We can? Everyone? Even Team Two?He was going to have to sit the woman down and find out exactly what they could do. Clearly, he was missing out on the application of great skills.All of them?
Her soft laughter bubbled up. Got to him. Got to Kyle and Jeff too. Both men looked at her. Kyle nearly ran off the road.
“How can you do that?” Jeff asked. “I’m not doubting you, Camellia. I wouldn’t doubt you if you said you could walk on water. You can’t, can you?”
“I haven’t tried. It never occurred to me that I might not sink.” Amusement permeated her voice, inviting all of them to share in her laughter.
Jonas found heat blossoming between them. Joy spreading when he hadn’t known joy since his parents had died. In the middle of a mess, Camellia still found a way to share humor. The mood in the truck lightened considerably. He realized several times, when the nearly uncontrollable enhancements had overtaken him, what used to take him hours of isolation to suppress, she had handled with seeming ease. That realization sobered him.
There was so much to love about Camellia. Jonas was like his father, an intensely passionate man who would give himself completely to one woman. He would be loyal and ferociously protective of her and their family. Whitney had amplified those traits so much more, enhancing them to the point of borderline obsessive. If his father had been so out of control that he hadn’t stopped to think about the son who would need him after the loss of his mother, what would Jonas ever do if he lost Camellia under similar circumstances? In the past, he’d already proven he could be a monster.
Stop.Camellia’s warmth slid into his mind.The species Whitney made a part of you aren’t all bad. They have wonderful traits, Jonas, and you never give the good traits a thought.
Jonas dropped his hand over hers and pressed her palm into themuscle of his thigh. He’d just been thinking how Camellia didn’t see herself the way she was, persisting in believing she was so tough and unforgiving, yet they were on their way to see Marigold, the woman who had hurt her the most in the world.
Jonas knew without a shadow of a doubt that Camellia would help her if she could. He’d known they would be going to her aid sooner or later. He had wanted to spare Camellia the pain of seeing Mari, but he knew he couldn’t. Camellia would go because Marigold was suffering and needed her. He saw that loyalty and compassion in her so clearly, yet she didn’t. Was she seeing something in him that he didn’t?
He closed his fingers around hers, caging her hand in, wishing they had more time to be alone together. He needed to disclose everything to her. The longer they were together and the more he knew her character, the surer he was that they were meant to be together and that they had been even before Whitney paired them.Before.
After.He heard her muffled laughter. At first he thought it was aloud, but then he realized she’d laughed only for him. In his mind.
You don’t have all the facts.
Just pushing the statement into her mind sounded melodramatic. She tilted her head up, her eyes meeting his. All that intense blue looking at him. The laughter faded, and he was looking at something else altogether. Another emotion he hadn’t seen in a woman’s eyes ever when she looked at him. His stomach dropped away. She had the ability to tear out his heart.
“Coming up on the house now, Jonas,” Kyle announced.
Jonas brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “Long fall, honey,” he murmured, conceding. If love was a battle, he’d lost that war before it had ever started.
Her gaze softened even more. He didn’t have to explainanything to her. She understood him probably better than he understood himself.
Kyle circled around and parked the truck, nose out, behind Jack Norton’s truck, making certain he had plenty of room to exit quickly. Jonas made no move to get out of the back seat with Camellia until both Jeff and Kyle were out and waiting for them.
“Stay close to me, Camellia. Don’t let them lead you away for any reason,” he cautioned as he helped her from the vehicle.
“I thought you trusted one another. We just talked about this. You said they’ve always been your friends, Jonas,” she reminded.
Jonas slung his arm around her neck and leaned down to put his lips close to her ear. “We do. I did,” he corrected. “Until this. I don’t want any of them to report you or what you can do to anyone above them. I like Logan, but I don’t know how independent he chooses to be from his commander. I don’t want to take chances with you.”
Camellia nodded. “I get it, Jonas. I’ll be very careful.”
They started up the steps to the house where Logan, Jack and Briony waited.
Marigold betrayed you once, Camellia. You have to expect her to again. Whatever she remembers or can understand about what you do to help her, she will relate to her team.
Jonas saw her blink rapidly, those dark lashes that were very feathery, long and curved up at the ends. He hated reminding her, but he knew the moment she saw Marigold in a vulnerable state, that soft spot inside her would kick in, and she would go all out to aid her. He needed her to be cautious while she did so.
Logan stepped aside to allow them through the door. Jack and Briony led the way.
Jeff went in first.Ken’s in the house, but no one else. Not even the children.
Ken is Marigold’s husband,Jonas reminded Camellia. They followed Jeff, with Kyle behind them.
Marigold was sitting up in a very large bed, her dark chocolate gaze fixed on the door. She had platinum-and-gold hair just like her sister, Briony. It was cut short, whereas before, she had worn it longer. Her face was thinner, her skin pale, almost gray. She had always been a confident soldier, running missions by the time she was twelve. Now, she looked anything but confident.
Jonas knew all about her. He’d made it his business to know after the things Camellia told him. He’d asked Gator to have Flame—Gator’s wife and a talented woman on the computer—gather everything she could on Marigold and send it to his phone as soon as possible. He’d read every word. The woman was a soldier, no doubt about it, even if she didn’t look like one now.
Marigold was reputed to be an excellent sniper. But at the moment, her hands shook, and she twisted her fingers together until Ken Norton, who sat on the edge of the bed, put his large hand over both of hers to cover the anxious motion. Mari could telepathically control machinery, so she was strong mentally. She looked on the verge of tears, a woman worn down by months if not years of struggle.
