get blown to hell and back, he knew he could never have a normal life. Never have a wife or children without bringing them into harm’s way. Because those men—his friends—had died because of who Declan was. Even during his Special Forces days he was being trained for deep cover within the CIA, and he’d had to make a choice. But the thing about choices was they had a snowball effect, and Sophia had been the one to suffer.
“Soph,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, baby.”
She shrugged him off, her gaze never wavering from the glow. “I don’t need your pity,” she said, her voice husky with tears. “Just get me out of here and back into town so I can figure out how to put my life together again.”
“That’s easy enough,” Dec said, narrowing his eyes at the stubborn tilt of her chin and the blaze of anger in her eyes. “Because if you think for one second I’m going to let you out of my sight while these bastards are after you then you’re out of your mind.”
“You’ve been the catalyst to everything that has ever gone wrong in my life, Declan. Quite frankly, I’d rather take my chances with these assholes on my own. I don’t think I can survive any more of your help .”
CHAPTER SIX
Sophia fought the tears as Declan’s black Jeep sped out of Virginia toward D.C. She kept her gaze averted out the window and ignored the worried glances he kept sending her way.
God, what was she going to do? She literally had nothing but the clothes on her back—no I.D., or debit card, no car. And nothing left of her family except the cameo necklace that hung heavily around her neck. It was all gone.
If she didn’t show up for work, she wouldn’t have a job much longer either. Her tiny nest egg wasn’t much of an egg at all, and she couldn’t even put a deposit down on a new place to live. She was completely at the mercy of Declan MacKenzie. Until he decided it was time to push her away again.
The tension grew thicker between them the farther they drove, but she refused to answer his occasional questions. Curiosity did get the best of her though when Dec turned into the heart of D.C.
Her hand gripped at the door handle. She recognized the area well. It was where they’d taken her two years before to question her about her husband’s activities, and she’d be damned if she’d go back there without a fight.
“Relax,” Dec said. “I’m not with the CIA any longer.”
“Excuse me if I don’t give a shit. If you’re not with the CIA, you’re with someone else. You don’t have it in you to get out of the game completely, and I can tell you right now I’ll die before I go back into some concrete box. I want out of this car. Now.”
His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel, but it was the only sign she could see of his own rising anger. He’d always been too good at hiding his emotions, to the point where she often wondered if he had any at all.
“That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. If I’m going to keep that pretty ass alive, then you’re going to follow my rules. And believe me, I have plans for that ass, so I want to take good care of it.”
Heat rushed to her face and her nipples tightened, too sensitive as they rubbed against the thin fabric of her shirt. Liquid pooled between her thighs and she clamped her legs together to relieve the pressure. He’d always been able to make her body react, just with a look or the sound of his voice.
Damn him . She’d been fine before he’d shown up. Kane had damaged more than just her self-esteem during their marriage. He’d made her feel so sexually lacking and unappealing that she’d lost the ability to achieve climax—not with her fingers or the multitude of toys she’d tried. And she’d tried everything. The need for release was still there, and she could bring herself right to the edge of orgasm but never reach the pinnacle, and it would leave her dissatisfied and in pain for days.
“Soph,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, baby.”
She shrugged him off, her gaze never wavering from the glow. “I don’t need your pity,” she said, her voice husky with tears. “Just get me out of here and back into town so I can figure out how to put my life together again.”
“That’s easy enough,” Dec said, narrowing his eyes at the stubborn tilt of her chin and the blaze of anger in her eyes. “Because if you think for one second I’m going to let you out of my sight while these bastards are after you then you’re out of your mind.”
“You’ve been the catalyst to everything that has ever gone wrong in my life, Declan. Quite frankly, I’d rather take my chances with these assholes on my own. I don’t think I can survive any more of your help .”
CHAPTER SIX
Sophia fought the tears as Declan’s black Jeep sped out of Virginia toward D.C. She kept her gaze averted out the window and ignored the worried glances he kept sending her way.
God, what was she going to do? She literally had nothing but the clothes on her back—no I.D., or debit card, no car. And nothing left of her family except the cameo necklace that hung heavily around her neck. It was all gone.
If she didn’t show up for work, she wouldn’t have a job much longer either. Her tiny nest egg wasn’t much of an egg at all, and she couldn’t even put a deposit down on a new place to live. She was completely at the mercy of Declan MacKenzie. Until he decided it was time to push her away again.
The tension grew thicker between them the farther they drove, but she refused to answer his occasional questions. Curiosity did get the best of her though when Dec turned into the heart of D.C.
Her hand gripped at the door handle. She recognized the area well. It was where they’d taken her two years before to question her about her husband’s activities, and she’d be damned if she’d go back there without a fight.
“Relax,” Dec said. “I’m not with the CIA any longer.”
“Excuse me if I don’t give a shit. If you’re not with the CIA, you’re with someone else. You don’t have it in you to get out of the game completely, and I can tell you right now I’ll die before I go back into some concrete box. I want out of this car. Now.”
His knuckles turned white on the steering wheel, but it was the only sign she could see of his own rising anger. He’d always been too good at hiding his emotions, to the point where she often wondered if he had any at all.
“That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. If I’m going to keep that pretty ass alive, then you’re going to follow my rules. And believe me, I have plans for that ass, so I want to take good care of it.”
Heat rushed to her face and her nipples tightened, too sensitive as they rubbed against the thin fabric of her shirt. Liquid pooled between her thighs and she clamped her legs together to relieve the pressure. He’d always been able to make her body react, just with a look or the sound of his voice.
Damn him . She’d been fine before he’d shown up. Kane had damaged more than just her self-esteem during their marriage. He’d made her feel so sexually lacking and unappealing that she’d lost the ability to achieve climax—not with her fingers or the multitude of toys she’d tried. And she’d tried everything. The need for release was still there, and she could bring herself right to the edge of orgasm but never reach the pinnacle, and it would leave her dissatisfied and in pain for days.
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