Teeth gritted, Jaron shoved around him, tugging Sasha along. “Then we have nothing to talk about.”
Bane caught him with a hand to his forearm and jerked him to a stop. “Jaron—”
“No!” Jaron snapped, shaking free of his hold. His blue eyes were arctic cold. “You know what she did to me. You know what happened because you read the fucking reports too. How can you expect me to welcome her into my home? The home which Sasha and I consider our safe place?”
Emotion rose swiftly, leaving Bane no choice but to clench his fists in silent fury. He faced the condemnation on his friend’s face because he did understand. “I’m sorry, Jaron but you and I both know Lothar made her do those things.”
Jaron gaped in disbelief. “And that excuses her?”
Jamming his fingers through his hair, Bane growled. This was not how he wanted the conversation to go. “No. But it would mean a lot if you forgave her.”
“Now you expect me to pretend it didn’t happen?”
Bane heard the undertone of hurt beneath the simmering hostility.
“Jaron, that’s not what Bane is saying.” Sasha pressed a hand to Jaron’s chest after exchanging a quick look with Bane.
Jaron shot her dark glance. “Do you forgive her for participating in your torture with The Collector?”
The warm tones of Sasha’s brown skin blanched. Bane held his breath. Sasha’s answer would go a long way to helping Bane smooth the way for Mischka to have a life with him and the members of his Unit.
“I think we should be calm about this,” she finally said.
Jaron snorted and let his arm fall from her waist. Without another word, he stormed back out the way he’d come, leaving the others to watch his exit with curiosity and concern.
“Give him time,” Sasha said with a rare soft look in her deep green eyes.
“Tell me now if it would be an issue for you, Sasha. Can you live with Mischka here, day by day, if it came to that?” It would kill him, but Bane would move from the compound to live with Mischka before giving her up again without a fight.
Sasha swallowed and crossed her arms over her chest. The Bounty Retriever was usually full of cocky confidence and always self-assured. This time she showed a hint of the lingering vulnerability from her experience at the hands of a mad man. “You really like her?”
The memories of Mischka from CV-8 poured through him before he could stop them. Her confidence, the assured way she handled him during his rehab. Their connection opening as they acknowledged the attraction growing between them.
Kissing Mischka, caressing her body, stroking deep inside of her and watching her come apart in his arms. Her hesitant smile the next morning. Then the truth and all the lies falling apart.
When the slideshow of their time together faded, he took a deep breath to regain his composure. “Yes.”
She chewed her bottom lip and eyed him intently. Suddenly she dropped her arms and planted her hands on her hips. “Knowing what we know and I’m sure there’s more to it—I believe I could get to that point.”
It was all Bane needed to hear. He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her brow. “Thank you, Sasha.”
Torkel sauntered over after Sasha left to chase after Jaron. “Am I too assume that didn’t go well?”
Bane could only huff. “About as well as I expected.”
“He has a right to his feelings. What she did can’t be taken lightly, under duress or not.” Torkel gripped his shoulder in a solid hold and stared into his eyes. “Are you sure about this Bane?”
“I’m sure I don’t want to lose her.”
It was the only answer he had.
***
Bane’s determination kept Mischka in a state of confusion. The week at the medic center had been more than enough time to heal from her injuries, but he stalled when she questioned him about leaving. He spent most of the days at her side speaking of random topics mixed with personal tidbits and inquiries. Leery initially, Mischka had been hesitant in her answers.
She constantly worried it was a trick of some sort and found it hard to accept his claim on the morning she awakened that he had feelings for her. It wasn’t until the day she was to be released from the medic center, exactly two weeks from the day of the attack, that the reality of her situation hit.
Bane strolled in with his usual confident stride. He wore a pair of tan pants, a white tee shirt that strained across his broad chest and black boots. His blond hair was mussed and his eyes danced. “I like seeing you up.”
She’d been moving about on her own for a while with no pain from the attack. Rising from the seat near a window where she could bask in the sun’s rays, she faced him. Bane didn’t slow his pace until they were toe to toe. Without giving her a chance to protest, he tipped her face up and kissed her.
Mischka hesitated for a split second and then returned the kiss, arms going about his wide shoulders. She loved his mouth on hers, the insistent pressure, the wet slick of his tongue. The desire for him had been growing daily. It was always at the back of her mind and now it was bursting at the forefront as her body strained against his.
“Missed you,” he mumbled against her lips.
Mischka moaned and Bane dragged her closer. His hands moved all over her body in greedy touches, across her breasts, leaving the nipples tight and hurting, down to her butt where she felt the indentations of his fingers as he clenched tight.
Tiny bursts of pleasure exploded up and down her spine. She lifted to her toes, wanting to deepen the kiss. Her head tipped back as she attempted to convey all of the emotions rolling through her from his touch. Like him, she’d missed this, missed the passion of being in his arms.
When he pulled back, his black eyes glittered and his lips glistened. “Mischka, I want you.”
Aroused and aching, Mischka whispered, “I want you too.”
He smiled in triumph and dove forward, kissing her harder than before. Mischka ran her hands through his hair, leaving the short blond strands standing on end. Bane choked off a groan and grinded against her hips. Heat flashed through her bloodstream, leaving behind a fire Mischka wanted quenched by this rough soldier and the violent ecstasy she saw shining from his gaze.
Uncontrollable shivers started in her core and spread upward. She shoved and yanked at his shirt, trying to raise the hem to get to the hot skin beneath. Her fingers made contact and he hissed. Her eyes dropped, eager to see what she’d revealed.
Tight muscles rippled and contracted under her stare. Tanned golden and pulling her in with no effort. Hand trembling, she reached out and stroked. Bane jerked and bit off a curse. “You’re playing with fire.”
Mischka smirked, watching as his stomach flexed when her hand glided over it. “I think I like playing.”
The next few minutes Bane held still as she had her way and gave in to the driving force to touch his body. Below the bulge in his pants drew her attention. Saliva pooled in her mouth as she roughly worked at the snap and parted the diagonal flap covering his groin. Bane growled as she handled his thick cock and pulled it free through the opening she’d created and carefully lowered to her knees.
“Mischka,” he said her name on a husky sigh and spread his fingers through the curtain of her hair as it fell about her face.
She studied the heavy length as it pulsed in her hold. The head held a sheen of moisture and clear drops pearled from the small slit on the tip to run down the shaft in a tempting trail. Mischka lowered her head and used her tongue to follow the path.