Mercury Striking (The Scorpius Syndrome #1)(28)

He grimaced. “Before the world disintegrated, no way would somebody like you and somebody like me end up naked together.”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t know that. When I worked for the CDC, I met a lot of soldiers.”

Yeah, but not one from the streets who’d done more killing by the time he’d turned twenty than anybody he’d ever met. “Nah. I would’ve asked you out, and you would’ve told me to get lost.”

She bit her lip. “You would not have asked me out, and you know it. I would’ve been a little too, well, boring and studious for you.”

Nope. He would’ve wanted her on sight, just like he had the day before. “Who did you date?”

“I didn’t date.”

Lie. The first lie she’d told him, and it was about whom she’d dated. Interesting. His back stiffened. “Please tell me you want me to kill somebody dangerous and infected by Scorpius and not some ex who betrayed you.” Jax couldn’t have read her that badly, could he?

She met his gaze levelly. “Everything is about Scorpius these days, isn’t it?”

Good damn point. “Have you slept with the person you want dead?”

She didn’t answer.

Well, shit.

A sharp rap on the door jerked up his head. “Saved by the door,” he muttered. He maneuvered over Lynne and yanked on jeans he couldn’t fasten with the semi hard-on still torturing him. Padding barefoot to the door, he glanced back to make sure Lynne was covered.

She lay in the bed, the covers at her neck, her hair mussed, looking like a woman who’d been well loved to within an inch of her life.

He grinned.

She rolled her eyes.

He turned to the door. “What?”

“Jax? It’s Sami. I have news.”

Jax slid open the door to one of his top soldiers, Sami, his only female lieutenant, handed him a hastily drawn map. “C Team was out scouting near Pacific Palisades and found another food depot controlled by some unknowns.”

He took the map and frowned, studying the rough lines. “We should get more intel before deciding what to do.” He focused back on her.

Sami stared at his chest, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. About twenty-five years old, the former LAPD rookie had pinned her thick black hair in two braids hanging down her back. She had deep brown eyes and sassy freckles spattered across angled cheekbones.

This was the first time he’d seen her blush. “You okay?”

She swallowed. “Ah, yeah. Just never seen you right out of bed.” Her gaze rose. “Want to go back?”

He stilled. “Um—”

She stiffened her shoulders and nudged open the door. “I’m serious, Jax—” Her voice caught as she took in Lynne. “Who the fuck are you?”

Lynne, naked and wearing razor burn on her chin, lifted an eyebrow like any three-star general questioned by a subordinate. “I’m unaware of that being any of your business. Who the hell are you?”

Sami sputtered and rounded on Jax.

He took a deep breath. At least two guns and three knives showed along Sami’s fit form. “Can we talk about this later?”

She planted both hands onto trim hips. “No. Let’s talk about it now. There’s a strange bitch in your bed, and considering I’m in charge of take-ins, I’d like to know who the hell she is and why she’s here.”

Amusement, dark and annoyed, filled Lynne’s eyes. “I’d get out of bed and introduce myself, but that would just piss off handsome here. And according to him, I don’t really want to piss him off. You know. The whole ‘you won’t like me when I’m angry’ kind of thing.”

Jax shot her a look that would’ve immediately made a recruit piss his pants back in the service. While he appreciated her keeping the blue heart hidden, he didn’t like the fury emanating from her well-kissed skin.

“Now, Jax,” Sami ordered.

Oh hell no. He pivoted until her back was against the door. “She’s none of your fucking business, Sami. When I want her properly taken in, I’ll let you know. Get back to work.”

The soldier opened her mouth to argue, and he stepped even closer, erasing all expression. She gulped. Her skin lost color, and she shot Lynne a hard look. Lifting her head, Sami sidled past him and stomped down the hallway. He shut the door and crossed his arms. “Was that necessary?”

Anger, bright and obvious, nearly succeeded in hiding the wounded look in Lynne’s eyes. “I take it you fuck your way around your people?”

Shit. He truly didn’t owe the woman an explanation, and having her believe he was a complete asshole suited his plans. But that hurt look did him in. “You’re the only woman I’ve had sex with in the last year.”

A frown furrowed between her eyebrows. “Bullshit.”

He sighed and rested his head back against the door. “Listen, Lynne Harmony, and listen good, because I ain’t saying it again. I haven’t fucked anybody else and have no intention of doing so, because it creates an issue I can’t afford right now. However, what happened between us already happened, so there’s no going back. I like you, I enjoyed the hell out of being inside you, and I’d like to be there again. But the decision is yours.” He lowered his chin to meet her gaze.