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She wanted to hit him again, but she was so close to going over the edge. The orgasm hinted through her, promising bliss. “I haven’t had a hickey since high school,” she groaned. And then it had been on her neck, not her inner thigh.

  His finger brushed her G-spot again, and he went at her clit with a fast rhythm.

  She exploded into a million pieces, hissing his name, her arms dropping to the worn tile. The climax rippled through her in waves, and she shut her eyes to enjoy the ride. So much pleasure it almost hurt.

  Finally, she came down and went limp.

  He rolled to his knees and then stood, his hands going to remove his shirt. Broad muscles, cut hard and sharp, came into focus. Along with a series of bruises and old scars and his tattoo.

  Her mouth watered. If there was a more masculine man alive, she hadn’t met him.

  He dropped his jeans and boots to the side after grabbing a foil package from his pocket. He was firm and fully erect.

  She started to sit up, and he leaned to lift her, falling backward on the bed.

  “I don’t want to hurt your chest.” He lay down with her straddling his hips. “You’re ready this time.”

  His words wound through her brain and down to her heart. Even now, fully aroused, he was careful with her.

  She took the condom and quickly rolled it down his impressive girth. Carefully balancing herself on his ripped abdomen with both hands, she lifted up and then lowered herself. Several times she had to stop and breathe out to let her body adjust.

  His fingers curled into the bedspread, and dots of perspiration broke out on his forehead. Tension cut lines into his face, and his entire body seemed to vibrate.

  The firm leash he kept on his self-control broke hers completely, and she shoved down as hard as she could, taking all of him in.

  Pain lanced through her and she stilled, her butt flush against his groin.

  “Take your time, baby,” he groaned, his muscles reverberating beneath her. “God, you feel good. So hot and wet.”

  Pleasure followed on the heels of pain and filled her. She lifted up and then slid back down. “Ah,” she sighed, throwing her head back. “I’m all right now, Tace. You can—”

  He grabbed her hips and lifted her, slamming her back down and setting up an out-of-control rhythm she could do nothing but follow.

  Her nerves flared and contracted. A thrill deeper than she could’ve dreamed of ticked through her, igniting pleasure centers she’d never found before. He was so much, he was everything. She clutched his abdominal muscles, trying to keep tethered to something, anything.

  His unrelenting grip kept her moving.

  Energy uncoiled inside her, flashing out, exploding the room white. She cried out, her eyes shutting. The orgasm rolled through her, flooding her energy with so much raw pleasure she could only open her mouth in a silent scream.

  His grip tightened, and his body shuddered.

  Finally, she came down and fell, her face landing in the crook of his neck. Her eyes closed, and her body went limp in satisfaction.

  He ran a big hand down her back to her butt.

  She sighed. What now?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Love and obsession are just different sides of the same coin.

  —Tace Justice

  Tace stepped out of the outdoor shower in the early morning hour and almost walked right into the towel held out by Raze. He took it, his body going on alert. “Either you have a crush on me all of a sudden, or you wanted to talk privately.”

  The soldier rolled his blue eyes and stepped back in the alley. Makeshift showers were set up with rainwater in barrels, and all of the debris and glass had been swept away to leave the concrete smooth. “You were loud last night, and while I don’t think Jax heard you, those of us with rooms close to Sami’s did.”

  Tace winced. “Somebody will tell Jax.”

  Raze shrugged. “Or Lynne. This place runs on gossip.”

  Tace measured the former sniper. “What about you?”

  “I mind my own business, but if we’re on a mission together, where your focus is becomes my business.” Raze turned on a combat boot toward the building.

  “What the hell does that mean?” Tace called out to his friend’s back and rubbed the towel through his hair.

  Raze partially turned. I’ll partner with either you or Sami—you’re both good. But one of you needs to inform Jax and make the change.” He shoved open the back door of the soup kitchen and disappeared inside.

  “Good talk,” Tace called out, striding for shelves against the building where he’d left clean clothes. He’d awakened in Sami’s bed and she’d all but shoved him out of the room before somebody saw him.

