Chapter Twenty-Five

LILY

"Where are we going?" I ask Kace as we slowly move through the suburban streets.

It feels good to be back in Washington DC. It's home. It almost makes me feel like we aren't on the run anymore. That we're finally heading home. But we aren't. We're far from heading home. The things that Mark had told Kace has opened a whole new world of drama.

I'm floored.

Kace is angry.

I want to soothe him. To bring back the light, I know that this new information has stolen from him, but I'm not quite sure how. It's a clusterfuck of epic proportions, and we're settled directly in the middle.

"We're going to a safe house," he answers simply, his eyes not moving from the road.

My stomach tightens. "Kace, is that really safe?"

The long growth of stubble on his face fails to cover his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows. "Luca is the only other person who knows about it."

I turn my body to face him, staring in awe at the side of his face. "Oh, you mean the same Luca who is trying to kill us? That Luca?"

I see the corner of Kace's mouth twitch, and while my body seems to relax a little at seeing the show of emotion on his face, my stomach still wants to expel its contents all over the dashboard.

"Whether he's going to follow through with those orders or not, I need to at least tell him what I know before it happens," he answers on a sigh. "Then, it will be up to him whether he's going to do something about it."

"You just killed the head of The Agency, Kace! Something tells me he isn't going to sit down with us and have coffee while you explain what's going on." I blow out a frustrated breath. "You're risking our lives on the off-chance that Luca will listen?"

My body jolts as Kace suddenly directs the car off the road and pulls up at the curb. I grip the door as he slams on the breaks, my heart beginning to race. "What?" I ask frantically, looking around, but his eyes are on me only.

His predatory stare pierces my skin. He reaches over and slides his hand over my cheek, threading his fingers through my hair and using it to pull my face closer to his. I move with him, entranced by the deep-hooded look in his eyes. "Listen to me."

I nod, having to remind myself to breathe. The connection between Kace and I can't be denied. It's been there since the start, and no matter what happens, I will spend the rest of my days on the run with him if that's what it takes to have him in my life.

I'd basically given up on men before Kace invaded my life and refused to leave. Maybe that's what I need. Maybe I need someone to fight for me, and Kace has done just that. He fought not just to be with me, but he fought for my life. He basically stood between me and a loaded gun.

Was that a sacrifice any man would make? No.

"I will never, let anything happen to you," he says seriously, his voice full of emotion. "I have markers, people who owe me shit, all over the fucking world. If I have to ship you to Siberia, then I will if it means you'll continue to breathe."

I shake my head. "Not if you're not there, too."

He snorts. "We'll see. You're innocent, Lily. I, on the other hand, deserve everything that's coming to me." He leans forward and presses a soft kiss to my lips before turning back to the road and pulling out onto the street again. "If I have to pay for my sins, so be it," he mumbles.

Anger builds in my stomach, anger at Kace for not being able to see the person he really is inside but, instead, just seeing the monster he was made into without his permission. The villain disguised as a superhero.

I keep my mouth closed as Kace pulls the car into the driveway of a two-story house that's lit up by the streetlights. It's cute, an older-style home that's white with blue shutters.

"Come on," he says, grabbing the backpack and climbing out of the car. I take a deep breath and follow, walking along the narrow path that's lined with flowers. Obviously, he has someone maintaining the property.

Kace pulls open a small compartment next to the oversized door and types some numbers on the keypad before shoving it open. Lights begin to flicker on automatically. Kace steps to the side and holds out his arm, gesturing to me to head in first.

My eyes take in our surroundings. It's mostly an open plan with the living room straight ahead as I walk forward through the entrance. When the wall to my right stops, the kitchen appears as well as a dining room with a six-seater table.

The area is decorated beautifully like it was meant for a family, and even though I know it's empty, it has a homely vibe. My body warms despite the knowledge that we won't be here for long. But it's not a hotel room, or a lighthouse, or a painter's van, it's a home.

I walk straight ahead and drop myself onto the soft sofa, a small groan escaping from my mouth. I hear Kace chuckle, but I don't even care, wiggling my body to get more comfortable.

