too. I had a tough childhood, Zedock. My parents were poor and struggled for everything we had. It killed them both, and I had no one there to help me through that pain and loss. I was no one, with no connections to anything. There was no other family, no close friends. I became hallow inside and life became survival. I think that’s part of why we all get along so well. Your loss, you’ve all felt pain and emptiness, and like you couldn’t trust another person fully but your team, your family. I didn’t have that. I’ve had myself to rely on. So that fighting, those abilities you saw a glimpse of in the dojo? Those were part of the training I put myself through, with military friends, and others over the years in order to survive.” She caressed his cheek. “There were no sexy, muscular, capable soldiers to protect me, to love me, and guard over me. I’m it.”

  “Not anymore,” he said, squeezing her tighter.

  “I need to get used to that. I need time, Zedock, but I’m not pushing you away or minimizing what we share. I’m not. It’s just the way I’ve conditioned myself to be. With time, we’ll learn more about one another as we test this connection and its strength.” She kissed his lips and hugged him.

  * * * *

  “I have eyes on her, and you won’t believe who she is with, Kent,” Mitch Sloan told Kent Mogen over the phone.

  “Who?”

  “One of the soldiers and team that worked with Gable and his team. The one that your inside sources say will be given the mission to take out those terrorists working with your guy. They do that and the plan falls apart.”

  “Holy shit. What are the fucking chances that something like this happens? Fuck. I was just negotiating with that friend of mine and working out details to ensure Rangles gets the operation to help him win this election. You keep eyes on them. I have an idea that might get Genesis to come willingly and assist in the plan. Keep me posted, and I’ll tell you if I need you to move in and snag her. I have a lot of work to do. Thanks for the good news.” He ended the
call and leaned back in his chair. He tapped his pen to his lower lip. This could work. One thing about Genesis was that she was loyal to her country, to patriotism, and the good guys. She also lost Gable, a part-time lover, in that last mission. If he were to tell her that it had been Volchen and Kasmul’s men that killed those soldiers, and that her men were being sent into a mission, and that Kasmul and them knew, then she might be willing to give her life for them. He could promise her that her men would live if she went to Kasmul to take him out?

  Meanwhile, Kasmul would give Mogen the information he needed on those terrorist cells, send in troops to take them out, gather evidence and make it look like they destroyed an operation before it happened, then give that to the senator’s people to exploit and say the senator was part of that. It could all come together. Kent would have to ensure she didn’t figure out his part in this, or that he was tricking her, using her to get information they all needed. That this was a political ply for an election, and she was collateral damage, a sacrificial lamb. He shook his head as a smile formed on his face. The bitch must be something else in bed for Kasmul to become so obsessed with her. Once she was there in the Middle East, Kasmul would have to keep her there. He would have to ensure she never escaped, or she would destroy all of them, including Mogen and the senator. He rubbed his chin. He had some serious finagling to do, and fast. That team of soldiers needed to get out of Cherry Hill and move toward danger. She had to believe their lives were in jeopardy and that she had the ability to save them.