Page 20 of Rough Marshal Daddy
“What’s up?” I answer, keeping my voice even and controlled.
Kane doesn’t waste any time. His tone is clipped and professional, but I can hear the underlying urgency. “Stevens just made the call. He wants Riley moved to the secure safe house outside Seattle. Better resources, tighter security, full team on site. We need you both on a plane later tonight. Wheels up at 3am. Roads are clearing enough for extraction. I’ll meet you at the airfield to escort.”
I glance at Riley. She’s gone completely still, her spoon forgotten in her hand, eyes locked on me. The fear I saw earlier floods back into her face, sharper and more immediate now. My jaw clenches so hard my teeth ache. I want to tell Kane to tell Stevens to go to hell. I want to tell him she’s staying right here where I can keep her safe with my own two hands and a loaded rifle. But I know better. This is the job. This is what keeps her alive.
“Understood,” I say, my voice coming out rough and strained. “We’ll be ready. See you at three.”
Kane pauses for half a second. “You good with that? I know this one’s been… different for you.”
I look at Riley again. She’s biting her lip hard, the spoon trembling slightly in her fingers. The warm scent of thesoup and the lingering chocolate from her cookies suddenly feels too strong, almost suffocating in the cozy cabin air. I can see the panic starting to build in her again, the way her breathing quickens and her shoulders tense up.
“Yeah,” I lie through my teeth. “I’m good. See you soon.”
I end the call and set the phone down on the table with a soft, final click. The silence that follows feels heavier than the blizzard ever did. The fire pops loudly in the stove, sending a shower of bright sparks racing up the chimney. Outside, the wind has died down to a low, whispering moan, but the snow is still falling steadily, blanketing the world in thick white silence.
Riley sets her spoon down carefully, her fingers trembling. Her voice is small and fragile when she finally speaks. “They want to move me tonight, don’t they?”
I nod once, meeting her eyes across the table. “My boss, Stevens, made the decision. Motel outside Seattle. Plane leaves at 3am. Kane will meet us at the airfield for escort.”
She swallows hard, her fingers twisting together on the table until her knuckles turn white. I can see the panic starting to build in her again, the way her chest rises andfalls faster, the way her eyes dart toward the windows like the Morettis could crash through at any moment.
I push my chair back and stand up, crossing to her side of the table in two long strides. I pull her gently to her feet and wrap my arms around her, holding her close against my chest. She melts into me immediately, her face pressing into my flannel shirt, her small hands fisting tightly in the fabric at my sides. Her body trembles against mine, soft and so damn vulnerable.
“I’ve got you,” I murmur into her hair. “Everything’s going to be okay, Riley. I’ll be with you the whole way. I’m not letting you go through this alone.”
She nods against my chest, but I can feel the slight, continuous tremble in her body. The fire crackles warmly behind us, the generator hums steadily in the background, and the soup grows cold and forgotten on the table, but none of it matters right now. All that matters is the woman in my arms and the fierce, protective need burning deep within me to keep her safe from every threat in the world.
I hold her tighter, one hand stroking slowly up and down her back while the other cradles the back of her head. The truth sits heavy and painful inside me. I don’t want to let her go. Not tonight. Not ever. But I’ll do what isnecessary to keep her alive, even if it means watching her disappear into a new life where I can’t follow.
For now, I just hold her close, breathing her in, and let myself pretend that this moment, this cabin, this connection between us could somehow last forever.
21
Riley
My heart’s racing, a frantic beat that echoes in my ears. Seattle. Another place where I’ll have to become someone new and leave everything behind.
Mason stands there for a long moment, his broad shoulders tense under his flannel shirt. Then he turns to me, those intense eyes dark with something raw and fierce. His mouth crashes down on mine in a kiss that steals the air from my lungs.
The kiss is deep and desperate from the very first second. His lips are warm and firm. I melt into him instantly, my hands sliding up his chest to grip his shirt as his tongue sweeps into my mouth, claiming me with a hunger that makes my knees weak. A low groan rumbles in his throat, vibrating against my lips, and I answer with a softwhimper, pressing closer until there’s no space left between our bodies.
His hands roam my back, one sliding up to cradle the back of my head while the other grips my waist, pulling me tighter against him. I can feel how hard he is already, the thick ridge of his cock pressing insistently against my stomach through our clothes. The sensation sends fresh heat pooling low in my belly, making me ache for him all over again.
Mason walks me backward without breaking the kiss, his mouth never leaving mine. My back hits the edge of the bed and he lowers me down gently onto the heavy quilts, following me down so his body covers mine. The mattress dips under our weight, the fabric soft and warm beneath me.
He settles between my thighs, his hips pressing against me in a way that makes me gasp into his mouth. The hard length of him rubs right where I need him most, sending sparks of pleasure through my core even through our clothes.
“Riley,” he murmurs against my lips, his voice rough and full of need. “Tell me if you want me to stop. I will. I swear it.”
I shake my head quickly, my fingers threading into hishair. “Don’t stop. Please, Mason. I need you. I need this.”
He kisses me again, slower this time, deeper, like he’s trying to memorize the taste of me. His hands slide under my shirt, rough palms gliding over my bare skin, leaving trails of heat everywhere he touches. He peels the fabric up and off me, tossing it aside. Cool air hits my breasts for a moment before his mouth follows, hot and wet as he closes his lips around one nipple. I arch into him with a moan, the sensation shooting straight between my legs. His tongue swirls around the tight peak, sucking gently, then harder, while his hand kneads the other breast with perfect pressure.
“So beautiful,” he whispers against my skin, his stubble scraping deliciously over the sensitive flesh. “These pretty tits fit so perfectly in my hands. So responsive for me.”
I whimper, my back bowing off the bed as he lavishes attention on my breasts, licking and sucking until I’m writhing beneath him. The quilt beneath me is soft and slightly cool, a contrast to the heat of his body pressing me down. His cock is rock hard against my thigh, throbbing with every beat of his heart.
Mason kisses lower, his mouth trailing fire down my stomach. He hooks his fingers into the waistband of mysweatpants and looks up at me, eyes dark with hunger. “I need you so badly, little one.”
