Jinn & Toxic by Franny Armstrong

touching you but when I want to, not when you do. You can spend the time while we track the enemy thinking about that.”
    Tab began walking through the bush again, leaving her staring after him. Anger was quick to build as she touched her swollen lips and realized that he was right. She’d definitely be thinking about him while she walked. A smirk escaped as she dropped her gaze down to stare at his sexy ass, a benefit to the game, in her eyes.
    ***
    After a long, uneventful day, Jinn was exhausted and tired of waiting for Tab to follow through on his threats. With no chance to get past his defenses and the team never far away, she remained captive.
    There’d been no contact from Julie, but the mild pain in Jinn’s chest assured her that her sister was alive. They’d found few signs of humans passing, and the trail was getting cold. Many of the teammates were getting frustrated.
    Jane Burgess, one of their female soldiers, was a prisoner of the enemy and that boded ill for her. From what Jinn had seen with Angel, the rebels were brutal with women.
    Angel still hadn’t spoken more than a few words since her release. She’d withdrawn into herself as though to block out the world. Tab and Gonzales watched over her. Jinn studied Tab as he fed the woman and realized by the tender care as he wiped some meat juice off her chin with his thumb that he had feelings for her. A twinge of jealousy reared its green head.
    Jennings sat down beside Jinn and studied her for a few moments before she spoke, the first of the soldiers to even acknowledge her since she’d been unveiled by Tab.
    “I don’t know what’s changed about you or why all the lies, Dennison, but I want to tell you something. Don’t you harm the Captain or anyone else on this team, or you’re a dead woman whether you helped us or not. Understand?”
    The serious frown on her face caused Jinn to realize there was more to the threat than simple protectiveness. “You’re in love with the Captain, aren’t you?”
    A flush turned Jennings’ cheeks red as she stood.
    “I meant what I said.”
    Jinn nodded. “I’ll take that into consideration. As I said before, I’m not here to harm anyone. I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it with or without the help of TT&T.”
    “As long as your job doesn’t jeopardize the rest of us, I’m good with that.” Jennings stood and moved off to sit with the others, leaving Jinn to her thoughts.
    The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and she realized that someone was watching her, she looked up and met Tab’s brooding gaze. Her lips tingled at the memory of his mouth on hers, his body mastering her on the ground earlier. She licked her lips unconsciously and nearly grinned when his eyes dropped to watch the movement. He might pretend to be impartial, but by the growing bulge in his pants, he was anything but.
    Tab turned around and disappeared into the forest. Satisfaction was a sweet tool.
    ***
    After a few hours rest, the group gathered up their supplies and moved on. Some of them had gone back to the enemy camp and found their own equipment as well as food rations. Metcalfe handed her some but didn’t speak to her. It seemed she was being tolerated only because of their Captain’s orders. In their eyes, she imagined, she’d have been killed on sight as a traitor the moment she showed up.
    Ungrateful bastards. That’s what I get for saving their hides .
    When Tab turned quickly and glared at her, she knew he’d listened in once again and cursed, offering the same look of fury back to him. He only shook his head and continued to tidy up the camp with the others, leaving no trace that they’d been there.
    “So, this is what you do all day while I’m out tracking!” a man spoke from the shadows of the trees. Immediately, every face in the group held an expression of relief and joy.
    Metcalfe laughed. “You son of a bitch! Tanaka, get your ass out here and let us see if you still got it!”
    “Oh,