Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Remi felt off-kilter. She was shaky and couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder. She hated that Douchecanoe had gotten to her. She’d heard him yell before, but the threatening tone in his voice tonight was something new. If he’d managed to get inside, or if she’d opened the door to him, she wasn’t sure what he would’ve done.

Her first call should’ve been to the police, but she hadn’t thought when she’d clicked on Vincent’s name. She wasn’t thinking about interrupting an important meeting, or that he might not want to get involved with a fight between her and Douchecanoe. All she’d thought about was how safe she felt when she was with him. It didn’t matter that the police had arrived first.

She’d heard him yelling her name as he’d approached her condo. And that meant the world to her.

He’d come.

As soon as he could, he’d come when she needed him.

The feeling in her chest threatened to overwhelm her. She’d begged the officers to let him inside. Needed to see him. To touch him. Needed him to ground her.

And the second his arms closed around her, she finally felt safe.

She was prepared to beg him to stay the night, but that became unnecessary when he told her he was taking her to his place. Hadn’t asked. Told her.

She was completely all right with that.

She wanted this man. Everything within her screamed that he was the one. The man she’d been waiting and searching for her entire adult life. He didn’t care that she didn’t wear makeup. He didn’t care that she snort-laughed. He respected her career, didn’t call it a hobby or make fun of the fact that she made a living by drawing a talking taco. And he hadn’t made a single snide comment about her parents being in the condom industry.

But it was more than all of that. It was a goodness she could sense oozing from every pore of Vincent’s body. He was brave and protective. Yes, he was also a little rough around the edges and a lot blunt, but she didn’t hold that against him. He’d learned to be that way because of being a SEAL.

His friends were the same way. She could sense a darkness in all of them, but that darkness was tempered by a strong need to protect. To slay dragons. It was no wonder they were all so close. Like was drawn to like, and Vincent and his teammates were all cut from the same cloth.

Safe was a good example. She hadn’t asked him to stay. Hadn’t even hinted that she might feel a little uneasy, wondering if Douchecanoe would come back. But he’d somehow known, and had volunteered to sit in her parking lot all night, keeping watch. He had to be tired, had to have wanted to go home to his own bed and enjoy the morning off. But instead, he’d volunteered to help keep her safe.

Honestly, it made her want to cry.

Well, maybe it was everything that had happened that was making her want to cry. But she wouldn’t. She was stronger than that. She wasn’t hurt, Douchecanoe hadn’t touched her. And now she was going to Vincent’s apartment. She’d been curious about where he lived ever since they got back to California. She couldn’t wait to see it for herself.

As if he could read her mind, Vincent reached for her hand once they were on the road. “I hope you aren’t expecting fancy,” he said a little self-consciously. “My apartment isn’t anything to write home about.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

He huffed out a breath. “It’s adequate. That’s about it.”

“Vincent, I don’t care where you live. I don’t care how much you paid for your furniture. I don’t even care if your bedroom is full of stuffed animal heads on the walls and guns and knives displayed on every available surface. All I care about is that you’re there.”

He chuckled and squeezed her fingers. “No dead animals on the walls, and my weapons are in lockboxes.”

She smiled at him.

“I just want you to be comfortable. To feel safe.”

“When I’m with you, I do,” Remi said, hoping she wasn’t being too mushy.

The smile on his face assured her that she wasn’t.

“You are, you know. When you’re with me, you’re completely safe. I’ll never hurt you, sweetheart. With words or fists. And I’ll do everything in my power to keep others from doing the same. But the truth of the matter is, I won’t always be around. I know I keep mentioning that, but you need to be aware.”

His worry was easy to hear. And it made her fall for him more, not less.

“I’ve lived on my own for a long time, Vincent. I’m used to it. My parents aren’t too far away, and trust me, they know a lot of people. If I truly need something, all it’ll take is a call to them and I’ll have a handyman or plumber or someone out to my place immediately. And believe it or not, my life is actually pretty boring. Being left in the ocean and tonight notwithstanding. I can handle your job. Promise.”