  It was time to stop hiding and start figuring out who they were and what they both wanted. Time to explore a little—and let people know they were together.

  Were they together?

  He jumped into worn jeans and a faded Grateful Dead T-shirt before leaning down to secure his socks and boots. He dropped the towel into a bin near the door for the laundry brigade—the group taxed with cleaning clothing when they ran out. So far they kept raiding malls or homes and getting fresh clothing more often than not. Shoving his hair back, he followed Raze’s path inside and through the eating area to the war rooms, grabbing what looked like fresh bagels on the way.

  He munched on one as he entered the conference war room, where Jax, Sami, Raze, and Pastor Zachary King already sat. “Real bagels?” he asked Jax, his body instantly attuned to Sami, although he couldn’t quite read her mood.

  Though by the way she was munching on her bagel, she seemed rather content.

  Jax finished chewing. “Scouting team found flour and yeast at an old bakery near Pacific Palisades yesterday. Can you believe it?”

  “No.” Tace drew out a chair next to Sami to sit in, noting how happy carbs were making everyone. It really was the simple pleasures they missed most. “What’s going on?” Why the hell was Zachary King in headquarters? He took a moment to give the pastor a measured look, momentarily surprised at how much the unexpected meeting bugged him. He liked things orderly and planned out these days. “Zachary.”

  “Pastor King,” Zachary corrected gently. His brown hair waved back from a clean-cut face, and those green eyes showed intelligence and cunning. “I asked for a meeting.”

  Jax smiled without even a hint of amusement. “Zachary? What did you want to say?”

  Zachary turned his attention to Jax. “Many of my people are afraid to meet with you.”

  Sami lifted her head, her eye on the uneaten portion of bagel in Tace’s hand. “Why?”

  “Because you’re all carriers, of course.” Zachary clasped his bare hands together on the table. No gloves and no concern, apparently.

  Tace arched an eyebrow. “You’re not afraid?”

  “God won’t let me catch the plague. I’m here for a reason.” He flattened his hands on the table. “I have nothing to fear.”

  All righty, then. Tace sat back in his chair and fought the totally absurd urge to block Zachary’s view to Sami. “I’m thinking we should have the doc here for this little meeting.” Vinnie could profile the guy for them all.

  “Agreed, but she’s in the middle of something,” Jax returned. “I’m sure this is one of many meetings.”

  Tace shoved the rest of his bagel into his mouth and bit back a grin as Sami’s lower lip pouted out.

  Zachary smiled. “I have no problem being profiled. Most of us called to preach the Word think we’ve been chosen by God. If you have any faith at all, you have to be open to that possibility. I’m not narcissistic or deluded.”

  Sami tilted her head to the side. “I do most of the take-ins here at Vanguard, and I don’t remember you.”

  “I think a guy named Wyatt did my take-in,” Zachary said.

  Sami sucked in air, and Tace could almost feel her pain. Wyatt had been one of them, and he’d been the heart and soul of the place. They’d lost him in battle just a couple of week
s ago.

  Zachary nodded. “I’m so very sorry for your loss. I didn’t get a chance to know Wyatt beyond that first meeting, but everyone speaks about him so highly.”

  “What did you do before you were, ah, called?” Sami asked.

  Irritation sizzled through Zachary’s eyes before he smiled. “Does it really matter what any of us did before Scorpius?”

  “No, but I’d like to know,” Sami returned.

  Tace bit back a smile. Smart woman. She’d taken over the questioning naturally, somehow noticing that Zachary didn’t want to speak with either an underling or with a woman. He kept trying to focus his comments to Jax, and Sami kept drawing his attention.

  Jax remained silent, as did Raze, no doubt having already caught on to the tension.

  Zachary tried to ignore Sami and turned toward Jax. “We need to discuss the Pure’s plans for either remaining in Vanguard or moving out on our own.”

  Jax tilted his head very slightly toward Sami.

  She leaned forward. “You didn’t answer my question, Zach.”

  Zachary leaned back and sighed. “I think this meeting would be better served if just you and I spoke, Master-Sergeant Mercury. Leader to leader, as it were.”