"Why don't you go upstairs and have a shower?" he suggests, and I finally force my head to the side to look at him.

Now that his body is illuminated, I can see the dried blood on the sleeves of his shirt.

He follows my eyes, looking down at his arms. He nods. "I'm gonna take a shower downstairs, and then I'll make us some food," he says quickly, his body tensing again as he heads for the hallway to the left of the living room. He stops in the doorway. "There are clothes in the dressers up there. Find something that fits, so you'll be more comfortable."

I purse my lips and nod even though he's already gone.

My body aches to stay on the sofa, but the idea of a hot shower is just too powerful. I find myself snatching the backpack which holds the underwear that Kace and I shopped for from the counter, and head up the staircase in search of a bathroom to relieve some of the aches and tension in my body. The bathroom is large with a stunning walk-in shower. My eyes light up at the sight of it and find myself stripping as I walk over, turning the water on.

I don't even wait until it's completely hot, stepping right in, letting the lukewarm spray hit my body. My knees become weak, and I give in to exhaustion, dropping to the tiled floor with a heavy sigh. The water becomes hotter and heavier, beating at my skin and washing away the filth of the day.

I need this. Everything that has happened weighs so heavily on me, dragging me down until I'm fighting just to breathe.

Kace has been my strength the last few days, and to see him falling to pieces, the weight of his sins smothering him and pulling him into the dark depths of hell has me wanting to fight back. I want to show him that he is not that person they made him into, that he can see right from wrong because he's proven it with me.

Mistakes had been made, he'd been fooled, but that was not on him. That was on them. And they would pay for what they'd done.

All I have to do is to make him see that the tunnel may be dark, but it can't continue forever, and in the end, the light will prevail.

We will prevail.

***

After twenty minutes of scrubbing myself raw, I know exactly what I need to do.

I dry my body from head to toe, a smile touching at my lips as I pull the lacy black number from the bag, the one I know Kace can't resist. With my hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, I take one last glimpse of myself in the foggy mirror and turn to head out the door with purpose in my step, and excitement building in my stomach.

I take the steps slowly.

"There's food. It's not anything fancy, but it's something," he says loudly from the living room just as I reach the bottom step. I move around the small wall that separates the two, leaning my shoulder against it as I study him. He's sitting on the sofa, his knees spread with his elbows braced on them, and his head hanging low.

He's in a pair of fresh track pants, his hair wet, and his upper body bare. Goosebumps settle over my skin as I admire his muscles and broad shoulders, remembering the strength he holds within that body. He's right, there is a darkness inside him, and I'm about to bring it out but in a whole new way.

I wait silently. It takes him a few moments, but soon his eyes move over to me. They narrow. "Lily." The roughness of his voice tells me everything I need to know. My plan may just work. "What are you doing?"

I stalk toward him, never breaking eye contact, letting him know that I'm not afraid. As I draw closer, his eyes drift lower scanning my body, taking me in.

"You're angry," I state simply.

"Lily," he warns again, his fingers tightening into fists.

"You're frustrated. Feeling like darkness is taking over again…" my voice is low but strong, "… let it."

He growls deep in his throat as I step in front of him. He doesn't move to touch me, his eyes now level with my stomach. I brace my hands on his shoulders, pushing him back until he's leaning against the sofa.

He doesn't fight it.

"You don't know what you're doing. What you're getting yourself into." He breathes, his words sharp as though they're meant to scare me. They don't. Kace is a killer. That much is true, but he did it because he felt as though he was protecting innocent people from being hurt. He put his life on the line thinking that he was changing the world and making it a better place.

He did what he had to do for the protection of his country.

That doesn't make him a monster.

That makes him a hero.

I lift my right leg and brace my knee on the sofa next to him, lifting the other and doing the same so I'm straddling him. "If I can't draw you out by being your light, I guess I'll just have to come to you in the dark," I tell him, dipping my head slowly until my mouth is right next to his ear. "Fuck me," I whisper, the words falling from my lips so easily.

His muscles twitch under me, but he still doesn't move. He's fighting it, thinking he will infect me with his shadows, but that's exactly what I want. We're like two different beings—until now, I'd had no idea about the anger and corruption in the world. It has never affected me before. And Kace has grown up, knowing only a world of hate and being forced to fight against it, or so he thought.

