Maybe it was because keeping Laurel satisfied once she’d unleashed years of pent-up passion took every drop of their energy, but for whatever reason they’d set some kind of boundary and it didn’t seem like they were going to be able to move forward until they smashed through it.
He surveyed Nolan from the corner of his eye and sighed. It had taken him damn near twenty years to figure shit out with Laurel. He didn’t want to make the same mistake with Nolan. Not when things had been going so smoothly that he’d nearly forgotten this was only temporary.
Fuck.
Jace clenched his jaw.
Nolan turned toward him and frowned. He put his hand on Jace’s stubbled cheek and brushed his thumb over his lips. “What’re you thinking about?”
Jace drew a deep breath as Laurel blinked up at him, catching on to the atmosphere between the two men. It was time for him to come clean, to admit that he hoped they could keep things going for more than however long it took to finish their job here.
But he should have made that decision sooner.
Because just then someone pounded on the door.
Before he’d registered the repeated thumping, Nolan had already slipped from the couch and tucked Laurel into Jace’s arms, then crouched and whipped his phone from his pocket to check the surveillance camera aimed at the porch.
He grunted, then flung the door open. “Shit, James, what’s your problem? You almost got your ass kicked.”
James brushed Nolan aside, his smaller stature no hindrance when his energy was so overwhelming. He snuck inside and turned to face the three of them. “We’ve had a breakthrough. It’s go time.”
Jace had known Nolan was a warrior from the first instant he spied the man stalking Laurel at Heels. He drove it home when he straightened, every muscle and instinct on high alert, like a predator very comfortable at the top of the food chain. Nolan was a trained killer, as lethal as he was easygoing day-to-day and generous in bed.
“You came in person to tell me that? Why?” Nolan’s shoulders locked into place, his stance widened and every glorious muscle in his body went rigid.
James flicked his gaze between Laurel, Jace, and Nolan, then took a deep breath before saying in a rush, “You remember the woman you and Sola talked to during the cannery raid? Turns out she is pretty incredible. She had a chance to go free, but instead decided to come on as a mole. She’s been the one feeding us info from the front lines.”
“Wait, do I know her?” Laurel stood, so Jace did too, all of them forming a ring around the coffee table in the small space.
“I think so. She told me where to find you.” Nolan winced.
“Her name is Cherri,” James told Laurel with a sigh. “And she needs our help. She arranged for Draven to be alone, separated from most of his goons for a brief window, tomorrow.”
“Cherri!” Laurel clasped her hands, then brought them to her chest. Jace’s guts twisted. She’d been their friend. Volunteered the knowledge that had led Nolan to them. And she’d refused the chance to get the fuck out? What the hell?
“How exactly did she manage that?” Nolan was obviously a few steps ahead of Laurel and Jace on this one.
“She might have promised him something.” James cleared his throat and looked away at Dottie sunning herself in her cage-castle on the kitchen counter.
Oh no. Jace knew whatever it was, he was going to hate it.
“She swore to Draven she knew who has been picking off his higher-ups one by one these past months. She didn’t have a choice—he was going to kill her. So she told him about the Shields and that we’re working with Laurel and Jace.”
“Son of a bitch!” Nolan punched his own palm hard enough that Jace thought he wouldn’t be able to play guitar for a week if he’d done the same. Laurel angled herself toward him and put her trembling fingers on his bunched biceps.
“It’s okay. Sometimes you have to do what it takes to survive in those situations.” Laurel looked up at him with a shallow smile. “We’re fine. We’re protected here with you.”
“You won’t be for long.” Nolan growled. “You’re right, James. We’ve got to put a stop to this once and for all. Now. So who’s going in? Who did she offer to arrange a meeting with in order to isolate Draven? Jordan?”
“Uh…nope.” James stared at Nolan.
“Me? Fine. I’ll do it. But why would he give a fuck? He doesn’t know who I am, and let’s be honest, around Shields I’m only another soldier on the team.”
“Not you either.” James waited for realization to dawn.
Jace snarled. “So help you, if you say Laurel right now, I’m going to lose my shit.”
“No!” Nolan bellowed. “Absolutely not.”
“What?” Laurel blinked.
“It’s a fucking trap.” Jace flung his hands out, karate chopping the air.
“Of course it is.” James rolled his eyes at Jace. “But we only need an opening. A single chance and Aarav will take the shot. This will be over, for good.”
“You want to use me as bait?” Laurel asked James, her voice low though without a quiver.
“I don’t like the idea of you doing it. But I also don’t own you and I’d never act like I did. So I’m bringing this possibility to you and letting you decide.” James held out his hand, and Laurel clasped it in hers.
“Thank you. For really understanding me.” Laurel smiled sadly. “Of course I’ll do it. The risk is worth even the chance to end this nightmare. Not only for us but for every life he’s infected with his evil. And you’ll be there, right?”
She turned her gaze to Nolan, her beautiful eyes wide and trusting despite everything they’d gone through. How? How could she have faith in anyone anymore?
Every last shred of Jace’s faith burned to ashes and floated away on the blast of cynicism that followed. “You two swore to me that if we stayed, we wouldn’t be in danger. That Laurel wouldn’t be involved. You fucking lied to us. To me! The pile of money you gave us ‘for information’ means nothing if we can’t trust your word. Hell, Nolan. We even slept with you, for Christ’s sake!” Jace whipped toward Laurel next, glaring. “Don’t look at him like that.”
“Like we’re in a shitty situation that we need to find a way out of together? Like I care for him?” Laurel reached across Nolan, but Jace evaded her gentle touch. He didn’t want to calm down. Didn’t intend to listen to reason. “I do. And so do you.”
“No.” Jace waved his hands in front of him. “Not if he’s willing to put you in danger after he swore he wouldn’t.”
James cleared his throat. “It isn’t how we normally operate, but we have an obligation to Cherri. Plus our own agents. Draven is closing in. Hunting us as hard as we’re chasing him. If we don’t make a move on our terms, we could very well find ourselves being picked off next. The absolute worst case scenario is for him to come to Middletown looking for you.”
“Why? Because then your loved ones would be at risk?” Jace sneered.
“Laurel is my blood. And I consider you part of our family,” James encapsulated the three of them with his stare. “And I know Nolan does too.”