  A ruckus started up outside the war rooms, and a man’s raised voice bellowed through. “I will not stay here where I can get Scorpius. Let me out of here and now.”

  Tace pushed back from the table, his body going on full alert. “Is that Damon?”

  “Sounds like it,” Jax said, standing, a scowl marring his smooth features.

  Damon Winter limped into the room, his face pale, an arm banded across the bandages protecting his abdomen. He wore loose sweats, and his feet were bare. “Mercury? Get me the hell out of here.”

  Tace stood and partially put his body between Sami and Damon. “Why are you out of bed?”

  Damon all but fell against the doorframe. “I haven’t been infected and I need to get out of here. In Merc territory, we have separate facilities. If you’ve infected me, I’m gonna kill you.” His brown eyes darkened with fury, and his breath panted out almost painfully.

  Tace took in his rigid stance. “I didn’t work all day yesterday patching you up for you to bleed out now.” He moved toward the soldier and paused when Damon held out a hand to stop him.

  “Don’t touch me,” Damon groaned, closing his eyes.

  Jax sighed and strode past Damon, disappearing into the vestibule while bellowing for April Snyder. They both returned seconds later, with the young widow wringing her hands together. She often worked in the soup kitchen in headquarters.

  “What’s going on?” she asked, her voice soft and her blue eyes wide.

  Tace narrowed his gaze. The pretty brunette seemed even more fragile than last time he’d seen her. She’d lost her husband to Scorpius months ago, and she’d lost her only daughter a couple of weeks ago. It was amazing she was still standing. “It’s okay, April.” He couldn’t help but try to soothe her.

  Jax jerked his head toward Damon. “Would you help get this asshole back to his bed before he bleeds all over my floor?”

  April wiped her hands down her jeans.

  Jax cleared his throat. “Damon? This is April, and she hasn’t been infected by Scorpius. Let her help you, or I’m gonna grab you and bite your damn shoulder, you ungrateful shit.”

  Damon tried to glare, but his face contorted in agony instead.

  April rushed for him and gently slid her shoulder beneath his arm. “It’s okay. I’ll get you back to the infirmary.”

  Damon nodded and leaned heavily on the small woman, turning and almost meekly allowing her to lead him out of the room.

  “Dick,” Jax muttered, returning to his place at the head of the table.

  “Why don’t we just send him back to the Mercs?” Sami muttered.

  Tace shook his head. “He needs to heal first, or he’ll bleed out. The bullet was tough to remove.” If they sent him back dead, there’d be a war. Though right now Tace was feeling okay with that, considering Damon was being such an ungrateful prick.

  Pastor Zachary leaned forward. “This is why we need two separate territories within Vanguard for those who’ve been infected and those who have not. I don’t need to remind you that only the unaffected can procreate.”

  “We think,” Sami shot back.

  Tace nodded and retook his seat. “We don’t yet know if Scorpius survivors can carry a baby to full term. It’s too early to tell.”

  Zachary shook his head. “So far, not one has done so, therefore it doesn’t look good. That one little fact should make all of you want to protect our women. All of us want humans to survive, right?”

  Sami drummed her fingertips on the table. “It occurs to me that you never answered my question, Zach.”

  The pastor’s nostrils flared. “I chose not to, woman. Now stop harassing me with silly questions, and let me conduct some business with your leader.”

  Heat filled Tace’s ears, and fury crawled down his back. Without a second’s thought, he half stood and reached across the table, manacling Zachary’s neck. A quick pull, and he jerked the pastor across the table and took him to the floor.

  Zachary yelped and grabbed Tace’s hand, trying to dislodge the hold.

  “Tace!” Sami jumped up, and her chair flew back.

  Tace punched Zachary in the nose, and blood sprayed up. Anger poured through him so quickly he could barely see, so he kept striking, trying to find a release for the fury consuming him.

  Jax and Raze reached him, each grabbing an arm and yanking him away from the profusely bleeding pastor.

  He fought them, elbowing Jax in the gut and dropping another punch to Zachary’s cheekbone.