It's only now I'm seeing that trying to drag him into the light and forcing him to forget that is a pointless battle. And he will never let me be pulled under by that world he knows so well.

So we have to meet in the middle.

"You don't have to hide yourself from me," I tell him quietly as I run my lips over his now clean-shaven jaw. "I want it all, every beaten and broken piece of you."

I squeal as I'm suddenly thrown onto my back, looking up to see Kace looming over me. His hands move to my wrists, pressing them into the soft sofa almost painfully as he settles himself between my legs.

"You don't know what you're asking," he whispers, his voice like gravel.

"I know exactly what I'm asking," I fire back. "Now, give it to me."

His hands move in a flash, gripping the front of my bra. His muscles bulge, and the material tears. I gasp as the air hits my nipples, automatically hardening them into tiny buds. The torn pieces of my beautiful new bra fall to the sides.

He eyes my breasts as they heave up and down, my breathing becoming heavy and excited.

"So fucking beautiful. So goddamn innocent," he mutters as he runs his hand, palm pressed to my skin, up the center of my abdomen and between my breasts. Just when I think he's going to stop, he finds my throat. He doesn't squeeze, he just lays his hand there.

His eyes meet mine, and I stare him down. He's giving me a warning, letting me know the kind of power and skill he holds in him. It's a chance to say no, to change my mind. But I won't.

I'm with him.

All or fucking nothing.

I lift my chin slightly, daring him to take it further. I see the understanding in his eyes, and his other hand moves to my panty line. I lick my lips as his finger slips under and runs over the lips of my pussy.

"You like this? This turns you on?" he growls, his fingers moving deeper to find my clit.

I inhale sharply through my nose. "No," I answer breathlessly. "You. You turn me on, Kace. It's not about how you act or what you say. It's just you."

He applies a little pressure, and his fingers flick over my clit as his eyes stay focused on my face, gauging my reaction. My body begins to buzz and tingle, the sensations moving through me. My eyes roll back, and I lift my hips, pleading for more. Just when I think he's going to tighten his hand on my neck, his thumb begins to stroke at the soft skin.

"Please…" I whisper, "… more."

The smirk on his face has my eyes widening.

"Turn over," he demands, releasing me completely.

I roll over, watching him as he takes his two fingers and presses them to his mouth. His tongue snakes out, licking them. I roll onto my stomach, unable to stop my body from wiggling in anticipation.

Kace takes each of my legs, bending them under me, so it pushes my ass into the air with my upper body still pressed against the sofa. The roughness against my nipples excites me, and I rub them back and forth, the friction sending jolts of pleasure through me.

A sharp slap on my ass cheek has me yelping and pushing up.

"I'll give you what you need, you don't take it." Another slap to the other side has me freezing, my breathing now heavy, and my pussy almost dripping with anticipation. His hand runs over both cheeks, soothing the sting and pulling me apart, making me sink into the cushions.

My panties are pulled down, leaving them to sit around my knees.

He's silent. I want to see him and touch him, but I just wait. Kace needs to come to me. I need him to see that I am his, and I'm willing to do almost anything if it means us being together.

When a wet tongue slides through my folds, I let out a long groan, and my eyes flutter closed. It disappears, and I almost whimper with loss before it's suddenly on me again, sucking at my clit. I press back against his face. It almost feels like a punishment. He's relentless, licking, sucking, swirling his tongue around my clit like it's his favorite ice cream.

I clutch the cushion beneath me in my fists. "Oh God," I moan which only encourages him more.

When his tongue is replaced by two long, thick fingers, I know I'm done for. He presses in me slowly, making me squirm. The fire has already been lit, and he's about to pour kerosene on top.

At first, he moves slowly, in and out, allowing them to become slick. Then he speeds up, I try to match him thrust for thrust, but I'm failing. His fingers curl inside me, hitting that spot that will create the explosion my body's aching for.

It isn't a slow build.