“I hate not being there for you,” he admitted. “I never thought twice about it with other girlfriends, but with you? It makes me feel itchy inside. I love being a SEAL, but this past week has made me see how much others sacrifice for me. I should’ve met your family by now. Hung out with you and Marley. Taken you to dinner. Sat on your couch and watched a movie. And we haven’t even come close to those make-out sessions I promised.”

“It’s not a sacrifice, it’s a part of life. There will be times when I’m on a deadline and I can’t talk to you. Won’t want to talk to you. When I’ll lock myself in my room in order to concentrate on what I’m doing. I’m a perfectionist, and I get irritated with myself and everyone else if I get distracted. Honestly? If you were an accountant or a car salesman, I’d be annoyed by now if we hadn’t gone on a date or if I thought you were dodging meeting the people most important to me. But you aren’t. You’re a freaking SEAL. You’re planning a very important mission to somewhere dangerous to keep others safe. I’ll never, ever be pissed about that, Vincent. I’m proud of you and your teammates.”

He gave her a look full of an emotion she couldn’t read. But he didn’t speak, simply squeezed her hand and turned his attention back to the road in front of them.

They pulled into a small parking area behind his building and he cut the engine before opening his door. Remi followed suit, and he already had her suitcase in his hand before she could even try to grab it. Then he came around to her side and took her hand in his before walking fairly quickly toward the building.

Remi’s lips twitched. He was being bossy without saying a word. It was actually kind of impressive. But since she didn’t mind, she didn’t call him on it. It felt good to let him take control, even if it was over something as simple as carrying her bag and escorting her toward his apartment.

He led her up a set of stairs and down the outside walkway. His apartment was the last one at the end of a long row, and he only dropped her hand long enough to unlock his door before pocketing his keys and grabbing her once again, towing her inside.

Remi looked around with curiosity. Vincent didn’t flick any switches inside the door, but since he’d left a kitchen light on when he’d last been here, she could see just fine. She caught a glimpse of a huge bookshelf stuffed with books, a giant TV against the wall, and a beat-up old couch, one that looked extremely comfortable, before Vincent walked her down a small hallway.

“Vincent?” she asked, confused about why he hadn’t spoken. He still had her suitcase in his hand, so she figured maybe he was bringing her to a second bedroom.

But when he pushed open the door at the end of the hall, she realized they weren’t in a guest room. This was his room. She knew it without him saying a word, because it smelled like him. The dark, woodsy scent that she attributed to him was strong in the decent-sized space.

“Vincent?” she said again, when he stopped and put her suitcase on the floor. But he didn’t say a word, simply turned to her and took her face in his hands. Then he kissed her. It wasn’t a short, gentle kiss. It was hard and rough…and claiming.

By the time he pulled back, she couldn’t think straight. He’d scrambled her brain with a simple kiss. No, not simple. There had been nothing simple about that kiss.

“You have a choice,” he said in a low voice. “You can sleep in here, in my bed, by yourself. I’ll sleep out on the couch and in the morning, I’ll make us breakfast, then bring you back to your condo before I head back to the base for my meetings.”

When he didn’t continue, Remi found the courage to ask, “Or?”

“Or we can both stay in here. And I’ll make long, slow love to you all night. I’ll taste every inch of your skin and get so deep inside you that you’ll wonder how you ever survived without me. Then in the morning, we’ll shower together, I’ll make breakfast, set up my second bedroom as your work space, and you can stay here while I go to the base for my meetings. And when I’m done, I’ll come home to you and we’ll pick up where we left off.”

Remi could feel her body tingling. Preparing itself for everything he’d just offered.

“I need you, Remi,” Vincent admitted. “But everything I said last week still applies. If we do this, if you let me in, I’m not letting you go. I’m not like your idiot of an ex. I know a good thing when I see it, and I’m also aware that you could do so much better than me. But I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you don’t regret choosing me. I’ll make the time we do get to be together worth your while, so hopefully the times we’re apart won’t seem quite so bad.”

Remi couldn’t help it, she laughed. Snort-laughed at that.

Vincent frowned.