  Jax and Raze dragged him away again, and he struck out, fighting them.

  “Jesus,” Raze said, yanking Tace to the side and manacling his arms over Tace’s chest from behind. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He finished the capture hold, and Tace fought against it, making unintelligible sounds of fury.

  Jax dropped to one knee. “Zach? You dead?”

  The pastor groaned and rolled over. “Get away from me.”

  “No problem.” Jax stood and turned, his gaze not even remotely friendly. “Tace? Go take a fuckin’ walk.”

  “Not if Sami stays here,” Tace ground out before he could stop himself.

  “You have got to be kidding me.” Jax’s head snapped up, and then his chin lowered. “Fine. Everyone sit down.”

  Zachary managed to get to his feet and held his bleeding nose. “This is unacceptable.” His words were a little slurred.

  Jax nodded. “Agreed. Pastor? Why don’t you head back to your flock, and we’ll meet again tomorrow morning same time. However, bring a list of your church members with you like you were supposed to do today.”

  Zachary tipped his head back and somehow still skirted the table and headed for the vestibule. “That crazy bastard had better not be here,” he muttered as he disappeared.

  Sami got right into Tace’s face, her cheeks blazing. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I don’t know.” Tace stopped struggling against Raze’s hold, and his vision cleared. “The guy insulted you, and it felt like a threat. I just reacted.” What was wrong with him? If the guys hadn’t stopped him, he would’ve killed the pastor.

  His vision wavered. The right side of his body went numb. God, not now. He tried to flex his right hand, and nothing happened. His knee gave out, and he sagged.

  “Whoa.” Raze altered his hold and held Tace up beneath the armpits. “What’s happening?”

  Darkness flashed fast in front of Tace’s eyes, so he closed them, and the world spun around. His left leg trembled and then went numb. He started to go down.

  Raze helped him to the ground and laid him flat on his back. “Tace?” Raze smacked his face.

  “Tace?” Sami touched his forehead, her knee hitting his shoulder right before it trembled.

  “Get a doctor from inner
territory,” Jax barked into the vestibule.

  Running feet echoed through Tace’s mind, and then everything went blank. He could feel his body spasming, and his head hit the ground a couple of times before Sami pressed her hand flat against his forehead to keep him still.

  His body seized.

  “What the hell is going on?” Raze muttered from above him somewhere.

  Movement sounded, and soon soft fingers pressed to his inner wrist. Hell. He could feel his wrist; that was good.

  “His pulse is erratic,” Lynne Harmony said softly. She pushed up his shirt. “Whoa. Was that rash here yesterday?”

  “No,” Sami murmured.

  Tace stopped shaking and tried to open his eyes. “I can’t see.”

  “Close your eyes,” Lynne ordered. “He’s been taking vitamin B, but the rash is a sign of a vitamin B6 deficiency.”

  “Isn’t there B6 in the shots we all take?” Jax asked, his voice sounding far away.

  “Yes. The shot is a combination of all the vitamin Bs, but there’s a stronger percentage of B6 and B12,” Lynne said. “I don’t understand the rash.”

  Tace opened his eyes, and the world came into focus. His head hurt, and his chest pounded. “Ouch.”

  “How long has this been going on?” Jax asked, standing over him.

  Tace winced. “Weakness in limbs for about a week. This on-the-ground situation is new.”

  “He passed out the other day,” Sami said quietly. “In Merc territory.”

  Jax scowled. “You’re just telling me this now?”

  “Scorpius is a bitch,” Sami countered, concern filling her pretty brown eyes. “Nobody knows why or how it’ll affect each person. I figured he’d be fine.”

  “He’s not,” Jax said curtly.

  Tingles and then weakness swept down Tace’s legs. “It’s gonna happen again,” he ground out. “I lied. I have been going numb. All the time.”

  “Oh God.” Sami swayed. “Get salt. Hurry. Get him some salt.”

  He tried to focus on her, but her face wavered in and out. “What?” he grunted. Heat and then sweat swept over his skin.

  Jax ran out of the room and then returned with a salt shaker.