It hits me full force, and I cry out his name. My knees shake, and I struggle to breathe. Sweat forms on my brow as I arch my back, riding through the orgasm, my muscles twitching as the aftershocks come, wave after wave.

"This what you want?" he asks, his breath blowing across my wetness and sending a shiver of delight up my spine.

"Yes," I gasp loudly.

He laps at me before pausing again. "You want more?"

"I want everything. I want you. I want all that you are," I tell him, my breath catching.

His lips brush my lower spine as he leans over me. "Don't want to hurt you."

"I know. Because you aren't them."

He stills for a moment at my words like he's considering them like suddenly at this moment, he's finally seeing.

"Fuck," he groans softly, and I feel him pushing off the sofa and standing. "Get up."

I push myself up on shaky arms, turning my head to look at him. He's already disposed of his track pants, and his long, thick cock is standing at attention, saluting me. Guess every part of this man is a damn soldier.

He holds out his hand to me, and I take it. He pulls me to my feet, my panties falling to the floor as I step over to him. He wraps one arm around my body to help my wobbly legs. I look up at him, my mouth falling open slightly as I still struggle to breathe.

He brings his other hand up to cup my face, his eyes floating into me as though he's trying to share his soul with me. "You're right. I'm not them."

My lips turn up in a smile.

"I know what you're trying to do, to show me you'll accept that part of me they created. But you don't have to." My heart races. "Because that man, from now on, will be reserved for them. They will be the ones to feel his hatred and anger, and anyone who tries to get in my way."

I wrap my arms around his torso and press a soft kiss to the middle of his defined chest. We stay like that for a few minutes, our heated bodies pressed against each other.

"Now, I'm gonna fuck you as I want," he says, his tone torturing me with anticipation.

He bends, his hands going to the back of my thighs as I clutch onto his body. He turns and backs up, dropping onto the sofa with me sitting over him, his beautiful cock bumping against my clit as we land.

I moan, digging my fingernails into his skin. Moving my hips unconsciously, I hope to find that same feeling again. He chuckles as his cock slips through my wet lips.

"Kace…" I moan, leaning my head forward and tucking it into the crook of his neck.

He reaches between us, and I lift slightly as he positions his cock at my entrance.

"You've got me all fucking wound up. This is gonna be hard and fast. I need you."

"Please…" is all I mutter before he grabs my hips and slowly sinks me onto him. I groan the whole way until he settles entirely inside me, stretching and filling me to my max.

"Ride me," he growls deep in his throat, almost as though he's struggling to stay in control.

I do so instantly, lifting my hips slowly. I take a deep breath and drop back down, the slap of our skin filling the air.

"Fuck!" he swears, his fingers digging into my hips. He turns his head, and I meet him halfway, our mouths colliding in desperation to be closer. We move together, him guiding me, our upper bodies pressed tightly against each other and quickly becoming slick with sweat.

I tilt my head back as his pace begins to quicken, and he latches onto my neck, sucking and biting, the small amount of pain electrifying my body. He slowly pushes us to the side, one hand on my back as he lowers me down, his body looming over me as he continues to drive harder and deeper. Dipping his head, he takes one of my nipples into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. I thread my fingers through his short hair, holding him in place, knowing my body is about to detonate into a million pieces.

He moves to the other side, offering the small bud just as much attention. I arch my body off the seat allowing him to plow deeper inside and earning me a groan in appreciation. The vibration is just what I need, and for a few seconds, I feel almost as though I'm floating. Bolts of electricity flow through my veins, sending signals of ecstasy straight to my brain.

"Kace!" I cry out, my mouth dry, and my breathing almost erratic.

My pussy clenches around him, but he fights against it using it for his own pleasure, to create his release. "Goddammit!" He tears himself off me, his cock slipping out and into his hand. He pumps it as his cum spurts out, the hot liquid hitting my stomach and making me gasp. He moans, throwing his head back as it keeps coming, covering me in him.

It is erotic watching him, his chest heaving, fighting to breathe. I look down at where the white splotches cover me, my hand lifting as I move to dip my finger in it, eager for a small taste.

In a flash, his hand shoots out, his fingers wrapping around my wrist and holding it prisoner. "You do that, and you're gonna start a whole new something."