“I’m not laughing at you,” she reassured him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m laughing at the fact you’d think for one second I’d choose box number one. I want you, Vincent. All of you. The good, bad, and ugly. My parents are going to love you, and Marley has already told me if I don’t jump your bones soon, she’s going to arrange to have us locked in a room together in some mountain cabin with the snowstorm of the century approaching.” She wrinkled her nose. “She reads too many forced-proximity romances, but it’s part of her charm, and I can’t say that the scenario she proposed is all that awful.”

When she realized she was babbling, and that the worried look on Vincent’s face hadn’t dissipated, she said quickly, “I choose you, Vincent. Your bed. Both of us. You inside me, hard, deep, and slow. Or fast. Whatever.”

If she wasn’t halfway in love with this man, the intense look on his face might’ve scared her, but this was Vincent. The man who’d saved her life in Hawaii. Who didn’t even flinch when she snort-laughed. Who didn’t give a rat’s ass about her bank account. Who came tonight as fast as he could when she called.

He started pushing her backward. “You need anything from your suitcase?”

“Um, no?”

“Good. Because I’m two seconds from ripping your clothes off and having my wicked way with you.”

Remi smiled. “Okay by me.”

Before she could blink, he’d done just that. Not literally ripping her clothes, but he somehow managed to strip her shirt and jeans off in seconds. She should’ve felt self-conscious, but she felt nothing but a need to have him as naked as she was. She wasn’t as smooth as she struggled to get his shirt over his head, but thankfully, he helped. Then he was pushing her onto his bed.

Scooting backward, Remi couldn’t take her eyes off the man crawling over her.

Vincent was gorgeous. And he was all hers. It was hard to believe, but the look of lust in his eyes was for her. It was a thrilling feeling.

Feeling confident for the first time ever, Remi arched her back and put her arms over her head as she preened for her man.

“Fuck me,” Vincent breathed as his gaze roamed over her body. “I don’t know what to look at or touch first. I knew when I saw you in that wetsuit that you were perfect for me, but I didn’t know how perfect.”

With every word out of his mouth, Remi fell harder.

Then he climbed over her and straddled her hips. His cock was hard against her belly, and he certainly wasn’t self-conscious about his naked body, but why should he be? He was all lean, hard muscle.

He wasn’t smiling, had an intense look of concentration on his face as he lifted a hand and lightly traced her nipple with his fingertip. As if it had a mind of its own, and like it had been waiting for his touch, it hardened.

A small smile formed on his lips as he watched.

“Beautiful,” he whispered as he continued to play with her nipple. He continued to use one finger, and Remi craved more.

“Vincent, please,” she begged.

“Please what?” he asked.

Her stomach tightened at the satisfied sound of his voice. “Touch me.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere. Everywhere!”

“I might be rushing this, taking you to my bed, but I’ll be damned if I rush our first time.”

“There’s rushing, then there’s being slow as a grandpa,” she grumbled, putting her hands on his thighs and caressing up and down. To her delight, his dick twitched and a small bead of precome appeared at the tip.

“There won’t be slow anything if you keep touching me,” he grumbled.

“If you think I’m gonna complain about that, you’re wrong,” she said. This was actually kind of fun. It was hard to believe anything about being naked with a man was fun. In the past, she’d always been too nervous, too self-conscious for any teasing. But there it was. Proof that Vincent really was made for her.

He flexed his thigh muscles under her palms and reached for her breasts. His large hands covered her completely, and the feel of his calloused skin against her nipples made Remi arch up again.

“More?” he asked.

“Yes. Please,” she breathed.

He kneaded and caressed her breasts as if he’d never get enough. Other boyfriends had touched her the same way, but for mere seconds before crawling up her body and thrusting inside her. Vincent was content to take his time. Remi could feel the wet spot on her stomach where his cock rested, but he didn’t seem in any hurry to “get to the good stuff,” as one ex had called sex.

He scooted backward minutes later, and Remi held her breath, thinking this was it…but instead of ramming himself inside her, he lowered his head.

