“I didn’t mean to cause a problem,” Hannah said sliding as far back into the cushion as possible, trying to make herself appear smaller. It was a tactic that had worked for her in the past when she angered her owner. They liked defiance, not a simpering child.
“It’s not a problem.”Bensat back and took her hand in his. “Hound was just being an ass. He should have known coming back from a mission we would need more than those few pizzas to sustain us.”
Hannah just nodded and brought her knees up to her chest. She felt the tension in the air and knew she had caused it. But she didn’t know how to make it better. “Where will I be staying?” She wanted to do nothing except escape the room and go hide under the blanket.
“I’ll show you later, but you’re not leaving until you eat something,”Bentold her firmly.
“I’m not a child,” she snapped at him. She didn’t need to be babied. She had been living in a personal hell for a year and a half. She could do whatever she wanted to now. If she didn’t want to eat she wasn’t going to and there was nothing this man could do to change her mind.
“Please, Hannah,” He pleaded with her with his penetrating black eyes. “I’ll never forgive myself if you become sick because you didn’t eat something. I already failed you in the MP office. Don’t let me add not feeding you to the list.” He seemed like he wanted to add to that statement, but present company stayed him.Damn him for using guilt against her. Of course, she had to eat now.
Hannah growled at him and took a bite of pizza while watching him. She was about to say some snarky remark, but the flavor of tomato sauce, basil, and sausage hit her tongue and she looked down at the pizza in awe. When had food ever tasted so good? She couldn’t remember, nor did she care at that moment. With three bites she polished off the slice and looked down at the empty box and frowned. It was gone? Oh yeah, she took the last slice and Hound got upset with her.
“There is plenty more coming, I promise.”Benchuckled sensing her dilemma.
Hannah licked the grease off her bottom lip and paused when she saw the raw hunger inBen’s eyes, watching her tongue swipe across her lip. She did it again to make sure she didn’t imagine things. Nope, he was still watching it. That should have unnerved her, but it did the opposite. She liked it. She remembered what those lips of his tasted like. Soft and demanding all at once. He had consumed her at the lake, and no man had ever compared to him since.
“So why Midas?” she asked to recollect herself. She shouldn’t be lusting after the man. He had left her once when things seemed to heat up between them. He had broken her heart when he abandoned her. She wouldn’t allow him the opportunity to do it again. There was no future for them. Not that she wanted one. Now that she was free, she wanted time to rediscover herself and find out what she wanted to do next. All her mother’s careful planning for Hannah was useless to her now. No man in their social circle would have her. Not that Hannah cared. She never wanted that life anyway, but when Ben left her what choice did she have? Adam left right after Ben to join up. She didn’t have anyone anymore and her mother had been tired of Hannah dragging her feet. So, she had become the thing she hated most. An heiress.
Benlooked away from her, she thought she caught a blush forming on his cheeks. Who knew men could blush? She had never seen Ben blush before. His teammates did not feel the same way. Tiny chuckled and slappedBenon the back. “Golden boy here? He earned his name because he excelled at everything he did. Any weapon he touched he shot perfectly. Any obstacle course they put in front of him, he passed and set records.”
Hannah could see that about him. He was perfect in every way. He was perfectly formed and not a scar marred his perfect features. She recalled all the ‘missions’ he had been on with her growing up. He had been nothing if not a perfectionist.
“They’re exaggerating,”Bentried to reassure her.
“Yeah, right. We all had to follow behind you. That was no easy task.” Tiny gibed him. “I’m not even going to mention the women. You didn’t even have to do anything, and they all came flocking. We never stood a chance.” Tiny chuckled to himself.
Hannah knew he probably had a reputation with the ladies but to hear it spoken out loud made her wince. He was a playboy, just like she thought. What had she expected? Him to pine for her? It didn’t matter, she reminded herself. She didn’t want anything to do with him anyway. He gave her a temporary roof over her head, he was taking her home after she gave them information. This just served as a reminder of how different they really were. Her parents had been right to forbid a relationship between them.Benwas a career military man and would always put his country first. She couldn’t fault him for his dedication, but she wanted a man who would make her a priority too.
Hannah looked up at Ben and saw his jaw clench, and a murderous look came to his eye. Was he going to hurt his friend? She hoped not. She had seen enough bloodshed to last her a lifetime.
“Everyone out,”Bengrowled and slowly pivoted towards his friends.
“Midas, don’t be embarrassed.” Tiny lost his humor and glared atBen. “You should be proud of what you have. It’s a God given gift. Most would kill to have it.”
“I said get out.” His tone could cut steel. No one contradicted him and slowly made their way to the exit.
Hannah remained on the couch and rubbed her sweaty palms on her pant legs. She could make a quick escape to her bedroom, but she had no idea where it was. She could leave as well but she had no money and no place to go. She was well and truly stuck where she was.
Benstood up, clenching and unclenching his fists as he paced back and forth. He was angry, and she didn’t know why. The one called Tiny hadn’t said anything she hadn’t already figured out on her own.
“I’m sorry you had to hear that, Hannah.”Benkept his back to her, but she could see his body was wound up so tight she feared if she touched him he would break. Why was he so tense?
“It’s fine, Ben. We all have a past. Some are more different than others. It must be nice to have so much easy talent.” She tried appeasing his pride, hoping that would smooth out his ruffled feathers. If he was angry, he could lash out at someone, and she didn’t want it to be her.
Bensnorted at her and turned to face her. “Yeah it’s a great talent but to maintain that is a pain in the ass. Everyone expects you to be perfect at everything and if you’re not, you’re seen as a failure. Training on the courses and facing real danger are completely different. I’ve made mistakes like everyone else, and I have scars to prove them. I’m not perfect, Hannah. Not by a long shot. I thought I was hot shit when I first went through training, I made everything look easy. I got a big ego because of it.”
“And the women?” She didn’t know why she asked. She didn’t want to know about him with other women. She had no rights to him. He made his feelings about her clear when he walked away from her and never looked back.
Benhung his head in shame. “It was fun in the beginning, I’m not going to lie. Everyone would try to get a certain girl, and all would get shot down. I got her with little effort. It lost its flare quickly. There was no challenge in it anymore. None of those girls wanted me for me. They saw a pretty face and wanted to hook up with a military guy. I honestly haven’t been with anyone for a while.” He didn’t know why he admitted that to her, but Hannah had always been special to him. He had tried purging her from his soul more times than he could count, and it never worked so he gave up trying.
Hannah looked up at him at the last statement. He hadn’t been with anyone in a while? “Maybe you just need someone to challenge you,” she husked.
Benshook his head and stepped closer to her. He cupped the side of her face and looked deep into her eyes. “I just lost interest in meaningless sex. I wanted something more but didn’t dare hope. Until…until you came back into my life.” He shouldn’t have admitted that. Hannah was his weakness. Always would be. If she knew it, she could use that against him. He was such an idiot.
Hannah felt her knees weaken and collapse at his feet. He knew the right thing to say she would give him that. “I’m just something broken you want to fix.” She was hardly the girl he once knew and used to tease.
“No, you are stronger than any woman I know, and coming from Texas that’s saying something. You don’t let what happened to you hold you back.” Hannah didn’t know if he meant her parents or the kidnapping. “You let it make you become an even stronger woman and you want to build a new life for yourself.”
