Into the Mist (Falcon Mercenary Group #1)(73)

“How could I not?” she whispered.

“You took a bullet for me. You took a bullet for my men. You owed us nothing, Tyana. I’m so goddamn mad at you for putting yourself in front of me. It should have been me.”

His thumb stroked over her hand, gentle where his words were harsh.

“I need you,” she said simply, and this time, it was easy to say. Light amidst the pain. Relief.

“And I need you,” he said hoarsely. “Where does this leave us, sugar?”

She pushed the pain and her blurry vision aside so she could focus. Sleep was calling to her, but this was important. Maybe the most important thing she’d ever do. Besides, laying your heart out wasn’t supposed to be easy.

“I don’t know what you want…what you expect from me, Eli. But I can’t change. I’m a part of Falcon. My job is dangerous. Falcon is my family, though.”

The corner of his mouth lifted into a crooked smile. “Jonah has already laid down the law in that regard. I think he was afraid I’d haul you away over my shoulder.”

“I still have to find a way to help D. That priority hasn’t changed. I’m just going to try to be smarter about how I do it.”

“That’s good, sugar, because between you and me, I don’t want you chasing some other guy down and seducing him.”

She smiled and groaned.

“We can do this later,” he said as he tenderly smoothed a hand over her brow. “You’re hurting. I can see it in those gorgeous eyes of yours. You need rest.”

“No. Not yet.” She shook off his interruption and went back to the heart of the matter. “Can you accept that, Eli? Do we have any sort of future together?”

He leaned over and took her free hand in both of his. He brought it to his lips and kissed each finger. “Jonah and I had a little talk. Seems he isn’t opposed to me joining Falcon, and he’s made it clear that’s the only way you and I will be together.” He laughed. “Protective, that one is. I imagine we’ll butt heads because we’re both used to being the boss, but I can deal with it.” His expression grew serious again. “What I can’t deal with is being without you.”

She sighed, part in contentment and part in bone-deep weariness. “That would be perfect. Then I can look out for your ass.”

He shook his head. “Life with you is going to be interesting to say the least, sugar.”

“Eli? What about your team?”

He sobered. “They’ve got some long days ahead. Marcus has examined them and has them on the same regimen he started Damiano on before he grew immune to it. We’ve got some loose ends to tie up with Gabe. A sister we didn’t know he had. I think your team just grew by three men. Think you can handle that?”

She touched his mouth with her hand as his grip around her fingers loosened. “I think you and I will make a great team, Eli. I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t scare me to death. I’ve never relied on anyone but myself and Falcon. I don’t know how good I’ll be at this, but I want to try.”

“We’ll work it out, sugar. I’m not going anywhere. Now I want you to get some rest, okay? You’ve got a long recovery ahead of you.”

She made a face, but her eyes were already closing. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep them open.

She felt Eli’s lips on hers, light, loving. “I’ll get the nurse to give you something for pain, sugar. Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Tyana’s room resembled an army training camp. Six men, well, seven, if you counted the mild-mannered Marcus, stood in various poses, from slouching against the wall to being draped across too-small chairs. And Eli was parked on the bed next to her, his body pressed against her side.

Black shirts, camo pants and combat boots. They looked like they were ready to go to war. While they’d refrained from carrying their rifles into the hospital, Tyana knew that Mad Dog would be sporting his knives.

This was verified when he laid a sheathed knife on the bed next to her. It was identical to the one he’d given her before. The one she’d lost in Buenos Aires.

She trailed her fingers over the polished hilt and smiled up at him. “Thanks, Mad Dog.”

“Don’t lose this one, okay?”

“She’s grown way too fond of those damn things,” Jonah grumbled.

“I taught her well,” Mad Dog said.

“So what’s the plan?” she asked pointedly. “Doc says I can get out of here tomorrow, and after three weeks in here, I’m ready to crawl out if I have to.”

Beside her, Eli stiffened. “Just cool your jets, sugar. You’re in no shape to do anything but what we tell you.”

“Uh oh,” Mad Dog mumbled.

Damiano cracked a grin while Ian and Braden glanced warily at Tyana.

“When I get out of this cast, I’m going to kick your ass for that,” she said darkly, and elbowed him in the ribs with her good arm.

“Well until then, I’d say you’re as helpless as a one-legged man in an ass kicking contest,” Eli said smugly.

She sighed. “I ask again. What’s the plan?”

Jonah’s lips worked as he suppressed a smile. What was the world coming to when the brooding bastard was actually lightening up?