The next ten minutes were mind-blowing, and such a new experience for Remi. Vincent did his best to lick and suck every inch of her chest, pinching and nibbling, feasting on her as if she was a meal to be savored.

Every time he pinched her nipple, harder than she thought could ever be pleasurable, a corresponding pang shot down between her legs. It wasn’t long before she was writhing under him. Her legs were spread wide and she was humping against him in desperation.

She would’ve been embarrassed, but every time she looked into his eyes, she saw nothing but lust and pleasure reflected back. He was doing everything in his power to turn her on…and it was working.

“Vincent, please! I need more. I need you inside me.”

In response, he finally sat up and reached over to the little table next to the bed. He opened the drawer and pulled out a condom. He quickly rolled it down his cock and Remi couldn’t take her eyes off him. If she’d thought he was big before, it was nothing compared to the monster between his legs now. He was bigger and thicker than anyone she’d ever taken, and she began to wonder if this would even work.

She jolted when a drop of something cold fell onto her chest.

“Sorry,” he murmured. “This’ll be cold at first.”

She wasn’t sure what he was talking about. Then she saw the bottle of lube in his hand.

When she lifted a questioning brow, he gave her a shrug. “Masturbating is better with lube,” he told her.

Surprised that he would be so open about something so personal, Remi could only give him a small smile.

He squirted a dollop into his hand and explained, “In the future, I’ll eat you out until you orgasm, make sure you’re wet enough to take me. But I can’t wait. I need to be inside you right now. I don’t want to hurt you though, so I need to make sure you’re ready.”

Remi wanted to reassure him that she was ready, she was wetter than she could ever remember being, but he’d already scooted back so he was straddling her thighs, then his hand was between her legs. She jolted at the first touch, and he said, “Easy, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

And he did. His fingers spread the lube around her pussy lips, then he began to caress her clit. Remi gasped and tried to spread her thighs to give him more room, but he wouldn’t move his legs.

“You’re so beautiful. So sensitive. Does this feel good?” he asked as he slowly circled his thumb over her clit.

Remi could only moan. She reached down and grabbed one of his thighs as he caressed her.

She vaguely heard his chuckle, but all her senses were centered between her legs. Her nipples were rock hard on her chest and she felt as if she was going to shatter into a million pieces.

“You’re close, aren’t you?” he asked, and she heard the surprise in his voice.

She refused to be embarrassed. Hell, he’d been teasing her for the last fifteen minutes. Had gotten her all hot and bothered. Of course she was on the edge of a climax. She was in Vincent Hill’s bed, and he wanted her.

“Yes,” she said, looking up at him. “Harder,” she ordered.

He smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

He squirted more lube onto his finger, then surprised her by slowly easing it inside her body as he caressed her clit with his other hand.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, squeezing his finger with her inner muscles.

It was his turn to groan. “So hot. So tight. You’re gonna squeeze me so damn hard when I get my cock in there.”

It was kind of a crude thing to say, and Remi had never been so turned on.

“Come for me, Remi. Cream all over my fingers so I can give you my dick.”

She wanted that. Wanted him. She arched her back as her orgasm approached and didn’t think twice about what might be jiggling or what her lover might think about it. All she could focus on was the hands between her legs and how good they were making her feel. Between the lube and her juices, she was wetter than she’d ever been in her life.

As she flew over the edge, she felt Vincent moving. Then he was there. Pushing between her legs even as she shook and trembled through the most intense orgasm she’d ever had.

It took everything within Kevlar not to come right then and there. He’d never been with a woman more sensual than Remi, with her arms thrown over her head and her body arched into his touch as she moaned through her orgasm.

He was a big man, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Which was why he’d gotten the lube. He wanted to make sure she was nice and slippery so he could get inside her without causing any pain. He hadn’t expected her to orgasm, but the second he’d touched her clit, he could tell she was close.

He’d never seen anything so damn sexy in his life. As her thighs shook and she cried out, he moved without thought. Notching his cock between her legs and pushing inside.

She was tight. Almost too tight. And the fact that she was orgasming wasn’t helping, her muscles clenched and working against him. But Kevlar couldn’t stop. The way she squeezed his cock made his eyes roll back in his head. He was doubly thankful that he’d gotten her so wet and slick before attempting to penetrate her.

