Page 19 of Raven’s Claw (Raven’s Cliff #2)

Chapter Nine

Jordan sat in the helicopter, Rook’s silhouette fading in the distance, all those voices in her head drowning out the beat of the rotors.

How everyone else sat there — waited for her to elaborate.

To say something that would justify nearly getting Kash killed.

If Foster and the rest of Kash’s team hadn’t shown up…

Kash would have stepped in front of her — blocked the shots. No hesitation. The way his grip had tightened on her arm, the firm press of his mouth… He’d been about to dodge in front when his buddies had saved them.

Now, he sat beside her, holding her hand, looking as if he had nothing but time.

Chase huffed, then snapped his gaze to her. “Shit. Which one of you’s hit?”

She frowned, some of the words getting highjacked along the way to her head when Kash cursed.

He twisted to face her. “Jordan?”

She stared up at him, drinking in the green of his eyes — his tousled hair and shadowed scruff. The man looked sexier than he ever had.

Kash turned fully, grabbed her jacket. “You’re fucking bleeding.”

She glanced down. Blood soaked through the left side of her clothes, a bit dripping onto the floor of the chopper. “It’s probably just a graze.”

Chase moved in close. “Oh, so you’re a medic, too?”

“No.”

“Then, maybe let me be the judge of what’s a graze and what’s a damn crater in your side.”

“Trust me. It can’t be worse than the last time I went up against him.”

“Insightful, and yet not comforting.” Chase waved his fingers. “Kash, help her out of her jacket so I can take a look.”

Chase had obviously made that kind of request before because Kash had her jacket off and her body turned and braced against his before she’d even thought about moving.

She groaned when Chase started snipping through the fabric. “Scissors? Really? You couldn’t just lift it?”

Chase chuckled. “You’re never gonna wash out that much blood or fix all the ragged ends from whatever gnawed its way through. And lifting it hurts more.”

“It’s the only shirt I have.”

“Then, it’s a good thing Kash loves seeing you dressed in his.”

Jordan glanced at Kash over her shoulder, then back to Chase. “That was before I nearly got him killed.”

“Are you kidding? That just makes him even crazier about you.” Chase peeled the sides of the shirt off her skin, sighing when she hissed out a breath.

“Not a bullet wound, but you managed to skewer a nasty piece of wood through your side.” He looked up.

“Or am I gonna find some weird arrowhead at the end?”

Kash mumbled something then huffed. “No arrows, jackass.” He leaned in closer, his breath warm against her neck. “You got that when you swung against the cliff, didn’t you?”

“Pretty sure falling to the bottom would have left more of a mark.” She pushed against him when Chase stuck a needle her side. “Damn…”

“I know. Freezing sucks.” Chase moved it to another spot. “But it sucks less than me yanking out the wood, irrigating the wound, then patching it up without anything.”

She snapped her gaze down. “You’re freezing it?”

“Surely you’ve been treated by a medic before?”

“No.”

Chase paused and glanced over her shoulder at Kash. “What happened when you got hurt in the field?”

“I hauled ass someplace remotely secure then patched myself up. If I didn’t die, then I could ask the agency doctor to look at it later.” She scoffed. “That rarely happened.”

“You’ve got obvious bullet and knife scars.”

She let her head fall back on Kash’s shoulder. “No one’s perfect, Chase.”

“I guess as a spy, you can’t wear a vest.”

“I’m not…” She breathed out as he tugged against her skin, resting most of her weight against Kash. “I…”

“Damn. It’s bleeding like a freaking faucet.” Chase’s voice sounded oddly distant. “Kash, hold her. Foster, I need you to set us down for a few minutes so I can deal with this without the turbulence.”

“Jordan.” Kash cupped her jaw — turned her head toward him. “Eyes on me, sweetheart.”

Had he really just said that? Reminded her that less than twelve hours ago she’d been snugged beneath him, watching him as he made love to her as if he was just as lost as she was. That maybe, he’d fallen, too.

She blinked, eyelids heavy. Everything duller. Darker. Like they’d flown into a tunnel. And she swore it took twice as long to pry her eyes open. Stare up at him, again.

“Chase. Brother, she looks like she’s gonna pass out.”

“Working on it.” Something clattered in the background, Chase’s hands tugging on her shirt. Slicing a line up her arm. “I’ve got saline and some plasma…”

Jordan closed her eyes, fading for a bit before blinking them open. An eerie quiet filled the space, only a hint of light glowing from a crack near the floor across the room. Definitely not the helicopter. Arms tightened around her shoulders, a steady thump beating beneath her head.

“Easy, sweetheart. Everything’s okay. You just passed out.” Kash pressed a soft kiss to her forehead when she tilted it toward him. “But you might want to limit moving for a bit longer. Your side’s gonna be sore for a while.”

“I’ll take your word on that.” She relaxed against him. “Where are we?”

“A client suite in Bodie’s office. And before you lose your shit, it’s probably the most secure building in town. We made sure no one followed us, and we’ve got overwatch and patrols. Chase wanted you to have a night to help restore some of your blood volume.”

