Jason (Blue Halo Book 2)

Soft music played within the Blue Halo Security conference room. The space was large, and the long table was pushed against a wall and covered with food. Chairs scattered around the space.

Jason leaned against another wall, watching Courtney from across the room as she sat in the corner with Grace.

They’d closed Blue Halo early today and the team, as well as Courtney, Grace, Willow, Mila, and Amy, were having a pizza night. Most of the team, that was, except for Flynn and Tyler, who were chasing up a lead on the Mafia’s location, and Aidan, who was sending prints from Courtney’s apartment to Wyatt.

Like Jason had conjured him up, Aidan entered the room, stopping beside him. “Got the prints to Wyatt.”

“Thank you, brother. I appreciate it.” He was pretty certain they belonged to Peters. “Hopefully by the end of tonight, Tyler and Flynn will have an address for us.”

Aidan turned to look at him. “You think he’s sitting on it?”

“If he is, he’s a dead man,” Jason said under his breath.

Callum stepped up beside them. “Who we killing? Actually, don’t tell me, just point me to where we’re digging the grave.”

Jason wished he could laugh, but really, there wasn’t anything funny about any of this. He already had trust issues after Project Arma. If the fucking FBI agent, a guy supposedly working with them, was instead trying to incriminate Courtney…

“Agent Peters,” Aidan said quietly.

Callum grunted. “Yeah, the guy needs to do his job.”

Damn straight.

Aidan scoffed. “Who knows, maybe the new boss is paying Peters to incriminate her, or to help him remain hidden. People never fail to surprise me anymore.”

At the blatant anger in Aidan’s voice, Jason turned his head. He knew that last comment wasn’t just in reference to the agent. It was more. It was anger at a woman whose memory Aidan tried to keep buried deep. A woman who’d moved on.

“Have you made contact with Cassie?” Jason asked carefully.

Another quick flash of anger, there and gone.

From what Aidan had told them, they were deeply in love. Then Aidan was kidnapped along with the rest of them. When they escaped the Project Arma compound, he still had to keep his distance until their enemies were dealt with. Enemies who hadn’t hesitated to use their loved ones against them.

Hearing that she’d married someone else had damn near torn Aidan in two.

“No. And I don’t plan to.”

Callum frowned. “Aidan—”

“Finding out she got married so soon after I disappeared was hard enough,” Aidan interrupted, scanning the room. “I’d just be punishing myself if I had to see her, happy with another guy. She clearly knows I’m alive. Hell, we made national news. She could have sought me out. Called.”

Jason hated the pain lacing his friend’s words. But he understood it. If he saw Courtney with another man, he’d feel exactly the same.

He pressed a hand to Aidan’s shoulder. “Let us know if you need anything from us.”

“Hm.” His gaze paused on someone across the room. “Besides, if Blake and Willow can’t work out their shit, I don’t know how the rest of us have any hope.”

Jason followed his line of sight. Sure enough, Blake and Willow were talking beside the food table. They were actually smiling, which was rare.

“They’ll find their way back to each other.” Any fool could see they belonged together.

“I agree.” Callum nodded.

Aidan grunted. The man obviously didn’t believe in everyone getting their happily ever after. Not anymore.

Mila ran up to her dad and started tugging at his pantleg.

Watching Blake and his daughter made Jason want kids. Lots of them. Little Courtneys who tugged at his pantleg and looked at him with adorable multicolored eyes.

Callum nodded toward the back of the room, where Amy was talking to Logan and Liam. “At least she’s calmed the hell down.”

The man wasn’t lying. Since the incident in his office, Amy had been nothing but professional. She still hadn’t found other work, but at least she’d signed the formal warning and was doing her job.

“Mind if I sit with you?”

Courtney and Grace both looked up to see Willow approaching. Courtney pointed to the spare seat. “Of course, join us, please. Help us stuff our faces with food.”

She and Grace had planted themselves in the corner of the room. Courtney had a bowl of corn chips and some guacamole, whereas Grace had a gigantic plate of pizza slices. And when she said gigantic, she meant gigantic. Slices piled upon slices.

As if she’d heard Courtney’s thoughts, Grace held out her plate to Willow. “Please, take one. Or five. Logan brought this over for me. He must think I have the stomach of a six-and-a-half-foot man.”

Either that or a blue whale.

“Ooh, yes, please.” Willow reached out and took a slice of pepperoni. “I keep forgetting to eat. I swear this never happened before I became a mom.”

Courtney scoffed. “The one time I forgot to eat, ever, was in eighth grade when I caught the flu so bad I was in bed for a week. But don’t worry, I more than made up for it the following week.”

She was pretty sure she’d almost eaten her parents out of house and home.

Willow chucked. “I used to be like that.” Her gaze beelined to Mila. “It hasn’t been easy, but God, I love her. She’s my entire world.”

Courtney looked over to see Mila in her father’s arms by the food table. She was feeding him potato chips. Every time she popped one into his mouth, he scrunched his face and made loud, dramatic chomping sounds. Mila’s delighted laugh had her head tipping back and her entire body vibrating. Okay, if that wasn’t the most precious thing she’d ever seen, nothing was.

