CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The mood in the grove was one of absolute bliss, euphoria, and, most of all, admiration. The sounds from Erica's cello and the violins of Mia and Amanda were magical. They did several musical pieces then performed a song that Bull sang along with. It was modern with a twist, and the entire audience held their breaths.

When they were through, Mia, Amanda, and Erica all bowed, smiling and hugging one another.

"That was the most fun I've ever had playing for anyone," said Erica.

"You are brilliant," said Mia.

"I agree," said Amanda. "Your talent is unparalleled. Truly a one of a kind."

"Thank you all," she said, shaking her head. "This was such a gift for me. Here, I thought I was giving you a gift, but it turns out it was for me."

"It's okay to be selfish now and then," said Mia. "Take it for what it was. Four friends playing music together."

"The man, Bull, his voice is like an angel's. I've never heard anything like it in my life."

"He's pretty special," smiled Amanda. "We've been recording together for years. Neither of us likes to perform in front of big crowds other than our family. So we record, release new music about once a year, and live our lives."

"You can do that?" asked Erica with a shocked expression.

"Come on," said Amanda, taking the arm of Mia, and leading them toward Bull. "I think we need to discuss a possible collaboration."

"She seems happy tonight," said Sydney.

"Maybe," nodded Conor. "She might just be relieved that she's not waiting for the door to break down and someone take her daughter. Patrick said that there were four deadbolts on her apartment door. They were shitty, but there were four of them."

"She's been running scared since she was a kid. I can't imagine," said Sydney. "What do you think made Park want William to marry his daughter? Typically, Koreans don't like to marry outside their own culture."

"It's a good question," frowned Conor. "Maybe it was William who had something on Park, not the other way around."

"Well, if he did, he's probably going to kill him when he gets to Korea. He is not a forgiving man. Do we know if we're going to Korea tomorrow?" she asked.

"If we go, you can't go, Syd."

"What? I'm an agent, Conor. I can go. I'm capable, qualified, and know the country better than any of you," she said with a fierce expression.

"According to the POTUS, you cannot go. They're looking for you. They labeled you as a spy in North Korea. Even in South Korea, you'll be recognizable with those beautiful eyes."

"Don't try to butter me up, Conor! I'm going!"

"No. You're not," said the deep voice behind her. She turned to see an enormous man staring down at her.

"Syd, this is Nine Dougall. He is one of our senior members. Nine, Sydney Lowry."

"I know who she is. I just got off the phone with the POTUS, along with Cam and Luke. The North Koreans have made you sound like Mata Hari. They're asking for your head on a platter, and the POTUS is doing everything he can to keep it on your shoulders. They all think that it was you who freed Conor, killing those guards before you left. I'm sorry that we put that burden on you. But you're not leaving this fucking property."

Sydney swallowed, looking from Nine to Conor.

"Honey, what have I told you about using your sweet voice with the new people on the property?" asked Erin. He looked at his wife, a small grin slipping at the corner of his mouth.

"Right. Sorry, Sydney. We would ask that you stay on the property for your own safety. Please."

"See. Better," smiled Erin. "Sydney, it is for your own safety, honey. You can't go back there. Not right now. You can be a part of the operation from here in the comms and briefing rooms. We'll make sure you're kept informed, and you can listen in on what's happening, even speak to the men when necessary."

"Will I be able to see what they're seeing?" she asked. "I might be able to help identify people."

"Yes," smiled Erin. "You'll have visual and audio view of everything that's happening and may be able to assist from here."

"Alright. I can live with that," she said. She looked back at Nine and nodded. "Thank you for being concerned for me."

"It's what I do," he grinned. He and Erin walked away, Conor trying to control the smile on his face.

"He's not nearly as tall as you are, but he damn sure is wider," said the woman.

"Nine's a beast. A special kind of beast. He's a grandfather and could still kick my ass on any day. I'd bet money on it. Same is true for my father and grandfather."

"The pond?" asked Sydney.

"We think. That and they train hard. It's not like we don't work at what we do. Of course, we also eat and enjoy every morsel," he laughed, taking the last bite of the lemon square.

"Why haven't you ever married?" she asked. Conor raised a brow, nodding at her. "I mean, you're the same age as Patrick and Christopher, and they're both married with triplets. I'm sorry if that's too personal, but you're very good-looking, smart, brave, the whole package. I'm just curious."

"We are the same age, but I stayed in the Navy longer than they did. I didn't marry for a lot of reasons, Sydney. One is that I never found a woman that I couldn't live without. One that made my heart beat so fast you could see it," he said, opening his shirt. "Like this."

Sydney swallowed, seeing the pulsing of his chest.

"I didn't want to leave a woman, or three like William, behind with children. It always weighed on my mind heavily. Right before I joined the Navy, an old high school friend who had been trained by my family here on the property was killed. He'd become a SEAL and was a good one. But even good ones die.

"When I had my own command, my own team, I swore I wasn't going to leave them to die. I wasn't going to leave them in the hands of someone who wouldn't treat them as their true brothers. That's what I've done. Until now. Until I met you and wanted to stay right here beside you."

"I lost a child once," she blurted out. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to suddenly burst out telling her worst nightmare. She was going to tell him eventually, but suddenly, it felt overwhelming to her. Conor touched her cheek.

"I know, baby, I know. I'm so fucking sorry for that."

"How? Did the girls tell you?" she asked, looking hurt.

"No. Not the ones you think, anyway. Sydney, meet Claudette and Martha. Two of our resident ghosts."

"Holy shit. Is there anything normal about this place?" she whispered, staring at the two ghostly figures.

"Nope. Not one damn thing, which is why we love it," laughed Conor.