She felt tiny under him, around him, but he couldn’t stop until he’d bottomed out inside her. It wasn’t until he felt his pubic hair meshing with hers that he opened his eyes and dared to look down. He held still, loving the feel of the small contractions deep within her body, massaging his cock.

Remi had grabbed hold of his arms as he’d pushed inside her, and he could feel her fingernails digging into his skin. His heart was beating so hard, he was sure she could see the blood pulsing through the artery in his neck.

“Vincent,” she whispered.

He’d never get tired of hearing his name on her lips. The way she said it turned him on every time.

“Remi,” he returned, sounding just as breathless.

“Are you…all the way in?”

He smiled down at her and nodded.

“You aren’t moving,” she commented.

“You’re tight, sweetheart. I’m giving you time to adjust.”

She took a deep breath. “Yeah, okay. Thanks. I, um…”

Her inner muscles flexed around him, and it was Kevlar’s turn to inhale. “Do that again,” he ordered.

“What? This?” she asked with a grin.

This time, she rhythmically squeezed him several times in a row.

“Damn, woman! That feels…you have no idea how good you feel. You’re like an oven, so hot around me.” Kevlar flexed his ass and shifted inside her.

Now she gasped.

“You good? I’m not hurting you?”

She lifted a hand and speared it through his hair. “No. You definitely aren’t hurting me. You’re big and I feel full. Almost too full, but it’s so good.”

Kevlar couldn’t stop the satisfaction that rushed through him. “I want to move. Can I move?” he begged. This wasn’t like him. He was a man who took what he wanted, what he needed. But he’d cut off his own dick before he hurt this woman.

“Yes. Please, Vincent. Move!”

Slowly, he pulled his cock out of her warm body until only the tip remained, then he sank back inside.

She moaned. “More! Harder,” she insisted.

Kevlar began to thrust in and out—and he realized that his life was completely and utterly changed. She was his. He’d never be intimate with anyone other than Remi, ever again, and the thought made him groan in ecstasy. He didn’t need anyone else. Just her. Just this pussy. She was made for him.

“Vincent, harder,” she ordered, digging her nails into his ass.

The little pain sent pleasure shooting up his cock. His balls let loose a spurt of come inside the condom. He didn’t want this to be over yet. He needed more. Wanted to stay inside her hot, wet body for as long as possible. But he also wanted to please Remi. Wanted to give her the most pleasurable experience she’d ever had.

He scooted up farther, spreading her legs even wider around his hips. Then he leaned back.

Remi groaned in protest. “Vincent, please! I want it hard. I want to feel you deep inside.”

“You will,” Kevlar promised. “But first I want you to come again. Around me this time.”

“I can’t,” she protested. “I’m too sensitive.”

Kevlar knew he was a dick for ignoring her protests. All he wanted was to feel her ripple around his cock. He lowered his hand and found she was still plenty slick from the lube he’d used earlier. He ran his thumb around her opening until it was slippery and set to work making her come again.

At the first touch of his thumb to her clit, she jerked under him, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

“No, too much!”

But he still ignored her. He’d had no idea he had this in him. He’d seen porn depicting forced orgasms, but figured the women had simply been acting. It hadn’t turned him on or off, it was just mildly interesting. But with Remi under him, twitching around his dick, trying to get away from his touch and failing, he found himself spurting more precome.

He wasn’t going to last very long, not when he looked down and saw himself buried to the hilt inside her. Her flesh was stretched around the base of his dick, and it was hard to believe she’d been able to take him into that tight pussy. Was still taking him.

“It’s not too much,” he told her.

Her hips were bucking constantly now, and both her hands were on his thighs, digging her nails in as he continued to stroke her.

“Ahhhh!” she screamed as she writhed under him.

Kevlar closed his eyes as he felt her orgasm around him, under him. Then he lunged forward. Braced himself on his forearms and fucked her hard, fast and deep, just like she’d begged for.

