4
Liam didn’t feel the least bit bad for Ace when he stifled another yawn behind his fist. It was his own damn fault he hadn’t slept the night before, probably spending every instant memorizing the view of Ruby in his bed. In his place, Liam would have done exactly the same thing, especially knowing there were assholes out there who wanted to attack her.
They’d have to come through him, and Ace, first.
Speaking of their badass computer nerd, she was contorted into the sleek black-and-purple seat James had brought up from the command center for her. He swore the woman violated every ergonomic principle ever created, resembling a pretzel more than a person with one foot tucked under her and the other thigh draped over her bent knee. An elbow propped on her stacked legs made a stand for her to hold her chin as she studied a bunch of gobbledygook on a monitor James had delivered along with the chair. Apparently she was working on a local system only, analyzing the data she’d downloaded right before things had gotten hairy the night before.
“How the hell is that comfortable?” Ace asked, as if he could read Liam’s mind.
“You got me.” Liam shrugged. “But it’s weirdly hot.”
Ace huffed out a laugh. “You’re telling my boner. Our job has never been so sexy before.”
“We can’t afford to be distracted on this one.” Liam frowned. He was reminding himself more than anything, but Ace cursed as if Liam had punched him in the gut.
“You think I don’t know that? Or that I’d let my libido put her in danger? If my attraction was a problem, I’d ask Jordan for a replacement myself.”
Figured. Because Ace was much more honest and open about his feelings than Liam had ever managed to be. His partner would blurt them out, consequences be damned. That was something Liam had never figured out how to do. It seemed reckless. Like Ace could sometimes be.
It was one of the reasons he worried so much about the guy when they were on assignment. Exactly like he had the day he’d been injured during the ambush on Knox and Kennedy, he’d willingly throw himself in front of a bullet for someone without second thought.
That moment still haunted Liam’s nightmares and likely would for life. They’d gotten so damn lucky, not that Ace would see it that way after months of recuperation.
Ruby lifted her head then and rocked it from side to side, an ominous crack emanating from her neck as she did.
“Damn, Ruby.” Ace wandered over to her and laid his hands on her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “You’re tense.”
She snorted at that. “Just a little.”
Liam watched as the guy he fucked started massaging the woman he wished he fucked and figured he must have done something horrific in a previous life to warrant being tortured by a double temptation so damn potent. Ace pressed his thumbs on either side of her spine, then dragged them upward along the column of her neck, which was revealed since her long, extra-vibrant red hair had been twisted and draped onto her chest.
Instead of swatting him away, Ruby sighed and released a low moan, then leaned into his touch. She accepted what little relief Ace could give. Liam tried not to be jealous, but it was no use. He should have thought of that, if he’d dreamed in a million years she’d accept that kind of comfort from him. Truth was, she might not. Ace had a natural way of putting people at ease where Liam made them nervous. That bastard.
Ace kept rubbing her porcelain skin before tossing a wink over his shoulder in Liam’s direction. Liam’s cock thickened, threatening to go fully hard despite the fact that he was technically on duty and any of their teammates were likely to show up to check on them or bring developments to their attention at any moment.
As Ace kept massaging, his motions grew a bit jerky in his right hand, which soon stopped moving entirely.Shit. Liam strode over and stood behind him, working Ace’s arm, even as Ace did his best for Ruby with his left hand.
At first, Ace went stiff, resisting Liam’s attention, but it was either let him do it or stop taking care of Ruby. Ace huffed then gave in, allowing Liam to comfort him as he’d wanted to so many times lately. They were one fucked-up trio.
This assignment was going to kill him.
Maybe it was time for another shower and the jerk-off session that went with it.
Before Liam could make some lame excuse and disappear under the spray for some respite of his own, a rap on the door reverberated through the room. The three of them paused, then the guys stood up straighter. Liam put his hand on his gun in its shoulder holster. Not that he truly believed the Shields’ headquarters could be breached without tripping an alarm, or that an enemy would knock, but he wasn’t taking chances either. “Who is it?”
“James. And I’ve got our visitors. Let us in.”
Ruby spun in her seat so fast she nearly whacked Ace in the balls with the arm of her chair. Liam chuckled as she flew past him and ripped open the door. “JRad. Thank you for coming. I’m so sorry for dragging you away from home and your family.”
A tall, deceptively strong guy—not too bulky but cut as hell, with a five o’clock shadow even before lunch—opened his arms and caught Ruby as she flung herself at him.
If Liam had been envious of Ace a minute ago, the green-eyed monster roaring to life inside him then reached legendary status. The guy held her tight without so much as a wobble when she wrapped her legs around him and went full koala. “No problem, kid. Lily says hi. And frankly, I could use a break from the little man every once in a while. He’s…adorable and far too good at finding trouble to get into.”
“Yeah, well, he is your son.” Ruby unwound herself and JRad set her down as James looked between the pair and Liam and Ace, a stupid grin plastered on his face. What was so funny?
Liam for one found nothing about this situation amusing. Ace came to stand beside him, arms crossed, feet spread. He grumbled so only Liam could hear, “I hate him already.”
JRad didn’t waste time on pleasantries, though. He clearly was a cop, with an edge Liam hadn’t expected. “Ruby, your note was…alarming.”