Master No (Masters and Mercenaries, #9)(82)

He leaned over and kissed her again. “No. I’m going to help you because that’s who I want to be for you. I want to be the man you come to. No questions. No groveling.” He grinned. “Though I do like you on your knees.”

She hugged him again. “I was worried. I thought you might make me work for it.”

“You’re precious to me, Faith. I won’t ever make you feel less than precious to me. I promise. I’ll look into the situation with your sister in the morning. I want you to be careful around her. I know you love her, but keep your eyes open. I think she might be involved with some very ruthless people.”

“Maybe that’s it. Maybe she’s involved in something she can’t control.”

“If that’s the truth, then I’ll help her get out of it.” It wasn’t, but he also wasn’t lying. If it had been true, he would move heaven and earth to keep a smile on Faith’s face. Unfortunately, The Collective wasn’t the same as a “bad crowd” a teenager could fall in with. They were the baddest of the bad, and if Hope belonged, then she’d done unimaginable things in the pursuit of money and power.

Faith’s hands found his, tangling together in a sweet way. “I can count on you. Did you know that’s really the first time I’ve been able to say that to a man?”

He needed to make her understand how serious he was. “You come first, Faith. I know we haven’t been together for a long time, but I’m willing to put you first in my life. In everything.”

She would never know what he’d sacrificed for her. It was funny that he’d found a peace with it. Once he’d realized how important she was, it was easy to put her first. It was the way of the world. Phoebe had come first for Jamie. This wasn’t a betrayal of Jamie’s memory. It was an actual true remembrance of the brother who had cared for him.

She was quiet for a moment, the sound of the ocean the only noise between them, but he felt oddly calm. Since he’d made the decision to choose Faith, he’d found an inner peace he’d never had before. This was what Liam had talked about. He didn’t need a mission. He had her. Or rather, taking care of her was his true mission.

“I think I would like to have more time with you.” Her voice was quiet, almost halting, as though she couldn’t quite believe what she was saying.

He wasn’t sure what she was saying, but his heart jumped a little. “I want that, too. I was thinking that maybe I should go to Liberia with you. I’ve heard you’re out a bodyguard.”

Her eyes flared. “Are you serious? You have a job, Ten.”

“I would have a job with you,” he reasoned. A job that paid next to nothing and had none of the power he was used to, but that was all right. He’d made his decision. There was a saying he remembered from the religion classes the Agency had him take as a young recruit. He couldn’t remember the exact wording from the Talmud, but it was something about when you saved one soul, you saved an entire world.

Faith saved lives. She saved worlds. More than he’d ever managed to do at the Agency. He’d kept the balance there, but she was actively trying to do good.

She deserved someone dedicated to her comfort, her protection, her good.

He was her knight in really tarnished armor.

She went up on her toes. “I would love for you to go with me, Tennessee. I need to figure out a few things, but we can take our time and make some decisions together.”

They could decide their future together.

His cell vibrated again, but he ignored it. Theo was likely f*cking with him, and he had better things to do. Faith would want to know why Theo was texting him after midnight. He was only keeping his cover. He kissed her long and slow.

Soon he wouldn’t need a cover with her. He would tell her anything she needed to know. He would remake his life for her. He drew her in, his mind planning a long and slow seduction.

Their tongues mated, rubbing against each other, playing. His hands roamed down her back right to that glorious ass of hers. He rubbed his cock on her. It was all right. He didn’t have to be polite. She was his. He could throw aside all that polite shit and be Tennessee Smith. She belonged to him and he was hers.

Fuck. He was hers and that was such a goddamn good thing to be.

He started to maneuver her back toward the bedroom. He would get her on the bed and torture her for a good long while. He would make her scream before he gave in. He would tease her.

He gripped her ass cheeks in both hands and easily lifted her to his chest. He loved her weight in his hands, loved how she gave over and let him handle her. He made his way to the bed, his mouth still on hers. He fell with her on the bed, giving her his weight.

She giggled, the sound making his soul light. “I think I might love you, Tennessee Graham.”

Oh, that was what he wanted to hear. “I want nothing more in my life than for you to love me, Faith McDonald.” He stared down at the honest beauty of her face. “I’ll follow you. Where you go, I go.”

For the rest of his life.

He’d been an idiot. How could he have wasted weeks on suspicion? He should have been loving her without reservation all this time.

He spread her legs, making a place for himself. His place. His freaking home.

His cock was rock hard and he stroked himself against her pelvis. He would get in there soon and he would show her his affection.