And with every thrust, she moaned in his ear, her pussy milking him as she continued to come. Every time he bottomed out, he rubbed against her clit, prolonging her orgasm. Nothing felt like this. Not the adrenaline high he got from a mission. Not the pride he felt when he’d earned his Budweiser pin. Nothing.

Groaning, he shoved himself as deep as he could and let go. Spurt after spurt of come left his cock. The orgasm seemed to go on and on, and it was all he could do to hold himself up, to not fall onto Remi and crush her beneath him. His arms shook, he saw black spots in front of his eyes, and through it all, he felt Remi’s hands on his back, on his ass, caressing him, pulling him closer.

When he could finally breathe again, Kevlar rolled to his back, taking Remi with him so she was sprawled atop his body, his dick still tucked deep inside her. She giggled against his chest as he settled but didn’t pull away.

Relief swam through Kevlar’s veins. The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt this woman, and for a moment he thought he’d gone too far. Forcing her to orgasm, taking her as hard as he had, but when he heard that sweet giggle, he sighed in relief.

“That was…wow,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he agreed.

She lay boneless against him, and Kevlar had the satisfied thought that this was what would be waiting for him when he came home from his next mission. Not just the sex, but his woman lounging against him, skin-to-skin, caressing him with her soft hands, happy to be with him. Not for what he could do for her, not because he was a SEAL. But for him. Just him.

He’d fight and kill to keep this.

“I need to get up,” he said after a long moment.

“Oh, um, okay,” she said, sounding unsure.

It occurred to Kevlar that she didn’t realize why he needed to move. “The condom. As much as I want to stay right where I am, with my dick snug inside your body, I need to take care of the condom.”

“Oh! Right. Yeah,” she said, lifting her leg to climb off him.

But Kevlar held her against him, not willing to pull out of her just yet. It was stupid, could have serious consequences, but he dreaded leaving her warmth.

“I thought you said you needed to move,” she said with a small huff.

“I did. I do. But I need you to tell me you’re okay first. That I didn’t hurt you.”

“I’m more than okay,” she reassured him immediately. “That was…intense, but great. Really incredible.”

“I made you do something you weren’t sure you wanted to do,” he pressed. Kevlar had no idea why he was pushing this, just that he wanted to be completely sure he hadn’t done anything she’d resent later.

“It was a little uncomfortable. Kind of hurt, but in a good way,” she hurried to say, when she saw the frown on his face. “No one’s ever done that to me. I’ve never felt that way before, ever. Never had such an intense orgasm. And having you inside me when it happened…yeah, it was amazing, Vincent. Promise.”

She was bright red by the time she finished speaking, but he couldn’t have been prouder—of her, of himself—than he was at that moment. “All right,” he said. “I just wanted to be sure.”

“I’m sure. I’m really sure,” she told him.

Kevlar kissed her. Hard. “Lift your leg, sweetheart. I’ll be right back.”

She did as he asked, and they both groaned when he slipped out of her body.

As he stood, Kevlar noticed that his come was leaking out the end of the condom, and he grimaced. He walked into the bathroom, removed the condom, and threw it away. Then he wet a washcloth and quickly cleaned himself, before rinsing the cloth and walking back into the bedroom.

Remi had covered herself with his sheet, and he had a moment of dismay that she’d hidden herself from him, but he pushed it down. It would take time for her to become fully comfortable around him. At least she hadn’t jumped out of bed to put her clothes back on.

He climbed under the covers with her and braced himself on an elbow as he rested the warm washcloth on her belly. “May I?” he asked softly.

Remi nodded shyly, and it was all Kevlar could do to control himself as he wiped the excess lube and her juices from between her legs. He threw the washcloth to the floor and pulled her against him once more. To his delight, she hiked one leg over his thigh and wrapped her arm over his chest.

She felt so right against him.

“Vincent?”

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

She paused for a long time. Then…“Nothing.”

He turned a little, so she was more on her back, and stared down at her. “What, Remi? You can tell me anything. Ask me anything.”

“I…I’m scared.”

“Of what? Me?” Kevlar asked, appalled.