Kash sighed, eased her onto her back then pushed onto one elbow. He brushed back her hair, staring at her as if he hadn’t thought he’d see her again.

She reached up — drew her thumb along his jaw. “Kash…”

“You scared me. Not the chase or the bullets or bleeding all over the chopper. You’re insanely skilled, and I knew Chase would keep you breathing.” He paused, swallowed. “When I realized I wasn’t going to catch you on that bike…”

Her chest tightened, tears stinging her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She placed her finger over his mouth when he looked as if he was going to interrupt. “For getting you and your team involved in this. For not coming clean. But more than anything, I’m sorry I ran.”

She closed her eyes, cringing when a few tears slipped out. “It’s not that I didn’t trust you, I just… I’ve never had anyone care. Not without wanting something in return and I… God, I just didn’t want him to hurt?—”

He kissed her. Soft. Gentle. And it broke the last of her defenses. Had her gliding her fingers through his hair, holding on. Some form of anchor when she swore she’d shatter.

Kash stayed close when he could have eased back.

Or shuffled off the bed. Maybe joined his friends now that he knew she wasn’t going to outright die on him.

“I know. And I’ll admit, a part of me loves you for it.

But the other part — the one that aged five years seeing that red taillight fade — it needs to know that you won’t run, again. ”

“Are you sure that’s in your best interest? Crazy or not, that escape was the easy part. Now that he knows what he’s up against — who he’s up against — it’s only gonna get worse.”

Kash tilted his head, looked as if he was considering what she’d said. “What I know is that I got a glimpse of the future without you in it, and that hurt more than anything your agency can throw at us.”

She drew her thumb along his jaw. “I won’t run. As much as it kills me to say that, to put you in danger, I’m not strong enough to leave you, again.”

He gave her a hint of a smile. “What about Ember? Is she strong enough?”

She froze, waiting for that familiar disconnect to wash over her. The one Rook had beaten into her. The core, he’d said, of what it took to be the best.

To be unstoppable.

She smiled and let go of any doubts. “There was a time I would have said yes. When I would have buried everything, taken off and never looked back. But the thing is…” She urged him closer. “Somewhere along the way, she fell in love with you, too.”

She closed the distance — claimed his mouth. Opening for his tongue when he deepened the kiss. She wasn’t sure how long they laid there before he finally eased back — allowed her to suck in a lungful of air.

He smiled against her skin, nuzzling her nose as he stared at her. “You’re just so damn beautiful, I…”

He claimed her mouth, again, shifting over her as he tilted her head, got as close as possible without actually stripping them both down and making love.

She lost track of time, reveling in the way his weight held her captive, when Kash grunted, shifting over to one elbow. She frowned at the furrow along his brow. “Kash?”

He shook his head. “I was crushing you into the bed. Chase is so gonna tear me a new one if you’ve reopened that wound.”

“My side’s fine, and you weren’t crushing me. I like having your weight on me.”

“You like not breathing?”

She smoothed her hand up to his jaw. “I like feeling safe. I’ve never had that before.”

“You’re determined to be the death of me, aren’t you.” He shushed her. “That wasn’t a question.” He shuffled until he must have found a compromise where he pinned her down without putting pressure on her side. “Sleep. We’ll figure everything out in the morning.”

“Your arms are gonna cramp if you stay like that.”

“Pretty sure you’ll be out cold before that happens, and I can roll you against my chest. Either way, I’m good.”

She sighed, enjoying how his heartbeat eased the flutter in her stomach.

“And Jordan…”

She slivered her eyes open, again.

He just smiled. “It’s okay if you need to become Ember for a while. If that’s what it’ll take to make it through. Because I love her as much as I do you.”

She froze. Her breath lodged in her chest. Her heart somewhere up in her throat. She blinked, wondering if she was dreaming, or worse, dead. If she’d died in the chopper and this was her brain giving her one last pure memory. What could be heaven if it kept on playing.

Kash chuckled, the jerk. “Breathe, sweetheart. Or I’ll have to call Chase in, and I’d rather not do that.”

Breathe?

How was she supposed to breathe when he’d just blown her mind? Stopped her heart cold? She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it, again.

Nothing.

Not a sound.

He sighed, dipping down and lingering in the kind of kiss that shattered barriers before nuzzling her nose. “Surely, someone’s told you they love you, before.”

She pursed her lips. “Will you freak out if I say no?”

Kash inhaled, swallowed — looking as if he wanted to rage war — she just wasn’t sure against who. “Then, I’ll make sure I say it often enough you won’t forget.”

“What’s that saying? You never forget your first?” She smiled, eyes drifting closed for a moment before she forced them open. “I won’t forget.”

“Assuming you remember in the morning, which I’d say is a bit of a crapshoot with how fast you’re fading.” He shifted over, then tugged her in close, one hand under her head, the other snugged against her chest. “Rest. This might be the only chance we get for a while.”

She closed her eyes. Allowed herself to fade into the warmth of his body — the strength of his arms. She’d trust his team to keep them safe tonight. Then, come morning, she’d lay it all on the line.