and looked between the two of them as Harley tried to fix her hair.
Busted.
She was standing with her back to Kade so he couldn’t see her face. But when Hinkle scanned her hair and her clothes, taking in the half tucked in shirt, and hair that had fallen from its holder when he’d run his hand through it, he could see a blush run up her neck.
“I, um, he was asleep when I came in and well—”
“She’s protecting me,” Kade interrupted immediately when Hinkle narrowed his eyes. “I was asleep and she startled me awake. I was dreaming about Afghanistan and a night we’d been attacked. I reacted as if she was an unknown and I wrestled her to the bed before I realized who she was.”
Harley turned when he began to explain and he saw her rigid body relax as relief and gratitude washed across her face.
“Are you okay?” Hinkle asked Harley.
Turning back to the man, she nodded. “Yeah, fine. He didn’t hurt me, I was just taken off guard, that’s all.”
Seemingly convinced, Hinkle nodded before stepping aside so Harley could move past him to leave. She turned back and looked at him briefly before leaving. Her eyes were still shadowed with lust and she had a soft, sweet smile on her lips, one that reminded him of the first time he’d seen her. His mouth pulled into a cocky grin and he winked before she followed Hinkle down the hall.
As he listened to her footsteps retreat, Kade curled his hands into fists to keep from shouting in frustration. Rolling to his side, the faint scent of vanilla hung in the air so he took a deep breath. The sweet scent calmed and tantalized him at the same time, calling to him in a primitive way. He replayed their brief encounter in his mind, trying to memorize each sound she’d made as he kissed her. It was their first kiss and as long as he lived, he would never forget it or the sweetness of her lips, the husky moans in the back of her throat, or the softness of her skin.
Wondering why she’d come to visit, he smiled when he realized that he’d kissed her so thoroughly that she left without telling him. Then he remembered he’d kissed her so thoroughly that she hadn’t promised to keep away from D and he frowned.
While Kade envisioned wringing D’s neck, he was unaware of eyes watching him from across the room; eyes hidden behind a curtain in another cubical as they both waited for the doctor to release them. They’d been watching Kade for the past ten minutes. Those eyes belonged to Steven Hightower who was doing a nickel for breaking and entering and they wondered if this turn of events was worth anything to Fat Bastard.
Battered and bruised from his own attack from the Godfather’s crew, he’d sell his own mother down the river if it meant the beatings he’d taken would stop. He was a meth head, not a criminal. He’d only stolen to feed his habit. He needed drug rehab, not being locked up with hardened criminals like Kingston. And considering the SEAL was a killer, what did he care if the pretty dog lady was used against him. Just as long as his time spent in prison was free from daily pain, he could live with that.
The doctor finally made his rounds, releasing both Hightower and Kingston back to the general population. He followed the big SEAL, trying to stay invisible as they made their way back to their block. He watched Kingston head towards old Cooter’s cell to collect the dog he was training. The instant the dog saw him it ran towards him whining and licking his face, ecstatic to be reunited with the man.
“Animals got no taste in humans,” he mumbled as he approached Fat Bastard.
“What are you mumbling about?” Fat Bastard called out as he held court in the center of the recreation area.
“Nothin’. I, ah, got some information that might be useful to you. I was wondering if we could come to some sort of an arrangement . . .?”
***
I’d been useless in the training session with the other inmates after my encounter with Kade. So much
Busted.
She was standing with her back to Kade so he couldn’t see her face. But when Hinkle scanned her hair and her clothes, taking in the half tucked in shirt, and hair that had fallen from its holder when he’d run his hand through it, he could see a blush run up her neck.
“I, um, he was asleep when I came in and well—”
“She’s protecting me,” Kade interrupted immediately when Hinkle narrowed his eyes. “I was asleep and she startled me awake. I was dreaming about Afghanistan and a night we’d been attacked. I reacted as if she was an unknown and I wrestled her to the bed before I realized who she was.”
Harley turned when he began to explain and he saw her rigid body relax as relief and gratitude washed across her face.
“Are you okay?” Hinkle asked Harley.
Turning back to the man, she nodded. “Yeah, fine. He didn’t hurt me, I was just taken off guard, that’s all.”
Seemingly convinced, Hinkle nodded before stepping aside so Harley could move past him to leave. She turned back and looked at him briefly before leaving. Her eyes were still shadowed with lust and she had a soft, sweet smile on her lips, one that reminded him of the first time he’d seen her. His mouth pulled into a cocky grin and he winked before she followed Hinkle down the hall.
As he listened to her footsteps retreat, Kade curled his hands into fists to keep from shouting in frustration. Rolling to his side, the faint scent of vanilla hung in the air so he took a deep breath. The sweet scent calmed and tantalized him at the same time, calling to him in a primitive way. He replayed their brief encounter in his mind, trying to memorize each sound she’d made as he kissed her. It was their first kiss and as long as he lived, he would never forget it or the sweetness of her lips, the husky moans in the back of her throat, or the softness of her skin.
Wondering why she’d come to visit, he smiled when he realized that he’d kissed her so thoroughly that she left without telling him. Then he remembered he’d kissed her so thoroughly that she hadn’t promised to keep away from D and he frowned.
While Kade envisioned wringing D’s neck, he was unaware of eyes watching him from across the room; eyes hidden behind a curtain in another cubical as they both waited for the doctor to release them. They’d been watching Kade for the past ten minutes. Those eyes belonged to Steven Hightower who was doing a nickel for breaking and entering and they wondered if this turn of events was worth anything to Fat Bastard.
Battered and bruised from his own attack from the Godfather’s crew, he’d sell his own mother down the river if it meant the beatings he’d taken would stop. He was a meth head, not a criminal. He’d only stolen to feed his habit. He needed drug rehab, not being locked up with hardened criminals like Kingston. And considering the SEAL was a killer, what did he care if the pretty dog lady was used against him. Just as long as his time spent in prison was free from daily pain, he could live with that.
The doctor finally made his rounds, releasing both Hightower and Kingston back to the general population. He followed the big SEAL, trying to stay invisible as they made their way back to their block. He watched Kingston head towards old Cooter’s cell to collect the dog he was training. The instant the dog saw him it ran towards him whining and licking his face, ecstatic to be reunited with the man.
“Animals got no taste in humans,” he mumbled as he approached Fat Bastard.
“What are you mumbling about?” Fat Bastard called out as he held court in the center of the recreation area.
“Nothin’. I, ah, got some information that might be useful to you. I was wondering if we could come to some sort of an arrangement . . .?”
***
I’d been useless in the training session with the other inmates after my encounter with Kade. So much
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