“No! I mean, maybe? But it’s me, not you. I just…this was so good. You’re so amazing. I’m afraid it’s too good.”

Kevlar relaxed. He understood that feeling. All too well. He settled onto his back and encouraged her to snuggle against him once more. “I feel the same way,” he admitted.

“About me?”

She sounded so surprised. So floored, he could only chuckle.

“Yeah, you. You scare the shit out of me, sweetheart. I’m afraid you’ll come to your senses and realize that being with me is more of a pain in the ass than you’re willing to put up with.”

“I’m not her,” Remi said fiercely. “Or any of the other stupid bitches you dated who didn’t know a good thing when they had it. I can handle you and your job, Vincent.”

Her words sank into his psyche, and they were said with such conviction, he couldn’t help but believe her. “Okay. So we agree that there’s nothing to be scared about. Right?”

“Right,” she said with a sigh.

“Sleep, sweetheart,” he whispered.

“You too?” she asked.

“Me too,” he agreed.

Kevlar fell asleep with a smile on his face, and a bone-deep knowledge that his world had just tilted on its axis…and he’d never been happier to be turned upside down as he was right then.

Howler paced his small apartment in agitation. He’d had Safe drop him off at The Golden Oyster, but he hadn’t stayed. As soon as his teammate left, he’d ordered an Uber and gone home.

He was worried. Tex was obviously looking into Remi’s ex, but he wouldn’t find anything, because there was nothing there to find. And when he came up empty, he’d widen his net. Even with how careful Howler had been, the possibility that Tex would come up with something to tie him back to Hawaii made him increasingly paranoid.

Yes, he’d taken care of the boat captain, and he trusted his contact in Hawaii, but there was still a tiny chance that one remaining connection could come back to bite him in the ass. And time was running out. The day when they’d be leaving on the mission to Chad was quickly approaching. If he wanted to be team leader, wanted Kevlar to be too emotionally unstable to continue the role that was meant to be Howler’s, he had to act now.

He had his plan, was ready to implement it, had finished the prep work. But he hadn’t managed the last step—getting to Remi.

That was turning out to be the hardest part, and it was all because of fucking Kevlar. The asshole kept them in meetings about their upcoming mission from morning until night, day after day. As if they hadn’t already planned everything from what they’d eat to where they’d take a shit. Taking out an HVT wasn’t this difficult. If he was team leader, they’d already have killed the son-of-a-bitch and been on their way home.

It was just one more reason why Kevlar had to go. Immediately.

He needed to be a little more creative if he wanted to get to Remi before they left for their mission.

As he paced, his thoughts went back to Aces again…and suddenly, he knew just how to do it.

Blink.

The SEAL was still a mess. Everyone knew when he wasn’t at Aces, he sat at home, wallowing in self-pity. Probably going over and over in his head how he’d fucked up on the mission that killed half his team. Howler had heard through the grapevine that the man obsessively watched everyone who came and went from his apartment complex, as if someone might plant an IED in the parking lot or some bullshit. And conveniently for Howler, Blink lived in the same complex close to base as several other military members—including Kevlar.

Anything out of the ordinary that happened outside Blink’s apartment would likely catch the man’s eye. And he seemed to have a soft spot for Remi Stephenson. It made Howler want to barf, but whatever. He could work with it. Surely if anything went down with the woman on his watch, he’d feel the need to insert himself into the situation.

At least, Howler was counting on it.

His plan was tricky…might not even work. But if Blink did what Howler expected, he’d have someone mentally unhinged to point to; someone to blame for what was about to happen to Kevlar’s bitch. A handy scapegoat. Someone he wouldn’t even have to pay.

Collateral damage. As a SEAL, Howler knew it was inevitable. To get the job done, there was always collateral damage. That’s what Blink would become. If he was a stronger man, a better SEAL, he wouldn’t involve himself. But he was weak. Perfect for Howler’s plan.

And Remi Stephenson was just another Frog Hog. She might not admit it, but she was the same as every other bitch who wanted to fuck a SEAL. She’d get what she deserved—just as Kevlar would.