"So, is the gorilla real?"

"Yep."

"And the alligator that I saw Mama Irene speaking to this morning? He's real?"

"Real."

"How did you know I lost a child?" she asked the two ghosts.

"We can feel it, sweet girl," said Martha. "It's one of the many things we can do. But you'll have a chance at many more babies if you want them."

"I do," she said, blushing. "I mean, I do when I get married. I'd like children. More than one if possible."

"We should work on that," said Conor with a serious expression. She opened her mouth, staring at him. "Don't look at me like that. We're right for one another, Sydney. Everything about you makes me think dirty thoughts, and I fucking love that. I want you in my bed, beside me, beneath me, wrapped around me."

"C-Conor," she whispered. "The ghosts can hear you."

"The ghosts heard my thoughts long before I spoke them. I'm crazy about you, Sydney." He stood, holding out his hand. "Come home with me. To my cottage."

"Everyone will know," she said quietly.

"Honey, everyone knows everything here. It doesn't matter. They know how this will end."

"How is that?"

"We'll be married, having babies soon enough. They'll be running around here, tall like me, dark hair and green eyes like you. They'll be fierce little warriors, male and female. They'll be the next generation of Quinns."

"Take me home," she said in a barely audible voice.

He stood, holding out his hand to her. Standing in front of him, her hair was flying across her face in the breeze, and he tucked it behind her ears. Turning, he walked with her, hand in hand, toward their cottage. When they entered, he immediately removed his running shoes, still holding her hand as they walked back toward the bedroom. Stopping at the entrance, he turned to Sydney.

"You can still say no. I won't be angry. We can do this another time," he said.

"Is this going to be the only time?" she asked. Conor chuckled, shaking his head.

"No, baby. But it will be the only first time, so I plan on enjoying this moment." Sydney smiled at him.

"Arrogant American."

"Damn right."

It was easy for Sydney to get undressed. She'd been wearing a shoulder-baring halter dress for the oppressive evening summer heat. Untying the neck, she let it fall to the floor, revealing her bare breasts and the tiniest scrap of material Conor had ever seen on a woman. He'd seen her. All of her at the pond. But here, knowing she would be his, it was different.

He pulled his t-shirt over his head with one hand, then unzipped his shorts with the other, letting them fall next to her dress. Sydney stared at the long, rigid cock, realizing he'd shrugged out of his boxers with his shorts.

"I knew you were big. I could tell," she said in a throaty, sexy voice.

"How could you tell, baby?" he growled.

"Your hands and feet. But I just knew. You're beautiful," she moaned, touching him with her delicate fingers. "You're hot like you're on fire."

"That's because I am on fire," he growled, lifting her. He wrapped her legs around his waist, the tip of his cock touching the fabric.

"Conor," she moaned against his mouth.

"Do you like these panties?" he asked.

"Not particularly. Why?" She had her answer when he wrenched them from her body, sliding her down his length, seating her completely in one motion.

"That's why. Fuck me, you're hot. You feel so damn good, Syd." All Sydney could do was nod. He'd taken her breath away, and she was struggling to gather her thoughts and her breath. With every step he took, her body shook against the python inside her. When he finally laid her against the bed, he forced her knees apart, her legs higher, and drove harder inside her.

"Conor, you don't have a condom on," she said quietly.

"Do I need one?" he asked. She looked at him, confused. "I want babies. Do you hear me? I want as many babies as we can have. Together. You and me. Husband and Wife. I don't need fucking condoms any longer. I'm clean and can prove it."

"Me too," she nodded. "Are you sure?" He slammed inside her again, devouring her mouth, then looking down at her.

"Does that feel like I'm sure?"

"Yes," she grinned. "Very, very sure."

"Syd, I'm close, baby. Where are you?"

"Here. Here," she panted. "I'm here!" She screamed as the orgasm overwhelmed her body. It was instantaneous as Conor flooded her body with his seed, growling like a wounded animal. He'd no sooner finished than he flipped her over, driving in behind her. She felt his thumb rimming her anus and froze.

"Relax, baby. Only if you want it. I won't force it," he said soothingly.

"I-I've never tried," she said, looking back at him. "I'd like to try with you."

"In time," he said, easing her concern. "Right now, I'm so fucking happy to be inside of you." Reaching around her body, he gripped her nipples, twisting and teasing as she panted harder and harder.

The lion and lioness were loose.

Conor rolled over and looked at his phone. 0400. It was time to leave. Time to meet the team at the jets. He took a quick shower, dressing in the bathroom so as not to wake Sydney. When he came out of the steam-filled room, she was lying on her stomach, her bare ass almost smiling at him.

"Fuck me," he growled. Crawling across the bed, he kissed one ass cheek, then another, running his tongue up her spine to her neck, then rolling her over to take her mouth.

"Mmmm," she moaned, rubbing her body against him. "Wait. You have clothes on."

"Time to go, baby. I'll be back. You can count on it. I'll hear your beautiful voice through comms. Just don't sound too sexy. I need to be able to operate," he grinned.

"Don't make fun of this, Conor. Park is a vicious bastard, and he obviously knew who you were and what you were doing there. With William on his side, he may have given him a lot of information about you."

"I know, baby. I know," he said, hugging her to his chest. "William will get his soon enough. If not by me, he'll damn sure die at the hands of Park. A man like that doesn't live long enough to enjoy life."

"I'd like to think he'll get some horrible rash and die scratching himself to death, but that's just me." Conor laughed at her, kissing her again.

"Sydney? I love you. I meant what I said last night. I want you as my wife." She smiled, nodding at him.

"I love you too, Conor. Come back to me."

"You can count on it."