“Mmm.” A soft noise escapes me.
He remains lodged inside me, not moving at all, and my breathing goes ragged at that feeling of fullness, the throbbing in my core. My inner muscles squeeze around him, and approval gleams in his eyes.
“There you go,” he murmurs, encouraging me. “That’s it. Fuck. You’re squeezing the hell out of me. So tight.”
And damned if that doesn’t cause my core to contract again, ripping a groan from his throat.
“Stop that,” he chides.
“I can’t. It happens involuntarily.”
I continue to stroke in tight circles until the pleasure crests and I cry out. Gray swallows the throaty sound with his kiss, and then he’s moving again, riding out the waves with me.
Gray is back in the war room before I even open my eyes the next morning. Probably listening to Adrienne and Kallister fight some more. I don’t know whose side I would be on if I were on that council. I understand Adrienne’s desire to create a path for peace, but Kallister is right, too. Travis has shown that he’s willing to sacrifice anyone in his own quest for power, including his father. Why should we believe a word he says?
Something is stirring, though. My senses are on high alert when all field operatives are summoned to the mess hall before breakfast is served, but it’s nearly thirty minutes before the Authority arrives. Three of them, anyway. I know Fiona is at Bramble Base, but Kallister’s absence tells me all I need to know.
Sure enough, Adrienne steps forward to do the talking. “We just voted to start peace talks with the Company,” she announces to the room.
Shocked noises and irate voices hiss through the crowd.
“Fuck that,” someone says, and several others chime in agreement.
“The decision has already been made,” Adrienne says, her tone brooking no argument. “And before everyone gets ahead of themselves, there is no deal in place. And there will be no deal without a Dagger-wide vote, we can promise you that. This is merely us opening the channels of communication to discuss the possibility of reaching an agreement.”
She pauses, and I get the feeling she’s bracing herself for the response to her next words.
“We’ve authorized a small parley mission.” She gestures to the stone-faced man at her side. “Teriq’s mission lead. He and I will be meeting with Travis Redden tonight.”
That triggers another round of outraged gasps and hushed voices.
“General Redden agreed to this?” Evlynne calls out, her features twisted in a frown.
Adrienne nods. “He has, yes. But the meeting terms are still to be determined.”
“We need transport.” Teriq glances at Evlynne. “My choice would be you, but if you’d like to sit this one out, I understand.”
“No, I’ll do it,” she says tightly.
He gives a brisk nod. “Good. Declan will join us at Bramble. And I need four more.”
Karra volunteers, which surprises me, until I remember Gray telling me she’s skilled at covert ops.
“I’d like our best snipers on this. Orin?” Teriq says. After the burly man nods, our mission lead’s gaze travels in my direction, where I stand next to Mako. “You two in?”
When Mako and I nod, I don’t miss the way Gray frowns at me. With two Authority members heading out into the field, he has no choice but to remain at the Dagger. It’s evident from the tension on his face that he’s not happy I volunteered.
But there’s no way I’m sitting this one out.
Chapter 53
Gray finds me as we’re packing up the plane. Coming up behind me, he wraps his arms around my waist and presses a kiss on the top of my head. “Be careful tonight, keen?”
I smile. “You’re being very sweet for someone I know wants to tie me up to stop me from going.”
“I want to tie you up for other reasons,” he drawls, nipping my ear. “But I’d never stop you from running an op. You’re too valuable in the field to keep your skills hidden at the Dagger.”
I turn to face him. It warms my heart that he can recognize I’m talented, that he’s willing to let me go even if his instincts scream for him to protect me.