When Courtney looked back, it was to see Willow still watching them, but there was almost a sadness to her smile. Because Mila and Blake had lost time together? Or because Willow wasn’t with him anymore?

“Do you see things working out with Blake?” Courtney bit her lip after she asked. Maybe she shouldn’t have. They weren’t that close, and it wasn’t her place, but the wonder was killing her. Had been killing her since she’d met the couple.

Some of the smile left Willow’s lips, her gaze darting back to the pizza in her hand. “I don’t think so. Things were great before Mila was born… not so great after. None of it was Mila’s fault though. It was all on us.”

Grace tilted her head. “If you want to talk about it, we’re happy to listen.”

Courtney didn’t think Willow had many, if any, friends in town. She’d moved here when the guys had, just a few months ago, and seemed to spend all her time working or studying and caring for her daughter.

Willow took a moment to respond. Courtney could just about see her mind moving, figuring out how to word what she wanted to say.

“Becoming a mom was the most magical and beautiful experience. You never know a love like the love for a child.” A small pause. “But it was also hard. We both found it challenging.” She shook her head. “Me in particular.”

She looked up, but not at Courtney or Grace. She watched Blake across the room.

“Mila needs stability. Heaven knows, losing her father at two and getting him back at four was complicated enough. I don’t think us getting back together, only to possibly break up again, would be good for her.”

There was sadness in Willow’s words. She wanted him. Probably still loved him.

Courtney was certain there was more to the story. A lot more.

“You’re doing such a wonderful job of raising Mila,” Grace said quietly.

This time when Willow smiled, it was wide and genuine. “Thank you. I can’t believe she’s almost five. It’s true what they say. Time’s a thief. You blink and they’re walking, talking, and all grown up.”

Courtney snuck a peek at Jason. She wanted kids. Would kids change things for them? Well, of course things would change, but would it be in a way they could handle?

When his gaze met hers, his eyes darkened. Something intimate passed between them. She quickly looked away, reaching into the bowl to grab another chip. Her hand came up empty. Dang it. Had she really eaten all of them?

Yes. Yes, she had.

Courtney stood. “I’m going to grab some water.” And maybe some more chips and guacamole. “Anyone want anything?”

Both women shook their heads. Courtney headed to the small kitchen down the hall. She’d just stopped in front of the sink when thick arms banded around her waist.

Jason nuzzled his nose into her hair. “I was just thinking I needed some alone time with you.”

Courtney chuckled, leaning back against his strong chest. “Funny, I’m always thinking that.”

In the blink of an eye, Jason flipped her around and lifted her to sit on the counter. Then he was kissing her. His lips the perfect combination of firm and gentle, hands gliding over her hips.

She moaned as his tongue slipped between her lips, causing her head to swim. She laced her ankles behind his back, squeezing herself closer to the man.

Jason growled as he tore his lips from hers. They remained close as he spoke, breaths mingling. “If my team wasn’t here…”

Her heart jumped. What? He’d have his way with her right here and now?

“Well, let’s get the people out!”

His laugh rumbled from his chest to hers. She tightened her legs again. Did he think she was joking? She ground her core against him.

This time, his growl was louder. Wrenched from his chest and pulsing through the air. “You’re killing me, woman.”

When her lips lowered to his neck, she pressed a small kiss there, lingering. “But what a sweet death it would be.”

She’d barely raised her head before he was kissing her again, his tongue driving into her mouth, tangling with her own. When he palmed her breast, a shot of desire zipped down to her core. He pinched her nipple lightly and she whimpered against his lips.

She wasn’t concerned about someone seeing. Knowing that, if he heard anyone near them, he’d pull away.

She was just about to tear the man’s shirt off when his phone rang in his pocket. This time, they both groaned.

“Ignore it.” But even as the words left her lips, she knew that wasn’t possible. Not with the danger surrounding them.

He pressed a final kiss to her lips before tugging the phone out. “Flynn, you got news for me?” A small pause. Then a nod. “Good. Let’s brief and leave tonight.”

He hung up, helping her down and lacing his fingers through hers before leading her back into the other room.

He went straight to Aidan. “We’ve got an address.”

“For the Bonvicin family?” someone asked from behind.

Courtney didn’t miss the way Jason’s entire body tightened. Then, slowly, he turned.

Peters stood there, two of his guys behind him.

How had Jason not heard them entering the building? But then, Courtney was pretty sure she knew the answer to that. He’d been too distracted by her and probably only listening for someone to enter the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” Jason’s voice was hard.

“Just dropping by to see if there’s been any activity I should know about. I haven’t heard from you guys in a few days.”

“We don’t have any new intel to share,” he said carefully.

Peters took a small step forward. “Did you get their address?”

“No.”

That was all he offered. One word.

A short, tense silence followed. Courtney wanted to squirm.

The agent’s eyes narrowed. Did he not believe Jason?