Escape from Obsession (The American Soldier Collection 1)

“Quit looking at me like that. It’s a business suit.”

“Not with your tits and ass it isn’t,” Garrett snapped back and when she went to retort he raised his eyebrows and she knew better than to start an argument with him. Especially right now, when she needed to go to work.

“Drop me off, walk me in, and then come back to get me for lunch. I should accomplish what I need to by then.”

“He has to go to work at Casper’s and help the dads with the deliveries and stocking the storage area. I’ll drive you and then head to work for a few hours, too.”

Gunny’s words surprised her. It didn’t go unnoticed that he made it sound like he was in charge and it was his idea. Typical.

“See, it all worked out,” she said then poured the rest of her coffee down the sink and started to head back to the stairs to grab her purse, but Garrett snagged an arm around her waist and hoisted her up against his body. She gasped as she reached back to loosen his hold, but he had other intentions.

“You didn’t get away with anything here. We knew that you needed to head to work to use the computer. We heard you carrying on to Sammy last night before bed.”

She swallowed hard. “It’s time for me to return, Garrett. I can’t let Jeffrey’s threats ruin my career and my life. The court hearing is tomorrow. It will be over by then.”

She felt the palms of his hands caress over her ass. Her pussy clenched and she knew that her panties would be soaked.

“You watch yourself. If anything seems suspicious or out of the ordinary, you get somewhere safe and call us immediately.”

“Nothing will happen,” she started to say when Garrett raised his eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes and released a sigh. “I promise.”

“Good girl, now give me some sugar before you leave.” She leaned up to touch her lips to his and his hold became firmer as he kissed her deeply and explored her body with his hands. Just as she thought she may pass out from his kisses, he released her lips and turned her toward Wes, who took over making love to her mouth. The feel of his large hands covering her curves and squeezing her ass made her sexually aroused. She would never make it to work. Was that their intention? She pulled from Wes’s lips and gasped.

“Are you trying to make me stay?” Wes looked over her shoulder then back down into her eyes. “Just letting you know how much we love you, baby.” Wes turned her to the left and right into Gunny’s embrace. He lifted her up and placed her on the counter. Even this high, she still had to look up into his eyes.

“You didn’t pull one over on us. We understand about your career and work, but we’re worried about this asshole bothering you. So watch your ass and keep in contact with me.”

“Okay. I promise.” She held his firm expression. His eyes zeroed in on her breasts and then the outfit she wore.

“Do you have anything less sexy that you could wear to the office?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think this is sexy at all.”

She heard their expressions of annoyance. “Are you kidding me?” Garrett asked.

“Yeah right,” Wes replied.

“What?” she asked.

Gunny cupped her cheeks gently between his hands.

He held her gaze as he spoke to her. “You’re our woman and we worry. We’ve never felt like this before, Gia. It’s new to us and we’re trying not to act like a bunch of jealous, barbaric assholes, but we can’t help it. Be careful and call me to check in.” Before she could reply he covered her mouth and began to kiss her so deeply and thoroughly she wondered if she should just stay home after all.

* * * *

“So let me get this shit straight. Gianna is in Houston, Texas?” Valdere asked his assistant, Pedro.

“Yes, sir. She apparently made the news. Check this out.” Pedro placed the laptop onto Valdere’s desk. He saw a picture of Gianna, except her name wasn’t listed as Gianna Clarke. It was listed as Gia Marie Giselli.

“Who hurt her? This asshole?” Valdere scanned the article. “Unbelievable. Does Antonio know about this?” he asked, feeling his annoyance. That asshole had caused him nothing but aggravation over the last several months. Antonio was costing him money instead of making him money.

“He does and the word is that Franco called in Turk and Sully to do a little surveillance.”

Valdere felt his anger grow.

“That fucker has the audacity to use my fucking sources on my fucking payroll to do his dirty work? That bitch doesn’t belong to him anymore. Find out where she is and book me a flight out there. Enough of the fucking games and enough of Antonio. He needs to be eliminated. Let that fucker die knowing that his obsession will be lying under me until I feel like getting rid of her.”

Pedro smiled then took the laptop, closed it up, and exited the room. Valdere walked over toward the window. He should have gotten rid of Antonio months ago. So easily he could have taken care of him in prison. Tied up in the middle of an investigation, he didn’t want to take the chance of getting caught. Everyone in the circuit knew his dislike for Antonio except for Antonio. Valdere looked at the picture of Gianna that sat on the far wall of his study. He’d taken it from Antonio’s place when he was in jail. He’d taken a lot of shit and sold it, just reminding Antonio of who the boss was and how he owned him. But these little things like making deals under his nose and taking credit for imports that had nothing to do with him would be Antonio’s demise. He knew that Valdere wanted Gianna. He knew that he needed to deliver her in order to keep his position. But now, things had changed. With Antonio double-crossing him combined with all the other shit, he needed to be taken out. But this was personal to Valdere. Just two days ago, Antonio had sat in this room and looked him in the eye and told him that he continued to search for Gianna and couldn’t find her. He also told him that the deal with Porter had gone sour and it wasn’t worth the time to make. This morning he was greeted with the news that Antonio did the deal with Porter behind his back and banked the two-million-dollar profit for himself. And now, now he got this news that Gianna was alive and Antonio knew about her and even used Valdere’s own men to investigate her whereabouts. Valdere felt his blood pressure boiling. He killed men for less.