Forsaken Duty (Red Team #9)(20)

The November evening was cold, though not nearly as icy as it was inside Addy’s home.

He stood in the shadows, watching the lights slowly switch off around the upper floors of the house even as they came on in the servant quarters. He couldn’t help but remember different times, when he still had hope for the future.



Ten Years Ago

Fairfax, Virginia



As far as Owen knew, this party wasn’t going to be a huge party. Not all of Addy’s friends were still in the area. Since she’d graduated a year early, many of her circle were still away at school. He was glad for a quieter celebration, though he knew the senator would likely monetize the event as an opportunity to fete supporters and connect powerful lobbyists with other players in the political game.

Damn, Owen was glad he wasn’t a politician. Having to cater to bullshit from people he neither knew nor liked was not his flavor of candy.

He looked at Jax as they parked. His friend’s tension had grown the whole trip in, mirroring Owen’s feelings, ones he couldn’t account for, except to acknowledge that this wasn’t only a graduation celebration. It was also Addy’s birthday party. Specifically, her twenty-first birthday, which happened last week. He and Jax had promised to take her for the obligatory tour of bars in Georgetown, now that she was legal. They’d be her bodyguards and designated drivers. Truth was, neither of them was looking forward to the party. Owen didn’t want to share Addy with anyone else in the short amount of time he had with her this weekend. And Jax, hell, Jax was a bundle of nerves. Hopefully on the trip home, Owen would find a way to make him spill. The tense vibe Jax was giving off was out of proportion to the risks involved in a tour of bars.

Maybe he knew Owen and Addy’s relationship was turning a corner this weekend. She was fully an adult. Not only that, but she’d graduated college. She was ready to take her place in the world and in his heart.

That had to be it. Owen supposed he’d feel the same way if he had a sister and knew what his friend was planning for her. It had to be hard letting go of Jax’s vision of her as a baby sister, switching it out for one of an adult.

For his part, Owen had been dreaming of this night since before her eighteenth birthday. Long years of torturous denial. His chest tightened as they walked into the house. She was there. He couldn’t see her, but he heard her voice, felt her joy filling the big place. His lungs stopped then jumped, shocking him as she stepped from the family room into the foyer. She only had eyes for him. And she was glowing, fucking alive with light.

He didn’t seem to have control of his faculties; he was just glad that Jax moved deeper into the house, leaving them alone. All he could do was drop his bag and open his arms. She ran into them, filling them, completing him. He lifted her off her feet as he straightened, his face buried in the crook of her shoulder.

“Now, Addy.” He leaned back to look at her. “From this moment forward, we are together, my Laidy.”

Laughter rippled throughout her body. Her eyes were shining. “I love you.”

A shiver passed through him. How long had he yearned to hear those words? And she said them now, here, at her family’s house, where he could do nothing about it but whisper, “I love you. Always have, always will.”

She caught his face as he set her on her feet. She pulled him close so they could kiss. She was his. All his. Only his. His mouth crushed hers. Her lips parted, opening for him.

He smiled as he leaned back to look at her. “My sweet Laidy, I’m so proud of you, graduating a year early.” It was as if she couldn’t wait to tackle the world and wrestle it into the beautiful vision she had for it. Seeing life through her eyes always gave him hope. “What are you going to do now?”

Her smile was slow and dirty and meant only for him. His eyes widened as he took her meaning even before she leaned forward to whisper against his lips, “You.”

His body surged to life, turning his dick to stone and robbing him of words. He grinned as he leaned forward to kiss her. “Soon.”

“When?” she asked.

“As soon as we can get through all the festivities.”

“There’s only one thing I want.”

His forehead was against hers. She had to be standing on tiptoes. “Then let’s go. Damn everything else.”

Jax cleared his throat, giving warning before leading his parents into the foyer.

Owen looked up, regretting his seconds with Addy were over already. Owen straightened and smiled at her, catching her hand, trying to play it cool by starting over. “Hi. I’ve missed you.”

Her laugh was like bells shivering. “I missed you, too.”

She separated from him to give her brother a hug. “Hi, Wendelly. I missed you, too.”

Jax returned the hug, giving Owen a black look over her shoulder. “Sure you did.”

“We aren’t going out tonight,” she said.

“No?” Jax frowned.

She reached for Owen’s hand. “No, I just want a quiet night here at home.”

Owen grinned at Jax, figuring he knew what that was code for.

Her dad didn’t look any happier than Jax when he shook hands with Owen. The senator wrapped an arm around Addy’s shoulders and led her back to the family room. She looked back at Owen, smiling, catching him checking out her ass and slim legs in her skintight jeans. Their eyes met for a flash, tightening the bond between them.