I flash him an innocent smile. "And?"

He draws my hand to his mouth, his lips kissing over my fingers before he releases me and pushes off the sofa. "Remind me to tell Luca to get a new sofa." He smirks as he runs his fingers through his hair.

I can't help but laugh, even though the reminder of Luca and the rest of Kace's team coming after us is something I'd rather forget.

Kace grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet once again. His release drips down my stomach and bare legs.

"Come on," he says. "Let's get you cleaned up."

I walk with him down the hallway he'd used earlier, and he uses his hand on my back to guide me into a sparkling, expansive bathroom. There's a shower to the left and a large spa bath to the right with a double sink vanity separating the two.

"You really spared no expense on this place, huh?" I muse as my eyes take in the huge space.

Kace leaves me to walk over to the spa, turning on the taps and pouring something from a bottle into it. He smiles. "Luca and I own it. We had it renovated and done up. We figured that if we were ever in that much trouble that we needed to hide out, we should at least have some luxuries."

I trail my hand along the basin. "You don't spend a lot of time running away."

He laughs softly as his hand moves through the water, mixing the cold with the hot. "No. We don't run."

"Until now."

He shrugs. "Circumstances change."

"People change," I say softly, watching as he hardens his body in order to stop the inevitable cringe that's coming.

"That they do," he murmurs as he goes back to stirring the water.

We step into the piping hot tub. Kace first, his back to the edge of the tub, his legs open for me to step between them. The water stings as my foot slips through the bubbly water, but I welcome the burn. It reminds me that I burn for Kace, every inch of me is on fire for him as I slip down into the hot liquid. It wraps around me as I sink in, my back pressing against his front. His arms quickly sweep up my front to my breasts, massaging and removing his cum from my body. My head falls back onto his shoulder enjoying his touch as his calloused hands feel somehow like silk with the water flowing over me.

For the first time since we started running, I feel safe, like nothing can hurt us in this moment. It's just me, Kace, and this beautiful room, together. No secrets and no operatives trying to kill us. Just us, in the light, together.

"I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you. You know that, right?"

I turn my head looking at him and smile. "I know. That's why you're trying so hard to protect me. I know how you feel, Kace. I feel it, too. You just need to let the feelings in. There could be so much good in your world if only you'd let it in."

He exhales and rests his forehead against mine. "I feel it. I'm just scared if I say it, then everything will come crashing down. People like me, we don't get happily ever afters."

I smile, bringing my arm up to caress his face. "Who says? Your story isn't written by anyone but you, Kace. You choose your ending. You choose how the story goes."

He looks into my eyes and takes a deep breath like he's struggling with something on his mind. His jaw tenses, and something clicks in his eyes. They light up, and his lips turn up on one side. "Lily… I love you. I want my story to end with you."

Without hesitation, I turn around in the tub and straddle him wrapping my arms around his neck while water splashes out all over the floor. But I don't care as I look deep into his eyes so he knows I'm in this with him.

"Kace Colt, I love you, too. Without question. Without hesitation. Darkness and all. My story ends with you, too."

He smiles as his hand slams into the back of my head grasping at my hair and yanking me forward. Our lips crash together in a hungry need, searching desperately for each other. The kiss is passionate as our tongues go rogue like never before. This kiss is needy and forceful, but full of so much affection it has me practically panting with want. His free hand wraps around my back pulling my body flush against his, and my nipples harden into tight buds as they press against his warm flesh.

Being with Kace is easy and effortless when it's just us two. Loving him is complicated, but oh so worth it. Even if I were to die tonight, knowing he loves me back has made my life complete. And even though being on the run with a government-trained assassin has been challenging and scary as hell, it's been worth it to get to this point.

He pulls back as we both pant for breath from our frenzied kiss and rests his forehead on mine, looking into my eyes. "I mean it, Lily. I thought I'd drown in my self-loathing, especially after what I found out from Mark, but you manage to keep me grounded. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I smile and shake my head leaning back, the water sloshes, and I sigh. "You'll never have to find out, Kace. I'm not going anywhere."

