Page 53 of Striker
“I’m sorry.” His jaw was clenched.
“Don’t be. If I hadn’t gone through all that with Brad, I might still be with the jackass—and I wouldn’t have met you.”
“You also wouldn’t have been kidnapped.”
She lowered her gaze. “I also wouldn’t have been rescued by a real-life soldier.”
He hooked an eyebrow. “If I come to Illinois with you, would you be mad if I beat Brad’s ass?”
A laugh bubbled from her throat. “No.”
“Good.” He kissed her lips and went to roll from the bed.
She caught his elbow. “Wait a minute. You’re not getting off that easy.”
He sent her a sexy flash of his teeth. “You’re the only one who got off, honey.”
She raised her eyebrows but couldn’t hide her smile. “We’ll rectify that later. I just shared my relationship history with you. Aren’t you going to do the same?”
He grimaced. “Do we have to go there?”
“That many, huh.” Disappointment pulled at her heart.
He crawled over her, pinning her down. “Yeah. Many. And not one of them compares to you.”
She blinked in surprise at his vehement tone.
“I’ve been with a lot of women, Molly. Only two relationships were semiserious. While no one cheated, neither ended well. Waiting at home while your man’s doing tour of duty isn’t an easy position. They were unhappy, and I was unhappy because of that.”
Her stomach tightened. Was that what would become of them? Would she be filled with bitterness and regret because he couldn’t be by her side or return home every night?
She didn’t want that. For either of them.
He rubbed his nose over hers. “Let’s save this talk for later. Right now, I’m happy to be right here. With you.”
She forced a smile. “Me, too.”
He eased off her and went to the door. “And Molly, I plan to collect tonight. So please wait up.”
She chuckled as he exited the room and shut the door.
Less than forty-eight hours ago, she hadn’t known this man. Hadn’t even suspected someone like him, so bold, so dangerous, and so protective, existed.
Now, she felt as if she’d known him for years.
She glanced at the clock. Very soon, he’d leave to complete his mission. There was no telling if he’d come back, or where they’d go from here.
And that realization made her heart hurt.
Chapter
Thirteen
Atlas’s Kevlar fit snugly around his chest. He rode shotgun. Rogue was at the wheel, and Viper, Reaper, and Havoc followed them in a separate vehicle.
Clouds shielded part of the moon, making the night even darker. Streetlights blipped past the windshield as they traveled. Music played at a low volume.
Leaving Molly behind had made him sick to his stomach. The trauma of the night Laine and Emmy had been taken would be forever branded in his mind.