He nods and takes in a deep breath as his hand moves up my body to continue washing me down.

***

After having a long, romantic soak in the tub and confessing our feelings for each other, we got dressed and headed back out to the main area to continue our dinner that is now completely cold. More than likely, we'll have to scrap it and start again, even though it's getting quite late. But we're both on a high and feeling good. Even though tomorrow we'll be out of this romantic bubble we're in and back to the reality of running from the SO7.

Kace is in the kitchen, and I walk up behind him wrapping my arms around his back and holding on to him from behind and kiss his shoulder.

"Do you think we can maybe wreck that couch a little more after dinner?" I ask.

He chuckles, turning in my grip to face me and wraps his arms around me tightly. "I think that can be arranged." He leans down kissing me as we both chuckle, then a loud screeching of tires breaks us apart. My muscles clench as Kace's head shoots up, and he looks directly at the door.

"Shit! Lily, run upstairs, now!" he yells, pushing me.

My feet fail me briefly as he pushes me again.

"Go!" He moves with me ushering me toward the stairs, and I finally head that way as he runs swiftly toward the door, but it swings open making me stop in my tracks. Kace is too far to get to me, and he's too close to them to stop them from hurting him. I gasp out loud as Luca aims his gun right at Kace's head.

LUCA

I stare straight into the eyes of my best friend, my teammate, my brother. There's venom and anger seeping from him, slowly filling the room. My hand clenches around my gun, my heart heavy with what I know is about to transpire.

"It's over," I say to Kace, trying to keep my voice from cracking. I notice Lily shuffling nervously out of the corner of my eye, and I feel sick.

"This is my team," Kace growls. I can see his body swaying toward Lily, his instincts to protect her growing stronger as the tense vibes fill the air.

"Not anymore." The sounds of car tires screeching outside suddenly makes everything very real. "Time's up. Tanner, take Lily upstairs."

Tanner grabs Lily's arm, and the feisty blonde fights back.

"No! Kace! Please!"

"Leave her alone," Kace snaps his gaze flickering to the woman who I know has stolen his heart. Part of me wants to be mad at her, feeling it's because of her that we're in this bullshit motherfucking situation. But Kace has gone after her, he's shown weakness, and weakness gets you killed.

I raise my gun slowly, guilt and apprehension sitting uneasily in my stomach. I almost want to sob out loud. Another man probably would. But I'm not a crier. I've been raised hard. It's the reason for my humor, like a reflex to cover the hell that burns deep inside me.

The door behind me bursts open, men in dark SWAT-like clothing rushing inside. The Agency sent reinforcements.

"Kace!" Lily's screams from upstairs are soon silenced by a single gunshot.

I see the moment the pain hits him, and he lunges at me. I pull the trigger on my gun twice, the two rounds hitting their target with practiced precision. They jolt him backward, and his body falls with a deafening thump to the floor. My men crowd around, all of us staring for a second at the man who brought us together.

This is not how this was meant to happen.

It didn't have to be this way.

Tanner appears in the room, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "It's done."

I nod. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Axel drop a small device onto the ground and mutter, "Just found this. It's armed, we have twenty seconds."

My men begin ushering the team from The Agency out the door. Things may not have gone the way they were meant to, but they could fuck themselves if they thought for one second that I was going to let them have what remained of this clusterfuck.

With the room empty, I turn and jog to the door. Taking a deep breath, I throw one last glance over my shoulder. I can't help but smirk at the now-empty room.

"It's done."

With that, I rush out, not even bothering to close the door behind me. Just as I'm halfway down the front path, the house explodes. I drop to the ground, covering my head as pieces of wood and glass rain down around me, the heat from the blaze licking at my skin. I just sit and stare at what was once a beautiful family-style home in the middle of suburbia. A home I bought and made a safe house with Kace. My best friend, my brother, who was now gone, a ghost in the night.

Who knows what will happen from here.

The world is changing, and after the events of tonight, I'm irrevocably changed now too.

There's a storm coming, it's brewing, bubbling away under the surface, threatening to tear away everything we stand for.

This isn't over yet—this shit-storm has only just begun.

TO BE CONTINUED…